Abstract: A master device transmits beacon messages to a plurality of slave devices. The beacon messages specify upstream time slots, downstream time slots, and contention-based time slots. To register a respective slave device with the master device, the respective slave device transmits an association request to the master device during a contention-based time slot and receives an association response from the master device during a first downstream time slot. In response to receiving the association response, the respective slave device transmits an authentication request to the master device during an upstream time slot and receives an authentication response from the master device during a second downstream time slot.

Abstract: A master device coupled to multiple slave devices in a system performs a method of allocating bandwidth. In the method, credits are assigned to each device of a plurality of devices in the system. Bandwidth is allocated among the plurality of devices for high-priority traffic, regardless of the credits. After allocating bandwidth for high-priority traffic, bandwidth is allocated among the plurality of devices based on the credits. A transmission schedule is generated for the plurality of devices based on the allocated bandwidth.

Abstract: A method of transmitting data includes storing high-priority data blocks in a high-priority queue, storing low-priority data blocks in a low-priority queue, and generating a first data unit that includes one or more of the high-priority data blocks and one or more of the low-priority data blocks. Generating the first data unit includes arranging the one or more high-priority data blocks and the one or more low-priority data blocks in a sequence in which the one or more high-priority data blocks precede the one or more low-priority data blocks. Generating the first data unit further includes indexing the one or more high-priority data blocks and the one or more low-priority data blocks in accordance with the sequence. The first data unit is transmitted.

Abstract: A master device transmits beacon messages to a plurality of slave devices. The beacon messages specify upstream time slots, downstream time slots, and contention-based time slots. To register a respective slave device with the master device, the respective slave device transmits an association request to the master device during a contention-based time slot and receives an association response from the master device during a first downstream time slot. In response to receiving the association response, the respective slave device transmits an authentication request to the master device during an upstream time slot and receives an authentication response from the master device during a second downstream time slot.

Abstract: This invention includes a heat sink structure for use in a semiconductor package that includes a ring structure with down sets and a heat sink connected to the ring structure. The down sets can be slanted or V-shaped. The invention also includes a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package that includes inserting a substrate with an attached semiconductor chip in a first mold portion, placing a heat sink structure on top of a portion of the substrate, placing a mold release film onto a second mold portion, clamping a second mold portion onto a portion of the heat sink structure, injecting an encapsulant into a mold cavity, wherein the encapsulant surrounds portions of the substrate, semiconductor chip and heat sink structure, curing the encapsulant, whereby the heat sink structure adheres to the encapsulant and singulating the encapsulated assembly to form a semiconductor package.