Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
Method for providing fair access to members of a group communication system in which members experience differing signaling delays, comprising the steps of: receiving an initial transmission request from a first member by an arbitration device; opening a time window in response to said initial transmission request; receiving a second transmission request from a second member by said arbitration device; determining whether or not said second transmission request was received within said time window; and including said initial transmission request and said second transmission request in determining which member should be granted an exclusive transmission privilege if said second transmission request was received within said time window.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method for providing fair access to members of a group communication system in which members experience differing signaling delays, comprising the steps of: receiving an initial transmission request from a first member by an arbitration device; opening a time window in response to said initial transmission request; receiving a second transmission request from a second member by said arbitration device; determining whether or not said second transmission request was received within said time window; and including said initial transmission request and said second transmission request in determining which member should be granted an exclusive transmission privilege if said second transmission request was received within said time window.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a first transmission request comprises the step of storing identification information corresponding to said first member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a second transmission request comprises the step of storing identification information corresponding to said second member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining whether or not said second transmission request was received within said time window comprises the steps of: determining whether or not said time window has closed; and storing information relating to said second member if said time window has not closed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus for providing fair access to members of a group communication system in which members experience differing signaling delays, comprising: a receiver for receiving an initial transmission request from a first member and a second transmission request from a second member; a memory for storing information relating to said initial transmission request and said second transmission request; a timer for determining when a time window has closed; and a processor connected to said receiver, to said memory, and to said timer for including said initial transmission request and said second transmission request in determining which member should be granted an exclusive transmission privilege, if said second transmission request is received within said time window.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus for providing fair access to members of a group communication system in which members experience differing signaling delays, comprising: a receiver for receiving an initial transmission request from a first member and a second transmission request from a second member; a memory for storing information relating to said initial transmission request and said second transmission request; a timer for determining when a time window has closed; and a processor connected to said receiver, to said memory, and to said timer for including said initial transmission request and said second transmission request in determining which member should be granted an exclusive transmission privilege, if said second transmission request is received within said time window.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus of claim 5 wherein said information comprises identification information relating to said first member and said second member.