Patent US6411629B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6411629B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Data interleaving method
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1998-12-29
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Granted: 2002-06-25
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Expires: 2018-12-29
Abstract
Abstract Data packets are transmitted over a communications link in an interleaved manner. The link comprises a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet. Data packets are transmitted over a series of the TDM frames, one time slot in each of the series of frames being used to transmit a portion of that data packet. Different ones of the data packets begin in different TDM frames. Received data packets are allocated a modified header for use over the communications link. The modified header has a shorter address than the address in the received packet header and the modified header can be split into a plurality of parts which are distributed across the length of the transmitted packet. Error protection for the modified header can also be distributed across the length of the transmitted packet and is preferably spaced, within the transmitted packet, from the other parts of the modified header by payload parts of the packet.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark Bentall
- 👤 Philip Charlesworth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:35
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L1/00; H04L1/0078; H04L1/0083; H04L2012/5603; H04L2012/5604; H04L2012/5607; H04L2012/5625; H04L2012/5627
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of transmitting data packets over a communications link in an interleaved manner, the link comprising a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet, the method comprising: receiving data packets for transmission over the link; for each data packet, transmitting the data packet over a series of the TDM frames, by dividing the data packet into portions and using one time slot in each of the series of frames to transmit one of the portions such that the same time slot in each of the series of frames is used for each of the portions of a particular data packet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of transmitting data packets over a communications link in an interleaved manner, the link comprising a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet, the method comprising: receiving data packets for transmission over the link; for each data packet, transmitting the data packet over a series of the TDM frames, by dividing the data packet into portions and using one time slot in each of the series of frames to transmit one of the portions such that the same time slot in each of the series of frames is used for each of the portions of a particular data packet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 1 , further comprising beginning to transmit a received data packet when there is a free time slot in a frame, such that different ones of the data packets begin in different TDM frames.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the received data packet has a packet header, and the packet is allocated a modified header for use over the communications link.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein the received packet header has an address and the modified header has a shorter address than the address in the received packet header.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein the modified header is split into a plurality of parts which are distributed across the length of the transmitted packet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein error protection is included for the modified header and the error protection is distributed across the length of the transmitted packet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 6 , wherein the error protection comprises error detection and error correction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the error detection includes two independent error detection codes for the header.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein error protection is included for the modified header and the error protection is spaced, within the transmitted packet, from the other parts of the modified header by payload parts of the packet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 5 , wherein the modified header is allocated by referring to a store of association information, the association information associating the packet header to a modified packet header.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein if no association information exists, a new association is created.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 11 , wherein the modified header is selected from a pool of unused headers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 11 , wherein the modified header is a recently unused header.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein the association information includes a timestamp and the recently unused header is chosen according to the timestamp.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein there is a transmitting/receiving entity at each end of the communications link and one of the entities acts as a master to resolve allocation of association information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein association information for associating the packet header and modified packet header is transmitted across the link to a receiving entity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 16 , wherein the association information is stored at the receiving entity for use with processing received packets from the link.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 16 , wherein the association is transmitted across a dedicated signalling channel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitted packet includes synchronisation information to allow a receiving entity at a receiving end of the communications link to determine boundaries between transmitted packets on the link.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 19 , wherein the synchronisation information is distributed across the length of the transmitted packet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising including synchronisation information in the frames, and varying the position of the synchronisation information within the frames.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 21 wherein, if the synchronisation information occupies a time slot that should be carrying a portion of a data packet, that portion of the data packet is moved to occupy a predetermined alternative time slot in the frame.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the data packets are received over a second communications link, and the second communications link experiences a lower error rate compared with the communications link on which the packets are transmitted.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the communications link is a wireless link.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the received data packets are ATM cells.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
126 words
