A data communication system allocates use of a common data communication
medium shared by a plurality of stations. During each transmission cycle,
the communication medium carries data packets of varying priority which
each station receives. The stations are allocated use of the communication
medium during one or more priority intervals as a function of the priority
of the packet which the station is ready to transmit. Each station is
synchronized to a transmission cycle period which is divided into
subperiods. Certain types of packets are relegated to transmission and
reception within predetermined subperiods.
Current U.S. Class: |
370/412 ; 370/447; 370/461 |
Current International Class: |
G06F 13/36 (20060101); G06F 13/372 (20060101); H04L 12/417 (20060101); H04L 12/407 (20060101); H04J 3/06 (20060101); H04J 003/02 () |
Field of Search: |
370/85,94,89 340/825.5,825.51
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