Patent ID: 7027462
Filing Date: 2006-04-11
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for a distributed medium access protocol that schedules transmission of different types of packets on a channel based on a service quality specification for each type of packet, comprising the steps of: determining at a plurality of nodes in an access network, an urgency class of pending packets according to a scheduling algorithm; transmitting pending packets in a given urgency class before transmitting packets of a lower urgency class; remembering the number of transmission attempts by a node for the last transmission of same node; estimating from said number of transmission attempts a current congestion experienced; adjusting a backoff counter to current congestion levels to provide a dispersion of packet traffic bursts; broadcasting with each transmission the number of transmission attempts by a node; estimating from said number of transmission attempts received from other nodes the current congestion experienced; and adjusting a backoff counter to current congestion levels to provide a dispersion of packet traffic bursts.