Method of enhancing network transmission on a priority-enabled frame-based communications network

Abstract

A method of enhancing network transmission between stations on a priority-enabled frame-based communications network, the communications network having multiple transmit priorities and transmitting frames such that a network access time to transmit a frame of a lower transmit priority is longer than a network access time to transmit a frame of a higher transmit priority, the number of transmit priorities being fixed and all stations being capable of transmitting frames at any transmit priority. The method applies to each station. An initial transmit priority is established for each frame to be transmitted. A set of initial transmit priorities assigned to frames transmitted on the communications network is maintained. A set of final transmit priorities is established containing highest possible priorities, one final transmit priority being associated with each member of the set of initial transmit priorities, such that a highest initial transmit priority is assigned to a highest possible priority, a next highest initial transmit priority is assigned to a next highest possible priority, and so forth. Ordered frames are transmitted onto the communications network, each frame using a final transmit priority associated with the initial transmit priority established for the each frame.