Patent ID: 6697374
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for downstream communication from a central transmission point to a plurality of receiving end points by time division multiplexing of a sequence of frames, each of which is divided into multiple timeslots, the method comprising:receiving at the central transmission point data for transmission to the end points, the data comprising at least a first quantity of a first data for transmission to a first end point among the plurality of end points and a second quantity of a second data for transmission to a second end point among the plurality of end points, such that the first and second quantities are variable from each of the frames to the next in the sequence; responsive to the first and second quantities, allocating in each of the frames a first number of the timeslots to carry the first data to the first end point, and a second number of the timeslots to carry the second data to the second end point, such that the first and second numbers are variable from each of the frames to the next in the sequence responsive to variations in the first and second quantities of the data; inserting in each of the frames at least one first end-point field and at least one second end-point field respectively identifying the first and the second numbers of timeslots in each of the frames; and transmitting the data from the central transmission point to the end points during the allocated timeslots.