Patent ID: 6327254
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
A method for sharing bandwidth among remote hosts in a wireless communications network, said network having a base station and a plurality of remote hosts, said network being configured for transmission and receipt of data packets and maintaining at least one system virtual time, the method comprising the steps, in combination, of:broadcasting at least one of said system virtual times from said base station to said plurality of remote hosts;computing at each of said remote hosts a respective service tag value for each newly arrived one of said data packets intended for transmission from said remote host to said base station, said service tag value being computed from said broadcasted system virtual time;transmitting the smallest one of said service tag values from each of said remote hosts to said base station;determining transmit permits at said base station based on said service tag values received from said plurality of remote hosts and the availability of transmission data slots to be assigned; andrecomputing at each of said remote hosts the service tag values of all queued packets at said remote host when the currently transmitted packet from said remote host is lost or in error.