Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for optimizing UTOPIA CLAV polling arbitration. According to an aspect of the present invention, UTOPIA L2 CLAV status polling of each PHY address may be optimized by polling PHY addresses that have not yet indicated an active CLAV status or have just finished a cell transfer so that a CLAV response is required again. According to another aspect of the present invention, UTOPIA L2 CLAV status polling may be arbitrated so faster connection PHY addresses are polled proportionally more often than slower connection PHY addresses. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, if a connection speed no longer has any PHY addresses which require polling, the arbitration may be altered so only the connection speed with PHY addresses which require polling are actually polled. This ensures that the polling bandwidth is used as efficiently as possible.

Abstract: Contention communications often requires a station to wait an inordinate amount of time before the station is able to transmit its data successfully. In many applications, an extended delay is not acceptable. Contention-free communications in a contention period allows a hybrid coordinator (HC) to schedule contention-free access to a communications medium so that extended delays may be eliminated, and to coordinate contention access to the medium so that better throughput and delay performance is achieved. A method for creating contention-free communications within a contention communications period is presented, along with adaptive algorithms for contention access during the same contention period.

Abstract: A communication apparatus for communicating by commonly sharing a transmission channel with another communication apparatus which performs a data transmission, comprising: a transmitting unit which transmits first data at first timing and second data at second timing subsequent to the first timing to the transmission channel; and an information adding unit which adds time slot information to the first data, the time slot information indicating a time slot during which the second data is transmitted prior to the data transmission performed by the other communication apparatus.

Abstract: In a bandwidth allocation protocol for a mobile communications network, mobile terminals report their bandwidth requirements to the network, while the network controls the amount of bandwidth that is used by the mobiles in reporting their bandwidth requirements. The mobiles indicate the total quantity of data awaiting transmission, the maximum delay time of the most urgent portion of the data and the maximum delay time of the least urgent portion. If a collision occurs between transmission by two mobiles, the mobiles wait for an interval controlled by the network before attempting another contention-based access transmission. The network periodically varies the contention-based access capacity available according to the observed usage level and/or collision rate in the previously allocated contention-based access capacity. The network analyses the forward traffic to individual mobiles and predicts the return bandwidth requirements which are likely to result from the forward traffic.

Abstract: A central control station carries out allocations of transmission rights according to a rule that a value obtained by subtracting (i) a value of a broken line (11) from (ii) a value of a straight line (10) is always limited according to a certain constant value (TXOP bound) smaller than C·T delay, where the broken line (11) indicates a sum of transmission granting time periods allocated from a certain time point t0 by “an actual transmission right allocation”, the straight line (10) indicates a sum of transmission right granted time periods allocated according to “a reference transmission right allocation obtained by the average data rate or the like of a communication station”, and C·T delay is an average sum of transmission right granted time periods allocated to the tolerable transmission delay time according to the reference transmission right allocation.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) power combiner for connecting multiple base transceiver stations with one antenna assembly includes at least one combining device coupled to at least two base transceiver stations for combining signals generated thereby into a combined signal for being transmitted by the antenna assembly. At least one frequency selective RF power detector is coupled to one of the signals generated from one of the base transceiver stations for generating an output indicating whether the signal at a predetermined frequency is present. A logic control module is coupled to the frequency selective RF power detector for generating a control signal in response to the output of the detector. An oscillator is coupled to the logic control module for generating a carrier signal at the predetermined frequency for the combined signal in response to the control signal.

Abstract: An ultra low power, low complexity, low collision, deterministic modulation method that also works as a massive medium access mechanism for communication systems is based on positioning data in a communication resource space, such as time and frequency, such that the position of a symbol in that space determines its value and its access to the medium. The number base of the symbol is determined by the size of the subset of the resource space it is positioning itself in and, thereby, a few sparsely located symbols can convey a large value, while the remainder of the space can be simultaneously and massively used by other sparsely resource using members of the network.

