Abstract: A system and method are provided for communicating control information in a switch fabric. The method comprises: on a switch card, establishing a plurality of crossbars controlled by an arbiter; initiating a control message; and, distributing the control message on a switch card token bus connecting the crossbars and arbiter elements. Distributing the control message on a switch card token bus connecting the crossbar and arbiter elements includes daisy-chain connecting the elements with a cyclical bus. In some aspects of the method, establishing a plurality of crossbars controlled by an arbiter includes identifying each element with a unique address. Then, initiating a control message includes initiating a control message with an attached address. Distributing the control message on a switch card token bus includes the substeps of: daisy-chain passing the control message between elements; and, terminating the message at an element having an address matching the address attached to the control message.

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 for a shared communications medium in a communications network involves a fine balancing act between wasting much network bandwidth sitting idle or recovering from collisions and transmitting data. Contention adaptation concepts are introduced for access to a shared medium, and adaptive algorithms for contention access using probabilities and backoffs are presented.

Abstract: A method for optimally serving Stations (STA) on Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) using a Controlled Contention/Resource Reservation protocol of the IEEE 802.11e standard. The Wireless LAN includes multiple STAs, mobile or Stationary, airlinked to an access point as a Basic Service Set (BSS). A Hybrid Coordinator (HC) is co-located with the access point for allocating the bandwidth for the BSS using a Controlled Contention/Resource Reservation protocol defined in the IEEE Standard 802.11(e). The HC transmits Contention Control (CC) frames and initiates Controlled Contention Intervals (CCI) having a selected number of slotted intervals. HC receives Resource Reservations (RR) detailing bandwidth needs from STA contenders during a specified time interval called the Controlled Contention Interval (CCI.). Several parameters are installed in each CC for contention control purpose.

Abstract: A polling communication system includes a main station and a plurality of sub stations connected to the main station. The main station includes an address control part and a polling control part. The address control part divides a predetermined polling cycle into a plurality of kinds of polling intervals each having a different number of times of polling, and holds addresses of polling target sub stations corresponding to the respective polling intervals. The polling control part switches the polling intervals and changes the addresses in the address control part according to states of the sub stations. Each of the sub stations includes another polling control part that sends a response when the sub station is polled by the main station.

Abstract: A method for scheduling data bursts from origin to destination nodes of a communication system involves selecting a yet-unscheduled, feasible node pair for scheduling of a burst therebetween; selecting a timeslot from a finite timeslot sequence; scheduling the burst for the selected timeslot; and repeating the preceding steps to exhaustion of unscheduled demand or of feasible node pairs. The feasibility of a node pair is conditioned on the avoidance of collisions with already-scheduled bursts, taking the various origin-to-destination propagation delays into account.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are disclosed for implementing a managed network in a hybrid network environment to support nodes having managed network capability together with nodes that do not support managed network capabilities. In one form of the invention, a method for managing data communication on a network coupled to first nodes and second nodes is provided comprising: controlling a first time period for one or more first data transmissions on the network wherein the first nodes are permitted to transmit data during the first time periods and the second nodes are not permitted to transmit data during the first time period by causing the second nodes to treat the first time period as a single transmission period. Other methods, apparatus and systems are provided.

Abstract: A bit vector array apparatus provides a high speed method for processing network transmission controls. Complex data structures for controlling network access are represented in the simplest possible form as single bit vector elements. The bit vector elements are combined into bit vectors comprised of 32 single bit vector elements. The bit vectors are processed in parallel in the bit vector array apparatus, which is comprised of special-purpose bit manipulation functions to expedite the processing.

Abstract: An ad hoc network organizes itself to provide communications without need for an a priori designated central control mechanism or base stations. Such self-organization is challenging in a multihop ad hoc network having member nodes that are highly mobile and widely distributed. A Synchronous Collision Resolution (SCR) protocol and a Node State Routing (NSR) protocol are well suited to provide efficient ad hoc network organization. SCR is an access protocol that achieves high capacity collision free access using a signaling approach that creates a random cellular-like network after each signaling period. NSR is a routing protocol that uses the dissemination of node states to predict link availability and to assign metrics to those links for the creation of optimized routes. In use, the present invention provides quality of service and supports energy conservation for the mobile nodes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bandwidth allocation method for an optical line termination (OLT) in a Gigabit Ethernet passive optical network (GE-PON) having one OLT and a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) connected to the OLT. The method includes the steps of transmitting a registration request grant message for granting an opportunity for transmitting a registration request signal from the OLT to the ONUs; determining the number of ONUs that transmitted registration request messages in response to the registration request grant message; and segmenting a single time slot into a plurality of minislots, segmenting a partial bandwidth of each of the segmented minislots so as to accommodate the ONUs, and allocating the segmented bandwidths to the ONUs that transmitted the registration request messages as voice bands.

