TDMA synchronization using visibility designation

US5315589A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hughes Aircraft Company · US

Inventors

• W. Robert Kepley, III · Gaithersburg, US
• Stanley Kay · Rockville, US
• Ashim Roy · Jamkhed, IN
• Steven M. Kee · Rockville, US
• Carle C. Henson, III · Damascus, US
• Adrian Morris · Gaithersburg, US
• Randy Drago · Gaithersburg, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 3, 1991
• Grant date: May 24, 1994
• Expiry date: Oct 3, 2011

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B7/2128
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

TDMA timing is maintained by the use of visibility information transmitted among the stations in a conference. Each station monitors the identity of stations from which bursts are received. A station also receives visibility information from other stations. The station combines the information to maintain a two-dimensional Visibility Designator Byte matrix or array. A station participates in the process by periodically transmitting its own VDB array to other stations. The stations then, independently, identify a prime station by using the collected and processed information. Using the same information, a station also identifies the manner in which it will lock to the timing of the prime station.