EP0615365A1
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EP
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A method of accessing a communication medium
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1994-02-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-02-25
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides for a method of accessing a communication medium that allows for isochronous and asynchronous communication traffic to share the same medium and the same transceivers of a plurality of communication stations (18,20;22,24) that communicate by way of a base station (14;16). The base station (14;16) controls the communication between the communication stations (18,20;22,24) and generates regular timing periods in which isochronous traffic (38;62,64) is sent to the stations (18,20;22,24) with a higher priority than any asynchronous traffic pending at the beginning of each timing period. Once the initial isochronous traffic (38;62,64) has accessed the medium, any further isochronous traffic retains access to the medium so that the asynchronous traffic (56,58;78) can only occur in that part of the frame period remaining after the isochronous traffic has accessed the medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Wilhelmus J.M. Diepstraten
- 👤 Hendrik Van Bokhorst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/64; H04L12/6418; H04L2012/6421; H04L2012/6445; H04L2012/6448; H04L2012/6454; H04L2012/6464; H04W; H04W72/00; H04W72/50; H04W72/56; H04W72/566; H04W74/00; H04W74/02; H04W84/00; H04W84/02; H04W84/10; H04W84/12; H04W88/00; H04W88/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of accessing a communication medium of a local area network (10,12) for isochronous and asynchronous communication between a plurality of communication stations (18,20;22,24) which communicate by way of a base station (14, 16), comprising the steps of generating uniform timing periods in said base station (14,16), accessing the medium each period with at least one isochronous packet (38;62,64) from said base station (14,16) with a higher access priority than any asynchronous packets pending at the commencement of each timing period, delaying any asynchronous packets (56,58;78) in each timing period until said at least one isochronous packet (38;62,64) and any isochronous traffic (42,44;74) transmitted in response thereto have attempted access to said medium, and accessing said medium for transmission of said asynchronous packets (56,58;78) during the remainder of each timing period.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1, characterized in that any asynchronous packets pending in the base station (14,16) are delayed by the base station (14,16) when said at least one isochronous packet (38;62,64) is to be sent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an access delay of said at least one isochronous packet (38;62,64) is less than an access delay for asynchronous packets from said communication stations (18,20;22,24) to said base station (14,16).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that one isochronous packet (38) is transmitted from said base station (14,16) each timing period and said one packet (38) contains all the isochronous communication data which is to be transmitted to the communication stations (18,20;22,24) in that period.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 4, characterized in that each communication station (18,20;22,24) having an asynchronous packet to transmit in a timing period receives said one isochronous packet (38) to determine how much isochronous traffic will occur in the period and adjust its access delay accordingly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that separate isochronous packets (62,64) are transmitted from said base station (14,16) each timing period for each isochronous communication station (18,20;22,24).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the access delay period for the separate isochronous packets (62,64) and any isochronous traffic (72,74) from the communication stations in reply thereto is less than the access delay for asynchronous traffic (78).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communication stations (18,20;22,24) are prevented from transmitting asynchronous traffic for a predetermined period (60,70) at the timing period boundary.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the order in which said communication stations (18,20;22,24) receive incoming isochronous traffic is randomized.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
19 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said medium comprises a wireless medium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0529269A2
Cited
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