Local area network having a wireless transmission link

Claim 2

A method according to claim 1, characterized by the steps of: monitoring said wireless transmission channel to detect the end of a data transfer thereover; generating a window signal (WD) dependent upon said end of said data transfer; generating a collision detect signal (CDT) if said control signal (RTSA) is active during said window signal (WD); using said CDT signal to initiate a random delay time assigned to the data processing station (12); and initiating transmission by the data processing station (12) generating said CDT signal at the end of the delay time assigned thereto.

Claim 3

A local area network station, including memory means (26) adapted to store data to be transmitted, and communication controller means (22) adapted to control the transmission of data frames by said station (12); and transceiver means (20), characterized in that said transceiver means (20) is adapted to operate on a single wireless transmission channel, in that said communication controller means (22) is adapted to defer transmission of a data frame in response to a first control signal (CRS) applied thereto and is further effective, in response to a second control signal (CDT) applied thereto, to terminate the transmission of a data frame which is being transmitted and to reinitiate transmission thereof after a backoff period; and in that signal generating means (40) is provided, coupled to said transceiver means (20) and to said communication controller means (22) and adapted, in response to the outputting by said communication controller means (22) of a third control signal (RTSA) requesting transmission of a deferred data frame, to generate said second control signal (CDT) thereby causing said communication controller means (22) to inhibit transmission of the deferred data frame until said backoff period has elapsed.

Claim 4

A local area network station according to claim 3, characterized in that said signal generating means (40) includes window signal generating means (88, 90, 92, 98, 106, 109, 112, 116) adapted to generate a window signal (WD) in response to the termination of said first control signal (CRS), and first logic circuit means (120, 122) responsive to said window signal (WD) and to said third control signal (RTSA), and adapted to provide said second control signal (CDT).

Claim 5

A local area network according to claim 4, characterized in that said window signal generating means includes timer means (88) having an output connected to second logic circuit means (90,92) responsive to provide a window start signal (WS) a first predetermined time after the termination of said first control signal (CRS), third logic circuit means (106,109,112) adapted to provide a window end signal (WE/) a second predetermined time after the initiation of said window start signal (WS), and fourth logic circuit means (116) responsive to said window start signal (WS) and said window end signal (WE/) to provide said window signal (WD).

Claim 6

A local area network station according to claim 5 characterized in that said third logic circuit means includes: a shift register (106) having an input coupled to an output (104) of said second logic circuit means (90,92); and a header device (109) having a plurality of inputs coupled to a corresponding plurality of outputs of said shift register (106), and a plurality of outputs coupled to a common line (110), whereby the time for which said window signal (WD) is active may be selected by selective connection between a selected input and a selected output of said header device (109).

Claim 7

A local area network station according to claim 5 or claim 6 characterized in that said signal generating means (40) includes fifth logic circuit means (130,136) responsive to said second control signal (CDT) and said third control signal (RTSA) to provide a fourth control signal (RTSB) applied to said transceiver (20), said fourth control signal (RTSB) being indicative of a request-to-send condition and being inhibited if said second control signal (CDT) is active.

Claim 8

A local area network station according to claim 7 characterized in that said signal generating means (40) includes sixth logic circuit means (138, 140) responsive to said second control signal (CDT) and arranged to receive a fifth control signal (CTSA) provided by said transceiver means (20) and indicative of a clear-to-send condition in said transceiver means (20), said sixth logic circuit means (138,140) being adapted to provide a sixth control signal (CTSB) to said communication controller means (22) when said fifth control signal (CTSA) is active or when said second control signal (CDT) is active.