Patent ID: 7349378

Claim:
A method for managing data transmission in a local area network comprising: receiving a request for data transmission; determining time frames, said time frames including time slots, said time slots including at least one dedicated traffic slot in an initial state characterized by being unreserved and not in use and being configured to convert to a first state characterized by being reserved and in use by a user if the dedicated traffic slot is in the initial state; allocating the time slots to determine time slot allocation information; and providing the time slot allocation information for data transmission, wherein the dedicated traffic slot converts to a second state characterized by being idle and reserved for the user if the dedicated traffic slot is in the first state and if data is not transmitted by the user in a first predetermined period of time, the dedicated traffic slot converts to a third state characterized by being idle and for best effort use if the dedicated traffic slot is in the second state and if data is not transmitted by the user in a second predetermined period of time, and the dedicated traffic slot converts to the initial state if the dedicated traffic slot is in the third state and if data is not transmitted by the user in a third predetermined period of time.