Communication system having channel hopping protocol and multiple entry points

Claim 1

In a communication system having a channel hopping sequence of communication channels, and having a channel hopping protocol defined for communicating on the sequence, the system having an initiating communication unit and a target communication unit, the system having a system acquisition channel to support establishing a communication link on the sequence between the initiating communication unit and the target communication unit, a method comprising the steps of: selecting a plurality of reservation channels from the sequence, each reservation channel providing an entry point within the sequence for initiating communications on the sequence; at the initiating communication unit: selecting a first reservation channel from among the plurality of reservation channels; executing a collision detection protocol on the first reservation channel; and transmitting call information, including information for a second reservation channel selected from the plurality of reservation channels, on the system acquisition channel, when no collision is detected.

Claim 10

A method of operating a communication system having a channel hopping sequence of communication channels, and having a channel hopping protocol defined for communicating on the sequence, the system having an initiating communication unit and a target communication unit, the system having a system acquisition channel to support establishing a communication link on the sequence between the initiating communication unit and the target communication unit, the method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of reservation channel pairs from pairs of adjacent communication channels distributed throughout the sequence at the initiating communication unit: selecting a code word comprising a series of binary indicators representing ON and OFF; selecting a first reservation channel from among the plurality of reservation channel pairs; executing a collision detection protocol on the first reservation channel based at least in part on the code word, the collision detection protocol including: sequencing through the binary indicators of the code word; transmitting for a first predetermined time period, when a binary indicator of the code word represents ON; monitoring for a second predetermined time period to detect a transmission, when a binary indicator of the code word represents OFF; determining that a collision occurred when a transmission is detected; determining that no collision occurred when no transmission is detected; transmitting call information on the system acquisition channel, including information for a second reservation channel selected from the plurality of reservation channel pairs, and a code word corresponding to the initiating communication unit, when no collision is detected; receiving, by the target communication unit, the call information on the system acquisition channel; and executing on the second reservation channel, by the initiating communication unit and by the target communication unit, the collision detection protocol using the code word corresponding to the initiating communication unit.

Claim 11

A method of operating a communication system having a channel hopping sequence of communication channels, and having a channel hopping protocol defined for communicating on the sequence, the system having an initiating communication unit and a target communication unit, the system having a system acquisition channel to support establishing a communication link on the sequence between the initiating communication unit and the target communication unit, the method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of reservation channel pairs from pairs of adjacent communication channels distributed throughout the sequence at the initiating communication unit: selecting a code word comprising a series of binary indicators representing ON and OFF; selecting a first reservation channel from among the plurality of reservation channel pairs; executing a collision detection protocol on the first reservation channel based at least in part on the code word, the collision detection protocol including: sequencing through the binary indicators of the code word; transmitting for a first predetermined time period, when a binary indicator of the code word represents ON; monitoring for a second predetermined time period to detect a transmission, when a binary indicator of the code word represents OFF; determining that a collision occurred when a transmission is detected; determining that no collision occurred when no transmission is detected; transmitting call information on the system acquisition channel, including information for a second reservation channel selected from the plurality of reservation channel pairs, and a code word corresponding to the initiating communication unit, when no collision is detected; receiving, by the target communication unit, the call information on the system acquisition channel; and executing on the second reservation channel, by the initiating communication unit and by the target communication unit, the collision detection protocol using the code word corresponding to the initiating communication unit.