Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, said a station comprising: address selection means for selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting means for transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; and receiving means for receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; said address selection means being adapted to select a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
A station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, said a station comprising: address selection means for selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting means for transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; and receiving means for receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; said address selection means being adapted to select a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A station according to Claim 1 further including: address setting means to set said a station's address to the sum of said selected address and a finite number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A station according to Claim 1 further including: address setting means to set said a station's address to said selected address when no other station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
A station according to Claim 1 further including: random number selection means to select a random number in a range sufficiently large to insure that the probability of said random number and said selected address is insignificant; said transmitting means being adapted to transmit an information packet containing said random number to a station having an address which is the sum of said selected address and a finite number; said address selection means being adapted to select a new random address when said another station having said address, which is a said sum, returns an information packet with a number different than said selected random number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A station according to Claim 4 further including: address setting means to set said a station's address to said selected address when said returned number is the same as said transmitted random number.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, the method comprising: selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; and selecting a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, the method comprising: selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; and selecting a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to Claim 6 further including: setting said a station's address to the sum of said selected address and a finite number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to Claim 6 further including: setting said a station's address to said selected address when no other station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
A method according to Claim 6 further including: selecting a random number in a range sufficiently large to insure that the probability of said random number and said selected address is insignificant; transmitting an information packet containing said random number to a station having an address which is the sum of said selected address and a finite number; and selecting a new random address when said another station having said address, which is a said sum, returns an information packet with a number different than said selected random number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to Claim 9 further including: setting said a station's address to said selected address when said returned number is the same as said transmitted random number.