Abstract: A method and system for managing Priority Messages in a hybrid TDMA-Spread Spectrum (TDMA-SS) communication system is provided. The method and system include a HUB for generating a HUB TDMA epoch, wherein the HUB TDMA epoch includes at least one Priority Message (PM) slot. The PM slot includes a plurality of assignable PM sub-slots. The method and system also include at least one SPOKE, wherein the at least one SPOKE is adapted to transmit a Priority Message during its assigned PM sub-slot within the HUB TDMA epoch.

Abstract: A wireless communication method and system for efficiently managing paging windows and data messages. The wireless communication system includes at last one network and a plurality of user equipments (UEs). The network maintains a memory that lists UE group identifiers, UE members associated with the UE group identifiers, and paging windows that define time periods during which UEs in particular UE groups are powered up to access data messages. The network schedules UE group identifiers and associated data message pointers within multiple paging windows listed in the network memory such that each UE accesses only one paging window. The network determines whether more than one paging window is necessary for each particular UE, and whether there are any scheduling conflicts between data messages for a particular UE. If there are no conflicts, the UEs are notified of their assigned paging window(s). Otherwise, data messages are rescheduled as necessary.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to detect radio-frequency energy at a frequency associated with at least one wireless networking channel and to transmit a data frame responsive to determining that the radio-frequency energy is not associated with a wireless networking transmission.

Abstract: There is provided to a method for avoiding indirect collision of beacon, including: collecting beacon information of neighboring nodes and allocating a time slot based on the collected beacon information; transmitting information on the allocated time slot to the neighboring nodes depending on time slots of the neighboring nodes; and checking whether the time slot overlaps based on a reply message from the neighboring nodes and reallocating a time slot upon occurrence of overlapping.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element with an acceleration device that connects plural fibre channel devices in an arbitrated loop and monitors frames sent during a loop initialization process is provided. The acceleration device creates an AL_PA table selected by each fibre channel device, wherein the AL_PA table is used for port selection; and during an arbitration process sends a benign primitive to non-arbitrating devices. The acceleration device includes, a global arbitration module, a state machine module, and a matrix for connecting plural fibre channel devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods employing a flexible mesh structure for hierarchical scheduling are disclosed. The method generally includes reading a packet grouping configured in a two dimensional mesh structure of N columns, each containing M packets, selecting and promoting a column best packet from each column to a final row containing N packets, reading, selecting and promoting a final best packet from the final row to a next level in the hierarchy. Each time a final best packet is selected and promoted, the mesh structure can be refreshed by replacing the packet corresponding to the final best packet, and reading, selecting and promoting a column best packet from the column containing the replacement packet to the final row. As only the column containing the replacement packet and the final row are read and compared for each refresh, the mesh structure results in reduced read and compare cycles for schedule determination.

Abstract: A network communication system is provided whereby communication stations can obtain priority for data transmission to communicate directly with each other in a contention-free mode communication period independently of a polling operation of the control station. The control station emits a series of beacons at equal intervals to initiate contention-free mode communication at the completion of a predetermined number of beacons. During the maximum contention-free mode communication period a contention-free communication operation is initiated, for allowing contention-free mode transmission, by a polling operation by the control station. A series of time-slots is imaginarily provided at equal intervals from the start of the contention-free period throughout the maximum contention-free period. A communication station conducts a call-connection procedure in order to obtain a priority for data transmission in a given set of time-slots.

Abstract: A wireless station communicates with at least one other wireless station in a local area network (LAN). A media access control (MAC) device controls transitions between an active mode and a low power mode. A radio frequency (RF) transceiver communicates with the MAC device and, after the transition to the active mode, transmits data during a predetermined time slot that is assigned to the wireless LAN station and that is not assigned to other wireless LAN stations in the LAN. The RF transceiver receives data from other wireless LAN stations in the LAN during the active mode and transitions to the low power mode after receiving the data from the other wireless LAN stations. The MAC device transitions the wireless LAN station to the active mode prior to a timing beacon and transitions the wireless LAN station to the low power mode prior to a subsequent beacon.

