US6600754B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for managing communication resources using standby slots
Assignee: Rockwell Collins Inc
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Filing: 1999-06-28
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Granted: 2003-07-29
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Expires: 2019-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for managing communication resources between nodes in a network, and more particularly to a dynamic distributed multi-channel time division multiple access (TDMA) slot assignment method is presented. The method and apparatus include a set of higher level heuristics that enable the wireless channel access scheme to address predetermined characteristics of the wireless channel access system. These predetermined heuristics include using bootstrap slots, adaptive broadcast cycles, channelized neighborhoods, standby slots, speculation slots, neighbor segregation, hard circuits, and soft circuits.
Inventors
- 👤 C. David Young
- 👤 Henry O. Howell
- 👤 Roy W. Krueger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W74/00; H04W74/04; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/16; H04J3/1605; H04J3/1623; H04J3/1647; H04L; H04L1/00; H04L1/12; H04L1/16; H04L1/1607; H04L1/1614; H04L1/18; H04L1/1809; H04L2001/0092; H04L2001/0093; H04W28/00; H04W28/16; H04W28/26; H04W72/00; H04W72/04; H04W72/044; H04W72/0446
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for managing communication channel resources between nodes in a network of nodes, wherein each node utilizes the communication channel resources to communicate during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising: communicating between nodes in the network utilizing a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including time divisions, each time division having a plurality of time frames, each time frame having a plurality of time slots, the time slots including bootstrap slots, broadcast slots, and reservation slots; storing, at each node, an assignment of possible time slots during which the nodes may communicate; designating particular slots in the assignment of possible time slots as standby slots; and dynamically designating an unused reservation slot as a standby slot.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for managing communication channel resources between nodes in a network of nodes, wherein each node utilizes the communication channel resources to communicate during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising: communicating between nodes in the network utilizing a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including time divisions, each time division having a plurality of time frames, each time frame having a plurality of time slots, the time slots including bootstrap slots, broadcast slots, and reservation slots; storing, at each node, an assignment of possible time slots during which the nodes may communicate; designating particular slots in the assignment of possible time slots as standby slots; and dynamically designating an unused reservation slot as a standby slot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein dynamically designating includes associating a particular standby slot with a broadcast slot if a reservation of the particular standby slot has not been allocated to one of the nodes in the network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: associating each standby slot with a particular broadcast slot in a first sequence in a first frame of the time division.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising: associating each standby slot with a particular broadcast slot in a second sequence in a second frame of the time division.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the second sequence is shifted from the first sequence by a predetermined number of time slots in the second frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the predetermined number of time slots is one (1).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein communicating between nodes includes using a unifying slot assignment protocol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: transmitting communications in the broadcast slots for at least one of datagram service and control traffic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising: transmitting communications in the standby slots for at least one of datagram service, control traffic, and reservation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
A communication network, comprising: a plurality of transceiver nodes configured to utilize a time division multiple access structure to communicate between the transceiver nodes, the time division multiple access structure including a plurality of time slots during which the transceiver nodes are configured to communicate, the plurality of time slots including bootstrap slots, broadcast slots, and reservation slots; and a standby slot protocol to designate one or more time slots of the plurality of time slots as one or more standby slots.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
A communication network, comprising: a plurality of transceiver nodes configured to utilize a time division multiple access structure to communicate between the transceiver nodes, the time division multiple access structure including a plurality of time slots during which the transceiver nodes are configured to communicate, the plurality of time slots including bootstrap slots, broadcast slots, and reservation slots; and a standby slot protocol to designate one or more time slots of the plurality of time slots as one or more standby slots.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The communication network as recited in claim 10 , wherein the standby slot protocol designates a reservation slot as a standby slot if a reservation of the reservation slot has not been allocated to one of the transceiver nodes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The communication network as recited in claim 10 , wherein each standby slot is associated with a particular broadcast slot in a first sequence in a first frame of the time division.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The communication network as recited in claim 12 , wherein each standby slot is associated with a particular broadcast slot in a second sequence in a second frame of the time division.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The communication network as recited in claim 13 , wherein the second sequence is shifted from the first sequence a predetermined number of time slots in the second frame.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The communication network as recited in claim 14 , wherein the predetermined number of slots is one (1).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The communication network as recited in claim 10 , further comprising: a unifying slot assignment protocol to control communication between the transceiver nodes.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for automatically managing communication channel resources between nodes in a network, each node communicating during specific time slots and using multiple frequencies on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising: communicating between nodes in the network utilizing a unifying slot assignment protocol and a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including a plurality of time divisions, wherein each time division has a plurality of frames and each frame has a plurality of time slots, the plurality of time slots including bootstrap slots, broadcast slots, and reservation slots; determining availability of any of the reservation slots; and designating an available reservation slot as a standby slot.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for automatically managing communication channel resources between nodes in a network, each node communicating during specific time slots and using multiple frequencies on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising: communicating between nodes in the network utilizing a unifying slot assignment protocol and a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including a plurality of time divisions, wherein each time division has a plurality of frames and each frame has a plurality of time slots, the plurality of time slots including bootstrap slots, broadcast slots, and reservation slots; determining availability of any of the reservation slots; and designating an available reservation slot as a standby slot.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising: associating, in a first frame of a time division, each designated standby slot with a particular broadcast slot in a first sequence.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in claim 18 , further comprising: associating, in a second frame of the time division, each designated standby slot with a particular broadcast slot in a second sequence.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the second sequence is shifted from the first sequence a predetermined number of time slots in the second frame.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-07-28 | 2007-01-27 | 2007-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-07-28 | 2011-01-27 | 2011-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-07-28 | 2015-01-27 | 2015-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |