Patent ID: 7002984

Claim:
A method of parallel operation in a multiple access network having a plurality of communicating nodes and communication network facilities comprising: (a) allocating a plurality of communicating channels contention resolution channels; (b) assigning selected ones or all of said plurality of communicating channels to communicating nodes which have implemented an improved protocol for contention resolution; (c) switching to said assigned contention resolution channels upon detecting contention; (d) staying on channels not allocated for contention resolution for nodes which have not implemented said improved protocol or are not involved in said contention; (e) performing contention resolution on said assigned contention resolution channels in parallel to a normal process performed on said channels not allocated for contention resolution; (f) reverting back to said channels not allocated for contention resolution upon completion of contention resolution said nodes which have switched to said assigned contention resolution channels; and (g) resuming normal process.