Abstract: The device according to the invention shares a transmission medium between communication devices by allocation of authorizations to send on the medium, to each communication device. It has: a memory (65) for storing a table (64) representing communication devices (7) sharing the medium, each assigned a priority level (435, 438, 441, 444) for access to the medium; a device (94, 460, 462, 529, 543, 544, 545, 559A) for updating the access priority levels according to an estimated requirement for transmission on the medium by the communication devices under consideration.

Abstract: The methods for transmission of sequences or frames of data provide for retransmitting, with a central device (21), frames of data which reach it, to destination devices, by transmission of downlink frames when the destination device is a peripheral device (24), each downlink frame having systematically a service message activating a protocol controlling access to the transmission medium shared by the central device (21) and the peripheral devices (24), and possibly a frame of data. The central device (21) and at least one peripheral device (24) form a system which is particularly well suited to a local area network, notably with a wireless transmission medium.

Abstract: A digital communication converter includes: a connection unit with a communication unit from which it receives or to which it delivers data frames; and a unit for sending/receiving over a transmission medium in order to transmit, by means of the medium, data frames which are delivered to it and/or to deliver information frames which it receives by means of the medium. A transmission control unit delivers, respectively to the connection unit and the sending/receiving unit, frames which have been delivered to it respectively by the sending/receiving unit and by means of the connection unit. A memory stores an address relating to the communication unit, this address being used for operating a protocol for controlling access to the transmission medium.