Abstract: A method of channel routing. The method includes receiving an incoming connection, determining an amount of processing resources required to handle the incoming connection, and selecting a remote access server to handle the incoming connection, responsive to the determined amount of processing resources.

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: Methods and apparatuses to provide services to people who wish to make connections for real time communication, such as live telephone conversation, chat, video conferencing, etc. In one embodiment, a method includes: presenting to a communicatee a plurality of requests for real time communication connections to the communicatee, the requests being received from a plurality of communicators; prioritizing the requests according to an input from the communicatee; and establishing a real time communication connection to the communicatee according to the prioritizing of the requests.

Abstract: A hierarchical round robin arbiter includes a first set of arbitration vectors, each associated with a plurality of requesters. A second arbitration vector includes one bit for each arbitration vector in the first set. The single bit informs the round robin arbiter if any of the requesters associated with the corresponding arbitration vector in the first set are requesting service. The round robin arbiter can determine whether one of a number of requesters is requesting service by examining the single bit in the arbitration vector.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a requester is selected in accordance with information associated with a first and second groups of requesters. For example, a first input may receive a first priority signal, indicating whether at least one of a first group of requesters is requesting to be selected, along with a first identifier that may indicate a particular one of the first group of requesters. Similarly, a second input may a second priority signal, indicating whether at least one of a second group of requesters is requesting to be selected, along with a second identifier that may indicate a particular one of the second group of requesters. An output might then provide the first identifier if the first priority signal indicates that at least one of the first group of requesters is requesting to be selected.

Abstract: A wireless information processing system has a wireless information processing apparatus and a wireless information recording medium. The apparatus has a first signal generator generating a first signal requesting the recording medium to set a command slot, a second signal generator generating a second signal requesting the recording medium to transmit a identification information, a third signal generator generating a third signal requesting the recording medium to set a time slot, and a receiver receiving a response signal from the recording medium. The recording medium has a receiver receiving the first to third signals, a command slot setup unit setting the command slot, an accumulation unit accumulating a number of receiving times of the second signal, a transmitter transmitting the response signal at a response time interval defined by the time slot, and a time slot setup unit setting the time slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for efficiently operating a round robin arbitration system in a given computer system. The system utilizes a series of banks of requestors and pointer. The banks of requestors and pointers operate on sequential AND-OR-Inverter/OR-AND-Inverter (AOI/OAI) logic to advance the pointer and efficiently select those requestors with pending requests. The use of the AOI/OAI logic circuitry in the banks of requestors and pointers allows for efficient selection and minimization of complex circuitry reducing the overall circuit area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for flexibly filtering upstream scheduling messages in a communication system is described. The inventive method and apparatus uses software to rapidly filter a MAP message comprising a plurality of information elements. In accordance with the inventive method, a communication device inputs a MAP message and outputs a filtered MAP message comprising upstream transmission information relevant only to the communication device. The communication device stores data relevant to its upstream transmit opportunities. This data is derived from information elements that are associated with the communication device. In one embodiment, the communication device stores a transmit time. In another embodiment, the communication device stores a transmit time and a transmit duration. In yet another embodiment, the communication device stores a transmit time, a transmit duration and an IUC.

Abstract: Techniques for supporting multiple potentially overlapping wireless protocols with a single electronic system are disclosed. In the description that follows, the overlapping protocols are Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11 for wireless networking; however, other overlapping protocols can be supported in a similar manner. A transaction control policy and a collision map are provided to determine which protocol to enable/disable when a conflict arises. Based on the transaction control policy and the collision map, one or more transceivers that operate according to the wireless protocols can be selectively enabled/disabled to avoid actual conflicts.

Abstract: An information communication system which includes a master station and a plurality of slave stations and enables reduction of the processing time of the whole system. When transmitting a response signal to the master station, each slave station generates not only a time slot number but also a time delay number. If a slave station detects a transmission of a response signal by another slave station having been performed prior to the time of the determined time delay number within the same time slot, the slave station does not transmit the response signal.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for associating an apparatus to a first communication network, the transmissions in the first network being performed on a first channel. The process comprises: detection by said apparatus of the first transmission channel; determination of collision on said channel between signals originating from the first network and from a second network; in case of collision, transmission of a change of channel request to the first network. The invention applies in particular within the framework of local networks such as HIPERLAN 2.