Apparatus for transmitting data packets over a communications link in an interleaved manner, the apparatus comprising: a receiver for receiving data packets for transmission over the link; a transmitting unit for generating a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet, the unit being arranged for each data packet, to transmit the data packet over a series of the TDM frames, by dividing the data packet into portions and using one time slot in each of the series of frames to transmit one of the portions such that the same time slot in each of the series of frames is used for each of the portions of a particular data packet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
126 words
Apparatus for transmitting data packets over a communications link in an interleaved manner, the apparatus comprising: a receiver for receiving data packets for transmission over the link; a transmitting unit for generating a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet, the unit being arranged for each data packet, to transmit the data packet over a series of the TDM frames, by dividing the data packet into portions and using one time slot in each of the series of frames to transmit one of the portions such that the same time slot in each of the series of frames is used for each of the portions of a particular data packet.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
132 words
Apparatus for formatting data packets which are intended for transmission over a communications link in an interleaved manner, the apparatus comprising a formatting unit for receiving data packets which are intended for transmission over the link and generating a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet, the unit being arranged for each data packet, to allocate the data packet to a series of the TDM frames, by dividing the data packet into portions and using one time slot in each of the series of frames to transmit one of the portions such that the same time slot in each of the series of frames is used for each of the portions of a particular data packet.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
132 words
Apparatus for formatting data packets which are intended for transmission over a communications link in an interleaved manner, the apparatus comprising a formatting unit for receiving data packets which are intended for transmission over the link and generating a series of time-division multiplexed (TDM) frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, a time slot being shorter than a data packet, the unit being arranged for each data packet, to allocate the data packet to a series of the TDM frames, by dividing the data packet into portions and using one time slot in each of the series of frames to transmit one of the portions such that the same time slot in each of the series of frames is used for each of the portions of a particular data packet.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of transmitting data packets over a communications link, the method comprising: receiving a data packet for transmission over the link, the received data packet having a packet header with an address; allocating a modified header to the packet for use over the communications link, the modified header having a shorter address than the address in the received packet header; and, transmitting the data packet over the communications link.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of transmitting data packets over a communications link, the method comprising: receiving a data packet for transmission over the link, the received data packet having a packet header with an address; allocating a modified header to the packet for use over the communications link, the modified header having a shorter address than the address in the received packet header; and, transmitting the data packet over the communications link.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus for transmitting data packets over a communications link comprising: a receiver for receiving a data packet for transmission over the link, the received data packet having a packet header with an address; a formatting unit for allocating a modified header to the packet for use over the communications link, the modified header having a shorter address than the address in the received packet header; and, a transmitter for transmitting the data packet over the communications link.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus for transmitting data packets over a communications link comprising: a receiver for receiving a data packet for transmission over the link, the received data packet having a packet header with an address; a formatting unit for allocating a modified header to the packet for use over the communications link, the modified header having a shorter address than the address in the received packet header; and, a transmitter for transmitting the data packet over the communications link.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus for formatting data packets which are intended for transmission over a communications link comprising a formatting unit for receiving a data packet for transmission over the link, the received data packet having a packet header with an address, and allocating a modified header to the packet for use over the communications link, the modified header having a shorter address than the address in the received packet header.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus for formatting data packets which are intended for transmission over a communications link comprising a formatting unit for receiving a data packet for transmission over the link, the received data packet having a packet header with an address, and allocating a modified header to the packet for use over the communications link, the modified header having a shorter address than the address in the received packet header.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of transmitting a data packet over a communications link, the method comprising transmitting the data packet over the communications link in a form in which address information for the packet is split into a plurality of parts, which parts are distributed across the length of the packet and which are separated by payload parts of the packet.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of transmitting a data packet over a communications link, the method comprising transmitting the data packet over the communications link in a form in which address information for the packet is split into a plurality of parts, which parts are distributed across the length of the packet and which are separated by payload parts of the packet.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus for transmitting a data packet over a communications link comprising: transmitting the data packet over the communications link in a form in which address information for the packet is split into a plurality of parts, which parts are distributed across the length of the packet and which are separated by payload parts of the packet.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus for transmitting a data packet over a communications link comprising: transmitting the data packet over the communications link in a form in which address information for the packet is split into a plurality of parts, which parts are distributed across the length of the packet and which are separated by payload parts of the packet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-06-24 | 2005-12-24 | 2006-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-06-24 | 2009-12-24 | 2010-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-06-24 | 2013-12-24 | 2014-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |