Patent ID: 7801027
Filing Date: 2010-09-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of digital communication comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a digital communication session between a first node and a second node at a predetermined first data rate; (b) said first node transmitting a first message to said second node, said first message including an indication of whether said first node is capable of operating at a predetermined second data rate; (c) said second node transmitting a second message to said first node, said second message including an indication of whether said second node is capable of operating at said second data rate; (d) if said first message is received by said second node and said indication of whether said first node is capable of operating at said second data rate is negative, said second node operating at said first data rate; (e) if said first message is received by said second node and said indication of whether said first node is capable of operating at said second data rate is positive, said second node transmitting to said first node a third message, said third message including an indication of whether said second node is capable of operating at said second data rate, said third message further including an acknowledgement code; (f) if said second message is received by said first node and said indication of whether said second node is capable of operating at said second data rate is negative, said first node operating at said first data rate; (g) if said second message is received by said first node and said indication of whether said second node is capable of operating at said second data rate is positive, said first node transmitting to said second node a fourth message, said fourth message including an indication of whether said first node is capable of operating at said second data rate, said fourth message further including an acknowledgement code; (h) if said third message is received by said first node, and if said indication of whether said second node is capable of operating at said second data rate is positive, said first node transmitting to said second node, at said second data rate, a fifth message; (i) if said fourth message is received by said second node, and if said indication of whether said first node is capable of operating at said second data rate is positive, said second node transmitting to said first node, at said second data rate, a sixth message; (j) if said first node has received said second message and said indication of whether said second node is capable of operating at said second data rate is positive, and, subsequently, a link failure is detected by said first node, said first node transmitting to said second node, at said second data rate, said fifth message; (k) if said second node has received said first message and said indication of whether said first node is capable of operating at said second data rate is positive, and, subsequently, a link failure is detected by said second node, said second node transmitting to said first node, at said second data rate, said sixth message; (l) if said first node has received said sixth message, and said first node has determined that no portion of said sixth message satisfies a first predetermined quality criterion, said first node transmitting to said second node, at said first data rate, a seventh message, said seventh message including an indication that said first node has not successfully received said sixth message, said first node continuing communication with said second node at said first data rate; (m) if said first node has received said sixth message, and said first node has determined that at least one portion of said sixth message satisfies said first quality criterion, said first node transmitting to said second node, at said first data rate, an eighth message, said eighth message including an indication that said first node has successfully received said sixth message; (n) if said second node has received said fifth message, and said second node has determined that no portion of said fifth message satisfies a second predetermined quality criterion, said second node transmitting to said first node, at said first data rate, a ninth message, said ninth message including an indication that said second node has not successfully received said fifth message, said second node continuing communication with said first node at said first data rate; (o) if said second node has received said fifth message, and said second node has determined that at least one portion of said fifth message satisfies said second quality criterion, said second node transmitting to said first node, at said first data rate, a tenth message, said tenth message including an indication that said second node has successfully received said fifth message; (p) if said eighth message is received by said second node and said eighth message includes an indication that said first node has received said sixth message successfully, said second node transmitting to said first node an eleventh message, said eleventh message including an indication that said second node has successfully received said fifth message, said eleventh message further including an acknowledgement code; (q) if said tenth message is received by said first node and said tenth message includes an indication that said second node has received said fifth message successfully, said first node transmitting to said second node a twelfth message, said twelfth message including an indication that said first node has successfully received said sixth message, said twelfth message further including an acknowledgement code; (r) if said eleventh message is received by said first node, and if said eleventh message includes an indication that said second node has successfully received said fifth message, said first node communicating with said second node at said second data rate; (s) if said twelfth message is received by said second node, and if said twelfth message includes an indication that said first node has successfully received said sixth message, said second node communicating with said first node at said second data rate; (t) if said first node has received said tenth message and if said tenth message includes an indication that said second node has successfully received said fifth message, and, subsequently, a link failure is detected by said first node, said first node communicating with said second node at said second data rate, and (u) if said second node has received said eighth message and if said eighth message includes an indication that said first node has successfully received said sixth message, and, subsequently, a link failure is detected by said second node, said second node communicating with said first node at said second data rate.