Abstract: The invention relates to an identification method for use in a multiple access communication network wherein a terminal. (Ti) with a predefined identifier (IDi) desires access to the network. The identification method includes distribution of a grant message (G(IDx-IDy)), which defines an identifier range (IDx-IDy), from a controller (C) to a plurality of terminals (T1, . . . , Ti, . . . T16) which includes the terminal (Ti). The method further includes comparing the result (Inv(IDi)) of a reordering in a predefined way by the terminal (Ti) of a plurality of elements (IDi-A, IDi-B, IDi-C, IDi-D) included in the identifier (IDi) with the identifier range (IDx-IDy) in order to decide whether the terminal (Ti) receives access or not, e.g. the reversing of bits of a binary number comparing with the identifier range.

Abstract: A method for use by a terminal (or a set of terminals all communicating via for example time division multiple access) of a communication access network seeking to communicate with the head end of the network, the head end for communicating with many terminals in a signal comprising many different frequencies, one frequency for each of many corresponding transceivers of the network, where the communication between the terminal and the head end is via communication between the terminal and a particular transceiver, and the method is used to establish a correspondence between the terminal and the particular transceiver. The method involves exchanging initialization packets between the head end and the terminal seeking to communicate with the head end, initialization packets that convey to the terminal the frequency to use to communicate with the particular transceiver, and that communicate to the particular transceiver the identity of the terminal.

Abstract: To assign upstream timeslots to network terminals (ANT1, ANT2, ANT3, ANT4) in a communication network wherein a common link (L) is shared in a time multiplexed way in the upstream direction from the network terminals (ANT1, ANT2, ANT3, ANT4) towards the main station (LIM), the main station (LIM) keeps track of at least one grant table (T1, T2) and at least one exceptional grant queue (Q1, Q2). The grant table (T1, T2) is scanned cyclically and the main station (LIM) downstream broadcasts a grant message for each entry of this grant table (T1, T2). This grant message assigns an upstream timeslot to the network terminal (ANT1) whose identifier (ID1) is memorized in the scanned table entry. If the scanned entry is empty, the main station (LIM) assigns an upstream timeslot to the network terminal (ANT2) whose identifier (ID2) is read from a non-empty exceptional grant queue (Q1, Q2).

Abstract: A method to provide information in a communication access network which includes a plurality of terminals (T12, T12, T13, . . . , T31, . . . ) and a head-end (HE). The head-end (HE) includes transceivers (TRX1, TRX2, TRX3, . . . ) and is downstream coupled to each one of the terminals via a downstream common link (Lc) and a tree-like distributive network. Each transceiver provides to a combiner (COMB) included in the head-end (HE) a downstream signal (Sd1, Sd2, Sd3, . . . ) in a frequency band (CH1, CH2, CH3, . . . ) associated to the transceivers (TRX1, TRX2, TRX3, . . . ). The downstream signals (Sd1, Sd2, Sd3, . . . ) are together combined into a downstream modulated signal (S-MOD) which is broadcasted from the head-end (HE) to the terminals. A first one (T12) of the terminals is upstream coupled to a first transceiver (TRX1) via an upstream link.

Abstract: The main station (MS) and possibly also the terminal stations (T1, T2, T3) of a telecommunication network is/are provided with memories wherein historical information (TT1, TT2, TT3, TT4, CT1, CT2, CT3), i.e. information with respect to log-in attempts of terminal stations (T1, T2, T3) in the past, is stored. This historical information is frequently updated and is used during a polled log-in method wherein terminals (T1, T2, T3) are polled either individually or in groups, executed for instance after a network crash or power-down, to limit the number of terminals that has to be polled by the main station (MS) so as to speed up the polled log-in procedure. The performance of the log-in of each single terminal further increases significantly if this terminal is located at a substantially fixed location in the network and if power- and delay information for transmitting upstream identification messages during log-in are also contained by the historical information.