Patent ID: 6463075
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: H04J

Abstract:
A method to assign upstream timeslots to a plurality of network terminals (T1, T2, T3, T4) in a communications network wherein a central station (CS) is coupled to said plurality of network terminals (T1, T2, T3, T4) via the cascade connection of a common link (L) and respective individual links (L1, L2, L3, L4) and wherein said network terminals (T1, T2, T3, T4) transmit upstream information to said central station (CS) in a time multiplexed way over said common link (L) using said upstream timeslots, comprising the steps of:identifying, by a group identifier (GI2), a group (G2) with a predefined composition of said plurality of network terminals (T1, T2, T3, T4); and downstream broadcasting by said central station (CS) said group identifier (GI2) and thereby assigning a plurality of said upstream timeslots in a predefined order to network terminals (T2, T3) of said group (G2) of said plurality of network terminals (T1, T2, T3, T4).