Abstract: In a cellular mobile telephone system, a mobile station (4d, 4e) requests allocation of a traffic channel by sending a request in a random access channel. Where there is a significant path length difference between locations in a cell and a network antenna, for instance on a satellite (3), not all of the available TDMA slots are used for random access signals. Instead, gaps of one to three time slots are left between valid random access time slots (103, 104) to avoid collision between random access bursts arriving at the network antenna along paths of different lengths.

Abstract: Apparatus (48), and an associated method, for facilitating operation of a mobile node (12) operable in a communication system (10) to request allocation of communication capacity upon which to communicate data pursuant to a communication service. A channel allocation request generator (52) is selectably operable to generate requests for allocation of channel capacity upon which to communicate the data. A selector (54) selects when to cause the generator (52) to communicate the additional data packets. Selection is made to delay, or otherwise prevent, retransmission of requests, when a determination is made that the retransmission is unlikely to be successful.

Abstract: A wireless network is provided that uses pseudo-static time slots. These time slots remain fixed in time unless and until a network controller specifically changes them and the network controller subsequently receives confirmation of the change. Times and durations of the pseudo-static time slots are only changed in small steps as each relevant device in the network acknowledges the step. To aid in allowing full coverage even during a change of active devices, when a transmitter and receiver are moved to a new time slot, the receiver is set to listen to both the old and the new time slots until the transmitter confirms that it has made the switch.

Abstract: A mobile radio network comprises a plurality of communication points, each of which are capable of communicating with any other communication point. Each communication point has a proximity sensor, a transmitter/receiver (14), which is able to send signals to and receive signals from the other communication points. Elements for controlling the transmitter/receiver and elements for storing data to identify the communication points is also described.

Abstract: An arbiter circuit is provided for resolving a plurality of N request signals received from a plurality of agents requesting access to a resource.

Abstract: An information communication device for communicating information among a plurality of components includes a plurality of nodes, each being of a particular node type that corresponds to a particular transmission slot of a plurality of transmission slots. Each transmission slot is formed from a communication cycle that has a prescribed time period. The plurality of transmission slots are synchronized with one another. The communication cycle includes a static transmission area and a dynamic transmission area, where the static transmission area includes the plurality of transmission slots that correspond to the node types. The dynamic transmission area is adapted to transmit information. Each of the plurality of nodes includes a conflict detector that determines when a transmission conflict occurs as a result of nodes of the same node type beginning transmission using the same transmission slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interfacing a synchronous core network with an asynchronous radio network in a next-generation mobile telecommunications system is disclosed.

Abstract: A system (300), apparatus (301), and method are provided for decentralized medium access control comprising an enhanced protocol for UWB MAC that includes a distributed reservation protocol (DRP) for distributed reservation of the medium (310). The invention also relates to any wireless system (300) that uses a MAC protocol comprising a distributed reservation protocol. The method comprises devices (301) announcing medium reservations in beacons (400) and devices (301) that receive such announcements respecting the reservations.

Abstract: Between network connection apparatuses connected to each other by use of a virtual redundant arrangement, a first network connection apparatus that is in a standby state receives an advertisement message from a second network connection apparatus that is active as a network connection apparatus, and uses a priority comparing section to compare its own priority with the priority in the received advertisement message. When its own priority is higher, the first network connection apparatus uses a master down timer comparing section to compare the remaining time of a master down timer with the time as weighted in accordance with its own priority and resets the timer for a shorter time.

Abstract: A technique for allocating stack bus bandwidth based on the offered load of each stack member coupled to the stacking bus allocates access opportunities to the stack bus based on the ratio of the offered loads of the coupled stack members.

Abstract: Method of prioritising the usage of slotted links by single network devices in a wireless network for adapting to varying traffic loads, comprising the steps of pre-setting a distribution of priorities for using a link to predetermined values, monitoring the current link usage, and adapting the priorities in accordance with the monitored usage.

