International Business Machines Corporation

Bryan R Hartlen

Jeane S Chen

Jacek P Maryan

Dan N McKay

Tom D Kurata

Stanley L Frickes

Timothy F Williams

A method is provided for controlling access to a communication medium intended for sharing by a least two stations to enable peer-to-peer communications therebetween. Initially, the communication medium is sensed at a first station to determine if the medium is in use. If the first station senses that the medium is not in use, the first station may then transmit a connection request message intended for a second station. Upon receiving at the second station the connection request message, the second station transmits a connection confirm message to the first station for the purpose of establishing a reservation of the transmission medium for use by the first and second stations. Thereafter, the first station transmits information as one or more data messages from the first station to the second station. Upon receiving the last of the data messages from the first station, the second station transmits an acknowledgement message to the first station. The first station, upon receiving the acknowledgement message, subsequently transmits a disconnect request message to the second station. Upon receiving the disconnect request message, the second station subsequently transmits a disconnect confirm message for reception by the first station for the purpose of ending the reservation of the medium.

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Oshawa, Canada

Bryan R Hartlen