The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 01, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1998
Christopher Gwyn Romans, Clevedon, GB;
Louis Mario Gaiot, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Kevin James Negus, Hyattville, WY (US);
Jean Tourrilhes, Bristol, GB;
Paul John Morris, Cambridge, GB;
Rajinder Gawera, Milton Keynes, GB;
Other;
Abstract
In a medium access control (MAC) protocol for a wireless communications network, communications between a control point and other nodes are coordinated by a repeated superframe. This superframe contains in sequence a contention-free period (CFP ), a contention-based period, and second contention-free period (CFP ). Prior to CFP a node hops from one channel frequency to another. CFP in a superframe is used for initial transmission of isochronous data (such as voice signals); CFP of the following superframe is used for retransmission of any such data which were not correctly received at the first attempt, after the frequency hop at the start of that following superframe. This arrangement minimises delay before retransmission of data, and improves the robustness of the system.