Time slot scheduling for shared-medium communications networks
US7212540B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 1, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J3/1694
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for allocating time slots in a communications network, comprising a headend, a plurality of outstations, and a shared medium connecting each outstation to the headend. The method involves scheduling timeslots for each outstation responsive to the measures of distance of each outstation from the headend. The method reduces the requirement for guard bands between timeslots, since it obviates allocation of a guard band between consecutive first and second timeslots where the outstation allocated the second timeslot is located no closer to the headend than the outstation allocated the first time slot. Ideally, the timeslots are allocated to outstations cyclically in ascending order of distance of the outstations from the headend, with the closest outstation following the farthest to complete the cycle, so that guard bands are rendered unnecessary between the majority of timeslots. In preferred embodiments distance may be round-trip delay, and the outstations and head end may be configured to form a ring network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.