Abstract: A switch, switched architecture and process for transferring data through an FCAL switch is disclosed. The switch uses multiple switch control circuits each coupled to one FCAL network and all connected to a crossbar switch. The switch control circuits are coupled together by a protocol bus for coordination purposes. Local conversations can occur on each FCAL loop and crossing conversations through the switch can occur concurrently. The OPN primitive is used to establish the connection before any data is transferred thereby eliminating the need for buffer memory in the switch control circuits. The destination address of each OPN is used to address a lookup table in each switch control circuit to determine if the destination node is local. If not, the destination is looked up and a connection request made on the protocol bus. If the remote port is not busy, it sends a reply which causes both ports to establish a data path through the backplane crossbar switch.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided, comprising an interconnect means (N) for connecting a plurality of modules (IP; A-D, M) to enable a communication between the modules (IP; A-D, M), wherein communication resources relate to a time division multiple access based on time slots for dividing and sharing an available communication bandwidth. The electronic device furthermore comprises at least one network interface for coupling at least one of the plurality of modules (IP; A-D, M) to the interconnect means (N). The network interface (NI) is adapted to establish at least one connection to at least one further network interface (NI). The at least one connection comprises at least one channel (a d). The at least one network interface (NI) comprises at least one slot table (ST1-ST11) for reserving time slots for the at least one channel (a-d). The time slots are shared between those channels (a-d) which are associated to the same network interface (NI).

Abstract: The invention relates to a crossbar switch controller including an input terminal configured to receive a set of service request signals from a set of virtual output queues each comprising a set of packets. It also includes a matrix circuit coupled to the input terminal and configured to represent the set of service request signals in the form of a matrix, wherein each service request signal is described by a row position M and a column position N. An output terminal is configured to receive a portion of the set of packets during an epoch, an arbiter circuit configured to iteratively scan the matrix during the epoch and issue the set of grant signals to the virtual output queues to determine which service requests are granted, and an arbiter controller configured to initiate the arbiter circuit with an array of non-conflicting matrix elements.

Abstract: A power supply subsystem configured for connection between a LAN switch and at least one node, the power supply subsystem providing electrical power to the at least node over communication cabling, the power supply subsystem comprising: a management and control unit; at least one port for connection to a LAN switch; a combiner combining power into the communication cabling substantially without interfering with data communication between the LAN switch and the at least one node; and current limiting circuitry controlling current of the power delivered into the communication cabling via the combiner, wherein the management and control unit is operative to interrogate the at least one node to which it is intended to transmit power over the communication cabling in order to determine whether the node's characteristics allow it to receive power over the communication cabling.

Abstract: A method is provided for transmitting a message comprising one or more preambles and a message body from a user equipment device to a network entity. The method includes determining whether it is allowed to transmit a first preamble of the message to the network entity in an immediately available time slot of a random access channel, transmitting the first preamble if it is allowed, and transmitting the message body if a positive acknowledgement to the preamble is received from the network entity on another channel. The user equipment device may determine transmitting the preamble invariably, based on a persistence value or an indication received from the network entity, based on whether the device has not transmitted on the random access channel for longer than a predetermined, or based on whether the device has not transmitted on the random access channel for longer than a random time period.

Abstract: When a signal cable is connected between communication nodes 0, 1 which comply with a communication protocol that inhibits loop connection, communication node 0 detecting connection of the signal cable transmits a loop test signal LT having information of a port where connection was detected (e.g., information of a transfer rate between ports). In response to the loop test signal LT, a communication node 2 adds information of its own port that received the loop test signal LT, that is, P(2, 1), to the received loop test signal LT, and repeats the loop test signal LT. Similarly, communication node 1 adds information of its own port that received the loop test signal LT, that is, P(1, 0), to the loop test signal LT. Communication node 0 specifies a suitable disconnection point of a loop (e.g., a port having a low transfer rate between ports) based on the port information thus accumulated.

Abstract: The present invention extends the TRACE (Time Reservation Using Adaptive Control for Energy Efficiency) protocol to allow multi-hop communication in dispersed radio networks. The nodes in the network are dynamically clustered based on proximity and interference level. Time is divided into superframes, each cluster choosing a frame within the superframe for data transmission to reduce the likelihood of interference.

