Patent ID: 6141336
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
A method comprising the steps of:defining a sequence of time frames for exchanging data between nodes in an asynchronous network and nodes in a synchronous network;dividing each of the defined time frames into a plurality of time slots;requesting time slots within a time frame for carrying data cells over connections between the synchronous and asynchronous networks;allocating slots within a time frame to the requests for time slots according to cell deadlines which are proportional to a transmission delay of the connection over which the data cells are to be carried, said allocation proceeding in order of a connection priority and continuing until one of an exhaustion of all requests for time slots and an exhaustion of all time slots within the time frame occurs;partitioning each time frame into a down period for contention-free downlink transmission of data from the asynchronous network to the synchronous network,an up period for contention-free uplink transmission of data from the synchronous network to the asynchronous network, anda contention period for contention-based uplink transmission of data from the synchronous network to the asynchronous network;generating slot maps describing the partitioning of time frames into up, down, and contention periods and describing the allocation of time slots within the time frames; andexchanging data between the synchronous and asynchronous networks in time frames according to each time frame's slot map.