Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for selectively controlling transmission of consecutive packets in a network station

US6055578A · kind A · utility

180Cited by
15References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 9, 1997
Grant dateApr 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 9, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L12/44
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Delay times are modified in an Ethernet network device having captured the media channel by increasing the interframe spacing (IFS) between data packets. The modified IFS interval, increased by adding a delay interval to the minimum interpacket gap (IPG) interval after a first user-selectable number of consecutive successful transmissions, enables other network stations to transmit data during the deferral interval. The Ethernet network device maintains the modified IFS for a limited deferral interval, based upon a predetermined time interval, a number of successful transmissions by other network stations, or a second user-selectable number of consecutive successful transmissions. Additional delay intervals may be added if the network station continues to exceed the predetermined number of consecutive successful transmissions. Burst transmission can also be optimized by counting the consecutive successful transmissions only after detecting an attempted transmission by another network station. Hence, a network station can avoid capturing a network channel while ensuring access latencies.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.