Abstract: A high speed wireless network for the access market where a scheduling algorithm adjusts the ratio of two contention modes used to allocate bandwidth from the Hub. The two contention modes, request and grant mode and contention mode, are utilized so that contention is greater when the system is lightly loaded and seamlessly decreases as the system becomes heavily loaded.

Abstract: An arbitration unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The arbitration unit includes an allocation unit that assigns a first number of slots in a frame to a first flow and a second number of slots in the frame to a second flow. The arbitration unit includes a scheduling unit that assigns first slot positions to the first number of slots in the frame and second slot positions to the second number of slots in the frame using a binary distribution tree.

Abstract: A two way communication system is adapted for compatible inter-operation of a plurality of devices operating in accordance with a plurality of protocols. The communication system includes a first group of one or more remote devices that interface with a local host in accordance with a first protocol and a second group of one or more remote devices that interface wit the local host in accordance with a second protocol. The local host includes a protocol processor that identifies transmissions from the first and second groups of remote devices and routes transmissions from the first group of remote devices to a first processor operating in accordance with the first protocol and also routes transmissions from the second group of remote devices to a second processor operating in accordance with the second protocol.

Abstract: A radio communication system has a random access channel for the transmission of data (214) from a secondary station to a primary station. Such a channel is intended for use by secondary stations having data (214) to transmit to a primary station while not actually engaged in a call. By enabling access requests (202) to be transmitted with a greater range of possible signatures, a much greater number of degrees of freedom is available to a secondary station requesting access to a random access channel. This enables significantly improved efficiency of resource allocation by increasing the amount of information transmitted to the primary station by the access request (202).

Abstract: The present invention is related to a medium access control (MAC) protocol for avoiding collisions among ESTAs when two or more overlapping basic service sets (OBSSs) co-exist and operate in the same channel. To achieve this, each mobile station operating under HCF maintains a first counter known as Network Allocation Vector (NAV) and a second counter known as Overlapping Network Allocation Vector (ONAV), which is updated within a mobile station by frames coming from OBSSs, during the Contention Free Period (CFP) or during a Contention Free Burst (CFB) granted by a polling frame. The mobile station uses the NAV to update only to the medium occupancy in its own BSS to ensure that the mobile station will not interfere with the transmissions in its own QBSS, while the ONAV is used to avoid collisions with the mobile stations from the OBSS.

Abstract: A method and a system for controlling access to a communication medium of at least one network uses a plurality of event counters that are maintained in a station coupled to at least one network through the communication medium. Each event counter has a corresponding context and a corresponding state. Each context defines a response for the corresponding event counter to at least one predetermined event. Each state represents a combined effect for the corresponding counter in response to at least one occurrence of a predetermined event defined by the corresponding context. Determination whether to access the communication medium is based on the state of at least two event counters.

Abstract: Transactions are scheduled over a half duplex link between a first device, such as an IO unit, and a second device, such as a memory controller. Information flowing over the half duplex link is divided into a plurality of service periods, and an isochronous transaction, such as an isochronous memory read or write, is scheduled in a service period N if the isochronous transaction is ready to be serviced before service period N at the first or second device. An asynchronous transaction ready to be serviced at the first or second device, such as an asynchronous memory read or write, is scheduled if no isochronous transaction is ready to be serviced.

Abstract: A network includes a master station and terminal devices each coupled using a serial data interface to a modem that in turn couples to a twisted pair line. These elements communicate information using a media access control scheme in which a device claims access to the twisted pair line and communicates information on the twisted pair line while the line is claimed. More specifically, a device with information to transmit claims the line by asserting a request to send (RTS) line of its serial data interface, communicates information while the RTS line is asserted, and de-asserts the RTS line upon completing transmission. In addition, the master station and terminal devices implement delays between communications on the line in order to reduce the probability of data collisions.

Abstract: An 802.11 source station transmits a signal with the duration field other than that required for the transmission to prevent transmission by other stations during known sequences. Thus, the source station uses the duration field to spoof the actual time the medium will be occupied, to stations within range of the signal. A station within range of the transmitted signal will check the duration field of the transmitted signal, and update the station's network allocation vector. Thus, the station will not transmit because the station's network allocation vector indicates that the medium is in use, even though the station maybe unable to hear the carrier. Accordingly, spoofed stations may, for example, 1) delay transmission until a more critical transmission has completed, 2) allow unknown or foreign protocol to have preferential use of the medium, 3) prevent interference from hidden stations, and 4) allow sharing of the medium by overlapping basic service sets.

