Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for collision detection in a chirped-frequency-shift-keyed (CFSK) data system having a common system communications medium and a plurality of data stations each containing a data transmitter and a data receiver, comprising the steps of: identifying each of a successive plurality of synchronous bit time intervals during which at least one of the plurality of data stations transmitters may transmit a bit of digital data over the common system communications medium; constantly monitoring the common system communications medium with each data station receiver even while the transmitter of the same data station is transmitting digital data; subjecting the signal received by each data station receiver to a plurality of processing operations each in a respective one of a like plurality of channels; and comparing the energy contents of the outputs of the plurality of channels to detect if a data transmission colision has occurred.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for collision detection in a chirped-frequency-shift-keyed (CFSK) data system having a common system communications medium and a plurality of data stations each containing a data transmitter and a data receiver, comprising the steps of: identifying each of a successive plurality of synchronous bit time intervals during which at least one of the plurality of data stations transmitters may transmit a bit of digital data over the common system communications medium; constantly monitoring the common system communications medium with each data station receiver even while the transmitter of the same data station is transmitting digital data; subjecting the signal received by each data station receiver to a plurality of processing operations each in a respective one of a like plurality of channels; and comparing the energy contents of the outputs of the plurality of channels to detect if a data transmission colision has occurred.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of further comparing the energy contents of the channels, if a collision has been detected to occur, to arbitrate the collision to the bit state of the larger number of the transmitters then transmitting a data bit signal over the common system communications medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
98 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the data is binary data, said plurality of operations and channels includes first, second and third operations respectively in respective ones of first, second and third channels; and further comprising the steps of: operating in the first channel upon all simultaneously received signals corresponding to either binary data state; operating in the second channel only upon those simultaneously received signals corresponding to a first one of the binary data states; and operating in the third channel only upon those simultaneously received signals corresponding to the second one of the binary data states.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the received signal has a first amplitude and wherein said first operation comprises the step of multiplying the received signal by itself to provide a first processed signal at the first channel output; said second operation comprises the steps of: providing a first locally-generated signal of a second amplitude; and multiplying the received signal by the first locally-generated signal to provide a second processed signal at the second channel output; and said third operation comprises the steps of: providing a second locally-generated signal of the second amplitude; and multiplying the received signal by the second locally-generated signal to provide a third processed signal at the third channel output.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4, wherein each transmitter outputs a frequency chirp with frequency varying in opposite frequency directions for first and second binary states.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5, wherein first and second locally-generated signals are frequency-chirped signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second locally-generated signals are frequency chirped in opposite frequency directions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of filtering at least one of the first, second and third processed signals to provide the output of the associated channel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the first processed signal is filtered and including the step of filtering at a frequency which is twice the mean frequency of the CFSK chirp.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second locally-generated signals are offset by a common intermediate frequency from the respective binary CFSK frequency-chirped signals, and the second and third processed signals are filtered, and further comprising the step of filtering both the second and third processed signals at the common intermediate frequency.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 4 or 10, further comprising the step of generating a signal F equal to the difference between the first channel output and the absolute value of the difference between the outputs of the second and third channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a collision detection signal G if the signal F is greater than a predetermined vaue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
118 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: providing a signal D if the output of the second channel is greater than the output of the third channel; providing the data state of the last data bit previously transmitted by that transmitter associated with the respective receiver providing the signal to the channels; and allowing the associated transmitter to transmit a next bit only if (a) the collision detection signal G is not present and the data state of the previous transmitted data bit is the same as the logic state of the signal D, and (b) if the collision detection signal G is present, only if the previous data bit was of a designated state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: assigning the received signal, at the output of the respective receiver, the same data state as the signal D if the collision detection signal G is not present; and assigning, at the output of the respective receiver, the received signal the designated data state if the collision detection signal G is present.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said second amplitude is not greater than said first amplitude.