Patent ID: 6781978
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
In a plurality of transceivers coupled to a communication medium, a method for transmitting collision-free messages to a recipient communication device coupled to the communication medium, comprising the steps of:dividing a periodic communication cycle into a plurality of time slots, each time slot having a duration equal to or greater than a predetermined propagation delay of a signal transmitted between transceivers; assigning each of the transceivers to a corresponding one of the time slots; and transmitting a message from a selected one of the transceivers to the recipient communication device, said transmitting step comprising the steps of: monitoring transmission energy in the communication medium during a time slot immediately preceding the time slot assigned to the transceiver selected; and if the energy measured is below a predetermined threshold, transmitting at least a portion of the message to the recipient communication device beginning at the time slot assigned to the transceiver selected, wherein said transceiver transmits less than the whole message when the length of the message exceeds a predetermined message length, and wherein said transceiver transmits the remainder of the message at the next available opportunity.