Abstract: A communication network system has a plurality of communication terminals, each having a first transmitting unit and a first receiving unit. Information is transmitted and received among the communication terminals through the first transmitting unit and the first receiving unit. At least two of the communication terminals are used as relay terminals. Each of the relay terminal has a second transmitting unit and a second receiving unit for performing only one-to-one-type communication. A received-information relay unit transmits information received from the first receiving unit to the second transmitting unit and transmits information received from the second receiving unit to the first transmitting unit. A relay-terminal-information transmitting unit transmits to the first transmitting unit ID information of the relay terminal and ID information of a terminal to which the relay terminal is providing relay services.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for reducing collisions of signals occurring on at least one communication channel in an access network. The access network may include at least one Head End, and a plurality of network nodes. Each of the network node is configured to transmit signals to the Head End via the communication channel. Filter parameters are included in selected communication request messages transmitted to a first portion of nodes. According to specific embodiments, the filter parameters may be used to limit the number of responses to the communication request messages which are transmitted on the communication channel. In this way, by limiting the number of responses which may be transmitted at specified times over the communication channel, the likelihood of signal collisions occurring on the communication channel may be reduced.

Abstract: A data communication system is provided that comprises a head-end switching system which comprises a plurality of communication ports. A port controller causes the ports to sequentially issue inquiry signals to network termination points. This sequential processing of inquiry signals prevents the formation of phantom links that may occur if physical conductors which are susceptible to crosstalk interference with connected conductors erroneously convey a response signal back to an unattached port within the head-in switching system.

Abstract: For transmitting delay-critical data in a digital, time division form in an additional channel of a cable television system, the slots of the channel are further divided into smaller mini slots, for the indication of which the same cyclic indication is used as with which the superframes controlling the use of the channel indicate the original slots. A method based on mini slots is compatible with DAVIC 1.0 and 1.1 specifications.

Abstract: A channel access system is described in which a number of slots within a contention window are available for assignment to streaming data transmitters. The other slots are selected by the other transmitters according to a CSMA/CA transmit protocol.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for end-users to allocate a communication medium locally without requiring a central arbitration device while guaranteeing access to the end-users. The end-users bid for control of an upstream data channel by concurrently transmitting auction data and address data on a first upstream signaling channel and a second upstream signaling channel. An end-user gains control of the upstream data channel when data received from the first and second downstream signaling channels match the auction and address bits. When it is determined that the end-user lost the bid, the end-user backs off from the first and second upstream signaling channels and refrains from bidding until the first and second upstream signaling channels become quiet.

Abstract: A computer system coupled with a pipelined network includes a plurality of initiator nodes coupled to send packets into the network. A plurality of target nodes receive packets sent into the network. The network uses a plurality of pipeline stages to transmit data across the network. Each pipeline stage consumes a known time period, which provides for a predetermined time period for transmission for each packet that is successfully sent from one of the initiator nodes to one of the target nodes. The pipelined network is synchronous in that boundaries of all the pipeline stages are aligned. The pipeline stages include at least an arbitration stage to obtain a path through the network, a transfer stage during which a data packet is transmitted, and an acknowledge stage during which successful transmission of a packet is indicated by the target. To simplify network design, all the pipeline stages are implemented to have equal length.

Abstract: In a communication system (1400) for communication of data, a method and apparatus provide for detecting a request for opening a connection for a user (1407) for communication of data, selecting an open connection, releasing the selected open connection, and allocating, to the user (1407), communication resources corresponding to resources released based on releasing the selected open connection. In accordance with an embodiment, the selected open connection is in an idle open state.

Abstract: A method and system to arbitrate between a plurality of resource requests are disclosed. In each arbitration within a current round of arbitration, a winning request is identified based on a priority associated with each requester participating in the arbitration and a set of values stored in a mask register. In response to identifying the winning request, a mask register value corresponding to a requestor of the winning request is updated to disqualify this requestor from further participation in the current round of arbitration. When the current round of arbitration completes, the set of values in the mask register is reset to allow each requestor to participate in the next round of arbitration. The current round of arbitration begins when each requester is qualified to participate in the current round of arbitration and completes when every participating requestor has been disqualified.

