Patent ID: 6181687
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of communicating in a multi-access computer communication system comprising a plurality of stations and a first communication channel, wherein said stations communicate using messages transmission over said first communications channel, the method comprising:generating a plurality non-overlapping transmission time intervals of variable durations;grouping said time intervals into a plurality of clusters, wherein the number of said time intervals and time distances between them varies within each of said clusters;forming a plurality of sequences of said clusters, wherein the time distance from the end of one of said clusters comprising each sequence to the beginning of the next of said clusters comprising same sequence is such that any of said stations transmitting in said sequence will learn a status information of said message transmission prior to commencement of next of said clusters; andsending said message transmission from said stations during said time intervals via said first communication channel.