Patent ID: 7257371

Claim:
A communication network control method for a synchronous communication network including a hub and a plurality of user nodes each at a different distance from the hub, said method comprising steps of: transmitting a first frame from the hub to each of the user nodes, the first frame including a first control information; transmitting a first respective data burst in a first frame time period from each of the user nodes to the hub according to the first control information, a start of the first frame time period from each of the user nodes occurs at the hub simultaneously; transmitting a second frame from the hub to each of the user nodes immediately following the first frame, the second frame including a second control information; and transmitting a second respective data burst in a second frame time period from each of the user nodes to the hub according to the second control information, a start of the second frame time period from each of the user nodes occurs at the hub simultaneously, wherein the second respective data burst in the second frame time period is received at the hub immediately following the first respective data burst in the first frame time period.