Abstract: Lockup conditions are solved while trunking in Fibre Channel switched arbitrated loop systems. Within a particular switch, a particular combination of pending OPN conditions is detected, indicating a lockup condition. At least one of the detected pending OPN conditions is closed, which alleviates the lockup condition.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method for providing multiple access to a communication channel, the method comprising: sending a reservation request of a first type into a first selected minislot of a selected frame of an uplink channel when information of a first type is to be sent, the uplink channel having a plurality of frames, each frame having a first selectable number of minislots and a second selectable number of slots, the reservation request of the first type requesting an assignment of at least one slot for transmitting information of the first type in at least one frame that is subsequent to the selected frame.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scheduling unit adapted to aggregate data units from a plurality of input ports to a common output port according to a service sequence. The service sequence identifies which particular input port must be served for a particular service slot. A scheduling unit according to the present invention features optimized jitter and queue occupancy figures. This is achieved by allotting a number of service slots to each input port in proportion to its service share, next by determining for each input port a corresponding number of candidate positions uniformly spaced over the service sequence, finally by resolving any contention between the so-determined candidate positions. A service slot is assigned first and foremost to the input port which has the highest number of candidate positions considered while determining the service sequence yet not assigned to any service slot, next which gets the highest service share.

Abstract: A communication system includes devices configured to communicate with each other through a temporal sequence of frames. Each of these frames includes multiple sub-channels. Note that a given device in the devices is configured to select sub-channels to reserve based on a nearest-neighbor spacing between the sub-channels to be reserved and/or a switching latency between data in-flow to the given device and data out-flow from the given device. Furthermore, the given device is configured to dynamically reserve the selected sub-channels on a frame-by-frame basis for up to N frames.

Abstract: A switch, switched architecture and process for transferring data through an FCAL switch is disclosed. The switch uses multiple switch control circuits each coupled to one FCAL network and all connected to a crossbar switch. The switch control circuits are coupled together by a protocol bus for coordination purposes. Local conversations can occur on each FCAL loop and crossing conversations through the switch can occur concurrently. The OPN primitive is used to establish the connection before any data is transferred thereby eliminating the need for buffer memory in the switch control circuits. The destination address of each OPN is used to address a lookup table in each switch control circuit to determine if the destination node is local. If not, the destination is looked up and a connection request made on the protocol bus. If the remote port is not busy, it sends a reply which, causes both ports to establish a data path through the backplane crossbar switch.

Abstract: In an access point operating in a wireless local area network, a method is disclosed for assisting a radio manager to manage a radio environment without location information. By performing radio discovery to receive beacon signals from neighboring access points, an initial configuration of a radio environment is generated based on the received beacon signals. Measurements are received from a client device that performs measurements by a user walking through a desired coverage area while operating the client device and the radio configuration is adjusted based on the received measurements.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN) for a mobile station are provided. The method and the apparatus according to this invention use the first and the second system information included in the broadcasting information broadcasted by a base station to find out all of the base stations belonging to the same PLMN as that base station in the base station table, and group those base stations belonging to the same PLMN as a base station group. The method and the apparatus according to this invention only need to synchronize with one base station in a base station group, and the other base stations belonging to the same base station group as that base station are known. Accordingly, the selection method according to this invention can substantially reduce the time for selecting a PLMN and improve the corresponding efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments reveal techniques for efficiently allocating time slots in a time-division multiplex (TDM) cycle among multiple channels of varying size, particularly when the channels do not all desire an integer number of time slots. TDM cycles can only allocate an integer number of time slots to each channel. So when at least one channel does not desire an integer number of time slots, then the disclosed embodiments allocate a number of time slots equal to the integer portion to each channel, rolling any fractional remainder over to the next cycle. This cumulative cyclical fractional summing process efficiently allocates time slots among the channels, allowing the average allocation per cycle to approach the true non-integer desired amount over time.

