Patent ID: 6963545
Filing Date: 2005-11-08
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A multiple access communication protocol, comprising: an uplink channel having a plurality of frames, each frame having a first selectable number of minislots and a second selectable number of slots, a reservation request of a first type being sent into a first selected minislot of a selected frame of the uplink channel when information of a first type is to be sent, the reservation request of the first type requesting an assignment for at least one slot for transmitting information of the first type in at least one frame that is subsequent to the selected frame, a reservation request of a second type being sent into a second selected minislot of the selected frame when the second selected minislot is available in the selected frame and when information of a second type is to be sent, the reservation request of the second type requesting an assignment of at least one slot for transmitting information of the second type in at least one frame that is subsequent to the selected frame, the reservation request of the second type contending for the second selected minislot based on a pseudo-Bayesian Aloha algorithm; and a downlink channel containing a feedback message having minislot assignment information for sending reservation requests of the first and the second type, slot assignment information for transmitting information of the first and the second type, minislot contention information for the reservation requests of the second type sent in the selected frame, and reservation backlog information for an estimated number of reservation requests of the second type pending at a beginning of the selected frame, the feedback message occurring prior to an end of the selected frame of the uplink channel.