Patent ID: 8422481

Claim:
A communication network adapted to allocate bandwidth to stations in said network; said network comprises: (i) a first plurality of one or more stations adapted to operate as routers, and a (ii) a second plurality of one or more end stations, said first and second pluralities of stations being intercommunicated via a mutual network; each station of both said first and second pluralities of stations being adapted to transmit (i) first original information on the subject of the connectivity of said network; (ii) first integrated information on the subject of the connectivity of said network; (iii) second original information on the subject of the bandwidth requirement of the transmitting station; and each station of said first plurality of stations further adapted to transmit (iv) second integrated information on the subject of bandwidth requirements of at least one of said stations being intercommunicated; said network is adapted to undergo at least one transmission cycle, cooperatively transmitted by said first and second pluralities of stations; said transmission cycle having a) a data frame, having: i. at least one original data packet; and, ii. zero or more forwarded data packets; and, b) a management frame, having: i. a unit management frame (UMF), having: (a) a first UMF packet encoding either said first original information, or said first integrated information, or both, as transmitted by one of said first plurality of stations; (b) a second UMF packet encoding either said first original information, or said first integrated information, or both, as transmitted by one of said second plurality of stations; and, ii. a relay sub-portion, having: (a) a request management frame (RQMF); said RQMF comprising at least one RQMF packet encoding said second integrated information; (b) a response management frame (RSMF,); said RSMF comprising at least one RSMF packet transmitted by one of said first plurality of stations encoding bandwidth allocation information; and said network comprising a master station being either one of said first plurality of stations or at least one third station, wherein said master station is adapted to generate said bandwidth allocation information to said first and second plurality of stations of predetermined bandwidth in association with size of said UMF packet and said RQMF packet and said RSMF packet, wherein said master station is determined according to said first plurality of one or more stations adapted to operate as routers.