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:
Mar. 15, 2005
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2001
Albert Donald Darby, Jr., Valkaria, FL (US);
David Poltz, Melbourne, FL (US);
Mark Hefner, Indiatlantic, FL (US);
Irfan Ali, Schenectady, NY (US);
William Schoonmaker, Melbourne, FL (US);
George Jarman, Grant, FL (US);
Albert Donald Darby, Jr., Valkaria, FL (US);
David Poltz, Melbourne, FL (US);
Mark Hefner, Indiatlantic, FL (US);
Irfan Ali, Schenectady, NY (US);
William Schoonmaker, Melbourne, FL (US);
George Jarman, Grant, FL (US);
Other;
Abstract
A system and method for communicating over networks, particularly generally-linear networks such as a netowrk of railcars in a railway train. The disclosed system and method include the relaying of packets which may contain plural messages down a line of nodes. Acknowledgement of the packets is obtained implicitly by listening to a subsequenct relay of the packet and retransmission of the packet is effected on a diverse antenna in the event of non-acknowledgement. Message bandwidth is shared among the nodes of the system by a message priority system and by the reservation of portions of a packet for certain types of messages. Message bandwidth is also shared by the use of groups of nodes as relay particpiants and by periodically changing the group which is peforming the relay operations.