Telecommunications system and protocol for avoiding message collisions on a multiplexed communications link

Claim 3

The method as in claim 1 wherein the steps of accessing include the steps of: transmitting a data message on the single channel, bi-directional data link to a predetermined user recipient during the accessed authorized time period; and listening for an acknowledgement of receipt of the data message from the predetermined user recipient during the accessed authorized time period.

Claim 4

The method as in claim 2 further including the steps of: accessing the single channel, bi-directional data link during the next authorized time period if an acknowledgement from the predetermined user recipient during the previously accessed time period is not received; retransmitting the data message on the single channel, bi-directional data link to the predetermined user recipient; and listening for an acknowledgement of receipt of the data message from the predetermined user recipient.

Claim 5

The method as in claim 2 further including the steps of: accessing the single channel, bi-directional data link during a randomly selected authorized time period in the future if an acknowledgement from the predetermined user recipient is not received; retransmitting the data message on the single channel, bi-directional data link to the predetermined user recipient; and listening for an acknowledgement of receipt of the data message from the predetermined user recipient.

Claim 6

The method as in claim 4 further including the steps of: repeating the steps of claim 4 for a user selected number of times until an acknowledgement of receipt of the transmitted data message is received; and transmitting the data message via user selected alternative means after repeating the steps of claim 4 for a user selected number of times.

Claim 7

The method as in claim 1 wherein the repeating time frame further includes synchronization time periods and wherein the step of synchronizing comprises the steps of: accessing the single channel, bi-directional data link during one of the synchronization time periods; listening for a synchronization message on the single channel, bi-directional data link; and updating user synchronization to the repeating time frame according to the received synchronization message.

Claim 8

A communications network, comprising: a single channel, bi-directional communications data link accessed according to a repeating time frame including a plurality of primary and secondary time periods therein; a plurality of primary network users and a plurality of secondary network users selectively accessing said single channel, bi-directional communications data link to communicate between each other, wherein each primary and secondary user comprises: clock means for timing said repeating time frame; and transceiver means responsive to said clock means for identifying said plurality of primary and secondary time periods and for accessing said single channels, bi-directional communications data link during a selected one of said primary time periods to initiate a communication with at least one secondary user if the network user is a primary network user and for accessing said single channel, bi-directional communications data link during a selected one of said secondary time periods to initiate a communication with at least one primary user if the network user is a secondary network user; and means coupled to said single channel, bi-directional communications data link for transmitting a synchronization message to synchronize the clock means of each primary and secondary network user to the repeating time frame.

Claim 9

A communications network, comprising: a single channel, bi-directional communications data link accessed according to a repeating time frame including a plurality of primary and secondary time periods therein; a plurality of primary network users and a plurality of secondary network users selectively accessing said single channel, bi-directional communications data link to communicate between each other, wherein each primary and secondary user comprises: clock means for timing said repeating time frame; and transceiver means responsive to said clock means for identifying said plurality of primary and secondary time periods and for accessing said single channels, bi-directional communications data link during a selected one of said primary time periods to initiate a communication with at least one secondary user if the network user is a primary network user and for accessing said single channel, bi-directional communications data link during a selected one of said secondary time periods to initiate a communication with at least one primary user if the network user is a secondary network user; and means coupled to said single channel, bi-directional communications data link for transmitting a synchronization message to synchronize the clock means of each primary and secondary network user to the repeating time frame.

Claim 10

The communications network as in claim 7 wherein the single channel, bi-directional communications data link comprises a wireless radio frequency link and the transceiver means comprises a radio frequency transceiver.

Claim 11

The communications network as in claim 7 wherein the transceiver means comprises: means for transmitting a data message on the single channel, bi-directional communications data link to a predetermined user recipient during the selected time period; and means for listening for an acknowledgement of receipt of the data message from the predetermined user recipient during the selected time period.

Claim 12

The communications network as in claim 9 wherein the transceiver means further comprises: means for retransmitting the data message on the single channel, bi-directional communications data link during the next time period if an acknowledgement from the predetermined user recipient during the selected time period is not received; and means for listening for an acknowledgement of receipt of the data message from the predetermined user recipient during the next time period.

Claim 13

The communications network as in claim 9 wherein the transceiver means further comprises means for retransmitting the data message and listening for an acknowledgement of receipt from the predetermined user recipient during a randomly selected time period in the future if an acknowledgement from the predetermined user recipient during the selected time period is not received.

Claim 14

A communications system, comprising: a telephonic communications network including means for providing in-band communications service to a plurality of subscribers; a command communications network comprised of a plurality of user transceivers including means for providing out-of-band communications service to the plurality of subscribers via the user transceivers wherein at least one user transceiver is assigned to each subscriber; a central communications control means connected to the telephonic and command communications networks including means responsive to out-of band communications from a subscriber over the command communications network for controlling the manner with which the in-band communications service is provided to that subscriber over the telephonic communications network; and wherein the plurality of user transceivers include a secondary transceiver assigned to each subscriber and at least one primary transceiver for relaying communications between the control means and the secondary transceivers over the command communications network.

Claim 15

A communications system, comprising: a telephonic communications network including means for providing in-band communications service to a plurality of subscribers; a command communications network comprised of a plurality of user transceivers including means for providing out-of-band communications service to the plurality of subscribers via the user transceivers wherein at least one user transceiver is assigned to each subscriber; a central communications control means connected to the telephonic and command communications networks including means responsive to out-of band communications from a subscriber over the command communications network for controlling the manner with which the in-band communications service is provided to that subscriber over the telephonic communications network; and wherein the plurality of user transceivers include a secondary transceiver assigned to each subscriber and at least one primary transceiver for relaying communications between the control means and the secondary transceivers over the command communications network.

Claim 16

The communications system as in claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of user transceivers on the command communications network includes protocol means for controlling user transceiver access to the command communications network for engaging in out-of-band communications.

Claim 17

The communications system as in claim 13 wherein the protocol means comprises: clock means synchronized to a repeating time frame including a plurality of time periods therein; processing means responsive to the clock means for identifying at least one time period in each time frame as an authorized time period for a user transceiver to engage in out-of-band communications; and transceiver means connected to the processing means for accessing the command communications network during a selected one of the identified authorized time periods for engaging in out-of-band communications over the command communications network.

Claim 18

The communications system as in claim 14 wherein the protocol means further includes means for resolving simultaneous communication conflict between multiple user transceivers accessing the command communications network during the same authorized time period.

Claim 19

The communications system as in claim 12 wherein said command communications network includes a data link interconnecting the plurality of user transceivers to the control means and wherein the control means further includes means for synchronizing each user transceiver to control user transceiver access to the data link.

Claim 20

The communications system as in claim 16 wherein the means for synchronizing comprises: means for broadcasting a synchronization signal on the data link to each user transceiver; clock means for each user transceiver synchronized by the synchronization signal to a repeating time frame wherein each time frame comprises a plurality of communications time periods; and processing means within each user transceiver responsive to the clock means for identifying certain ones of the plurality of time periods in each time frame as authorized for user transceiver access to the data link.

Claim 21

The communications system as in claim 17 wherein each user transceiver further includes transceiver means connected to the processing means for accessing the data link during a selected authorized time period.

Claim 22

The communications system as in claim 17 wherein the processing means of each user transceiver further includes means for resolving instances of simultaneous transmission of data communications on the data link by multiple user transceivers during the same time period.