Patent ID: 7522630
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A centralized controller comprising: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory, the processor containing circuitry to manage contention-free access to a communications medium, the processor further comprises: a list processor to maintain a list of stations desiring contention-free communications; a scheduler to arrange the serving order of the stations in the list of stations desiring contention-free communications; a contention coordinator to update contention access parameters for use by contending stations in contention communications; the centralized controller further comprises: a transmit/receive unit coupled to the processor, the transmit/receive unit to transmit and receive data frames from the communications medium, wherein the transmit/receive unit captures a shared communications medium by transmitting a frame prior to the expiration of a point coordination function (PCF) interframe space (PIFS) period after the shared communications medium becomes idle; and a medium sensor unit coupled to the processor, the medium sensor to detect a state of the communications medium.