Patent ID: 7962144
Filing Date: 2011-06-14
Classification: H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a data communication system, the data communication system comprising a network which includes at least one communication controller and at least one node, the method comprising: transmitting a first upstream signal from a first node to a first communication controller, said first upstream signal comprising a random access request in a first slot; receiving a first downstream signal transmitted from the first communication controller at the first node, said first downstream signal being received subsequent to transmission of the first upstream signal, said first downstream signal acknowledging receipt of said first upstream signal, said first downstream signal comprising information referencing a first slot number wherein the first node transmitted said random access request in order for the first node to identify that the first node is a desired recipient of the first downstream signal; transmitting a second upstream signal from the first node to the first communication controller, said second upstream signal being transmitted subsequent to receiving said first downstream signal, said second upstream signal from the first node comprising identifier information for the first node; receiving second downstream signaling information transmitted from the first communication controller at the first node, said second downstream signaling information being received subsequent to transmission of said second upstream signal, said second downstream signaling information comprising information relating to an allocation of a second slot to the first node for transmitting a reserve request; transmitting a third upstream signal from the first node to the first communication controller, said third upstream signal being transmitted subsequent to receiving the second downstream signaling information, said third upstream signal comprising the reserve request which is transmitted within the second slot allocated to the first node; receiving a third downstream signal transmitted from the first communication controller at the first node, said third downstream signal received subsequent to transmission of the reserve request, said third downstream signal comprising information relating to an allocation of resources for transmitting a packetized message; and transmitting the packetized message from the first node to the first communication controller subsequent to receiving the third downstream signal.