Abstract: A switch, switched architecture and process for transferring data through an FCAL switch is disclosed. The switch uses multiple switch control circuits each coupled to one FCAL network and all connected to a crossbar switch. The switch control circuits are coupled together by a protocol bus for coordination purposes. Local conversations can occur on each FCAL loop and crossing conversations through the switch can occur concurrently. The OPN primitive is used to establish the connection before any data is transferred thereby eliminating the need for buffer memory in the switch control circuits. The destination address of each OPN is used to address a lookup table in each switch control circuit to determine if the destination node is local. If not, the destination is looked up and a connection request made on the protocol bus. If the remote port is not busy, it sends a reply which causes both ports to establish a data path through the backplane crossbar switch.

Abstract: An arbiter is used so multiple users can use shared resources. The arbiter allocates at least one of the resources speculatively to one of the users for use during a particular access interval in the absence of a request for the resource from the user. The arbiter can also allocate one or more of the resources for use during the particular access interval in response to requests received by the arbiter for the resource(s). That is, a particular access interval may include both speculative and non-speculative allocation of resources by the arbiter.

Abstract: A plurality of user terminals shares an uplink channel having a plurality of subcarriers according to a contention based random access protocol. Each user terminal is assigned one or more primary subcarriers, which are reserved for specific user terminals. In addition, a pool of supplemental subcarriers is available for use by any user terminal. When a user terminal sends a data packet, the user terminal transmits at least a first portion of the data packet on its assigned primary subcarriers. If additional subcarriers are needed, the user terminal autonomously selects one or more supplemental subcarriers from the pool to transmit a second portion of the data packet. The access point knows a priori which ones of the user terminals are assigned to each of the primary subcarriers. When a user terminal selects one or more supplemental subcarriers, the user terminals send to subcarrier selection information to the access point.

Abstract: A pipelined arbitration mechanism allows a routing control decision to be effected for a later packet while a current packet is being transferred. The later packet can be issued a fixed number of cycles after the current request. The mechanism has particular advantages when used with a plurality of functional modules connected to a packet router, whereby a single functional module can generate a current request relating to a current packet and a deferred arbitration request relating to a later packet to be issued a fixed number of cycles after the current request.

Abstract: This invention discloses a local area network including a hub, a plurality of nodes, communication cabling connecting the plurality of nodes to the hub for providing data communication, and a power supply distributor operative to provide at least some operating power to at least some of the plurality of nodes via the communication cabling.

Abstract: A gateway, which enables data communication between devices having different middlewares in a home network, a home network system, and a data relay method are provided. The gateway includes a generic middleware agent for including various middleware used by devices in the network and formatting a message using one of the middlewares corresponding to the middlewares of the message destination device, and a network access unit for receiving the formatted message from the generic middleware agent and sending the message to the destination device through the network. When devices using different middlewares in the home network system exchange messages, the gateway enables them to communicate effectively, eliminating the need for installation of different middlewares in each of the devices.

Abstract: A novel network architecture that integrates the functions of an internet protocol (IP) router into a network processing unit (NPU) that resides in a host computer's chipset such that the host computer's resources are perceived as separate network appliances. The NPU appears logically separate from the host computer even though, in one embodiment, it is sharing the same chip.

Abstract: This application is directed to systems and methods for managing wireless network sensors. A plurality of wireless network sensors in the network region are identified. For each of the network sensors in the plurality of wireless network sensors, a designation of primary or secondary with respect to the network region is selected. A collection agent for the selected network region is determined. An indicator of the determined collection agent is communicated to the plurality of wireless network sensors in the network region. Scan data for the network region is received from the collection agent.

Abstract: A method and a device for exchanging data in messages between at least two stations connected via a bus system, the messages containing the data being transmitted by the stations over the bus system and the messages being controlled over time by a first station in such a manner that the first station repeatedly transmits a reference message over the bus at least one specifiable time interval and the time interval is divided into time windows of specifiable length, the messages being transmitted in the time windows, a reference message and the subsequent time windows until the next reference message being combined into a first cycle, and the first station interrupting the transmission at the end of a first cycle due to a stop request, in particular, a message of the at least second station.