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:
Sep. 14, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 19, 2000
C. David Young, Plano, TX (US);
Edgar L. Caples, Allen, TX (US);
Jeffrey A. Barton, Richardson, TX (US);
James A. Stevens, Allen, TX (US);
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the receiver directed assignment of receive slots in a dynamic assignment communication system. The apparatus including a memory component storing communication assignment data for a plurality of time slots in a time multiplex structure and a processor component capable of identifying a set of available time slots from the plurality of time slots. The apparatus being capable of assigning itself a receive slot, which can be a broadcast receive slot, from the set of available time slots. The method involves establishing a network wherein network communication is accomplished via assignment of specific time slots of a time multiplex structure. The method further involves determining a set of available time slots suitable for reception, by a receiving node, of a communication from a neighboring node, the receiving node then assigning to itself a receive slot from the set of available time slots. The method and apparatus are also capable of handling transmissions from a plurality of neighboring devices during a broadcast receive slot. This can be accomplished by a scheduling technique, a random access technique or a code division multiple access technique.