Abstract: A wireless medium access control (MAC) protocol and system for implementing the MAC protocol is arranged to operate in such a manner as to avoid collisions from stations (STAs) comprising two or more IEEE 802.11 basic service sets (BSSs), collocated and operating in the same channel during contention free periods (CFPs). The MAC protocol utilizes ready-to-send (RTS)/clear-to-send(CTS) signals that are exchanged during CFPs to avoid potential collision from STAs in overlapping BSSs.

Abstract: A scheduling system is capable of causing no deterioration of characteristics even under equal and unequal loads, eliminating the necessity for high-speed repetitive scheduling and complicated arithmetic processes, simplifying its architecture and having its processing speed which does not depend upon a device capability. For attaining this system, an inter-highway pointer is updated to an adjacent line (rightward) when the scheduling for all the lines are finished. If the inter-highway pointer is updated N-times in the same direction (clockwise), the same pointer is updated to an adjacent line in a reverse direction (counterclockwise) in next N-processes of scheduling.

Abstract: A method for managing a digital interface connection is provided. The method for managing the connection of plurality of devices which are point-to-point connected by a digital interface includes: where an arbitrary first device has to break a point-to-point connection between the first device and another device which is point-to-point connected to the first device, the first device sending a second device, which established the point-to-point connection, a connection release request command requesting the second device to break the connection and the second device receiving the connection release request command to analyze the connection release request command, and the second device breaking the point-to-point connection in response to the connection release request command. When a plurality of devices are point-to-point connected, the method enables the concerned device of the connection to break the connection, thus allowing for enhanced connection management efficiency.

Abstract: A contention-based network which allows real-time traffic to be exist as multiple independent linked-listed chains or under certain conditions to be assembled into multiple linked-list chains. A time separation is enforced between the various multiple chains, which are limited to a predetermined maximum number of stations that each can have in order to allow non-real-time stations to obtain timely access to the medium. Ones of the multiple chains may also be joined into a single chain. Blackburst contention is used to enable a chain to be reconstituted robustly from non-anticipated interruptions, such as the failure of one of its stations.

Abstract: A priority-based arbiter for arbitrating access to a shared resource by at least two competing devices. The priority-based arbiter intercepts access request signals generated by at least one of the competing devices and generates a respective modified bus request signal. The respective modified bus request signal may be delayed for a predetermined period of time associated with the state (e.g., idle, low priority context, and high priority context) of at least one of the competing devices.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed to schedule frame transmissions in a wireless network. The network includes a plurality of stations configured to communicate on the same frequency channel with a plurality of access points. A central controller examines the transmission characteristics between the various stations and access points and identifies frames that may be simultaneously transmitted by a subset of the access points to their intended stations.

Abstract: All upstream messages that are desired to be sent from one of a plurality of settop terminals sharing a common upstream channel are segmented into data packets through an adaptation layer before sending into the upstream channel by a settop terminal, using the present invention using a hybrid of contention and reservation methodologies. If the upstream message is lengthy, a user settop terminal can request and gain exclusive control over the upstream channel and transmit the message using a reservation and self-acknowledging mechanism. In accordance with the present invention, a combination reservation mechanism and calculation method to optimize random backoff time for upstream transmission is added to conventional contention based Media Access Control methods and this embodiment to substantially enhance performance.

Abstract: A high speed wireless network for the access market where a polling mode, a contention mode, a seamless transition between the two modes and an efficient contention resolution algorithm are utilized to coordinate user transmission while utilizing a splitting tree algorithm to avoid collision of a number of users.

Abstract: Distributed arbitration in a full-duplex bus system. By distributing the arbitration function among the nodes of a tree topology full-duplex bus system such that arbitration at any particular time is handled by a node holding a grant of the bus at that time (the nominal root node), a reverse flow direction towards the nominal root node is available for arbitration flow. This allows the discrete arbitration phase to be eliminated and generally improves bus efficiency.

Abstract: A display data packet contains identification information. A display unit communication system includes a control unit, a terminal adaptor to which a terminal adaptor ID is assigned and which is connected to the control unit, and a display unit to which a display unit ID is assigned and which is connected to the terminal adaptor in series and drives a display element according to the display data packet supplied from the control unit. The terminal adaptor receives a display data packet, the terminal adaptor ID of which agrees with that contained in the identification information, and transfers the display data packet to the display unit. The display unit receives the display data packet, the display unit ID of which agrees with that contained in the identification information, and drives the display element to display an image.

Abstract: A communications protocol for a communications bus wherein messages are transmitted to a plurality of devices communicating by a bus. Each message includes a unique code indicating the end of the message and that same unique code triggers a transfer of communications control to another device of the plurality of devices.