Abstract: A method for contention resolution in a transmission system (1) is described, the system (1) having a primary station (2) and a plurality of secondary stations (3) coupled to the primary station (2). Sign-On request messages are being sent by the primary station (2) marking starts of contention periods, numbered i=0, 1, 2 . . . , and having period length Pi; whereby a number Mi of the secondary stations (3) sends a Sign-On response message to the primary station (2) in contention period i, and, after sending, waits a feedback period of length Tfb for a response from the primary station (2). If Ni denotes the number of secondary stations (3) participating at the start of contention period i; an approximation for Mi save for a possible constant factor reads: Ni. Pi?1/(Pi?1+Tfb) for i=1, 2,??(1) such that the respective period lengths Pi are determined based on said approximation for Mi.

Abstract: A communication network comprises a head-end and a plurality of network terminations coupled thereto through a shared communication channel, which is accessed by a protocol having one or more dedicated slots wherein upstream data cells are contained, which may collide in a transmission wherein two or more network terminations try to access the shared communication channel practically simultaneously. Herein the protocol is arranged such that the one or more dedicated slots precede the moment whereon the first next downstream transmission is started to be prepared by the head-end. In that case actual information in the dedicated slots can be fed back without substantial delay to the network terminations in order to provide them by return with actual contention information.

Abstract: A communication network comprises a head-end and a plurality of network terminations coupled thereto through a shared communication channel, which is accessed by a protocol having one or more dedicated slots wherein upstream data cells are contained, which may collide in a transmission wherein two or more network terminations try to access the shared communication channel practically simultaneously. Herein the protocol is arranged such that the one or more dedicated slots precede the moment whereon the first next downstream transmission is started to be prepared by the head-end. In that case actual information in the dedicated slots can be fed back without substantial delay to the network terminations in order to provide them by return with actual contention information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system that are used during tree-search or stack contention-resolution protocols that resolve message transmission collisions between for example Cable Television stations (CaTV). The CaTV broadband data network provides two-way communication between subscriber computer systems (102, 104, 106, 110, 112, 114) and the CaTV head-end (100). In order to resolve collisions between messages sent by CaTVs a method of transmitting a plurality of messages, the plurality of messages being transmitted over a communication channel is provided. This method comprises: requesting to submit a first request for transmitting a first message of the plurality of messages and to submit a second request for transmitting a second message of the plurality of messages until there is no first collision detected between the submitted first request and the submitted second request upon receipt of the submitted first and second request.

Abstract: A method for contention resolution in a transmission system (1) is described, the system (1) having a primary station (2) and a plurality of secondary stations (3) coupled to the primary station (2). Sign-On request messages are being sent by the primary station (2) marking starts of contention periods, numbered i=0, 1, 2 . . . , and having period length Pi; whereby a number Mi of the secondary stations (3) sends a Sign-On response message to the primary station (2) in contention period i, and, after sending, waits a feedback period of length Ttb for a response from the primary station (2).