Patent ID: 6944148

Claim:
In a network system having a master device and a plurality of slave devices in network communication with said master device, said network system employing a Time Division Multiple Access frame comprising a master sync section, a command section and a data slot section having a plurality of variable-length data slots comprising the steps of: (a) periodically transmitting an ALOHA message to invite protocol messages by said master device; (b) receiving a data link request with Quality of service perimeters by a source slave device from an OSI layer above said Medium Access Control layer, said Quality of service parameters including a bandwidth range for data transfer; (c) transmitting a data link request by said source slave device to said master device in response to said ALOHA message, said data link request including said bandwidth range requirement for data transfer; (d) receiving said data link request by said master device; (e) determining the availability of said source slave device and said target slave device for communication; (f) providing a data slot assignment by said master device to said source slave device and said target slave device, said data slot assignment having a start time for communication and a slot length within said bandwidth range; (g) communicating said data slot assignment by said master device to said source slave device and said target slave device; and (h) reallocating current data slots assignments within said frame prior to providing said data slot assignment wherein said step of reallocating comprises: (1) iterating through each said current time slot assignment, (2) determining whether each said current data block assignment is to be assigned a new slot start time, (3) assigning a new slot start time to said current data slot assignments determined to be reassigned, (4) determining whether each said current data slot assignment is to be reassigned a new slot length, (5) assigning said new slot length to said current data slot assignments determined to be reassigned, and (6) communicating said modified data slot assignment by said master device to said source slave device and said target slave device.