Time division multiplex system and method having a time slot reuse

Abstract

A multi-user Time Division Multiplex (TDM) system includes a plurality of stations and at least one erasure node located between groups of the stations. When a station reads the destination identification bits of a received time slot and determines that it is the destination for that slot, it sets the status of a slot-read bit, which follows the destination identification bits, to indicate that the slot has been read. When an erasure node detects a set slot-read bit it erases all or part of the associated slot, thereby enabling the reuse of that slot by subsequent stations. An interface apparatus, which enables the TDM system to connect the other TDM systems, filters intra-system communications from inter-system communications using the slot-read bit. When the interface apparatus detects a set slot-read bit it knows that the slot has been read and, therefore, is an intra-system communication which should be blocked or discarded. Since inter-system communications have not been read, the slot-read bit is not set and, consequently, the interface apparatus routes that slot to one of the other TDM systems as determined by the destination identification bits of the slot.