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. 13, 2010
Filed:
Feb. 23, 2006
Xiaolin LU, Highlands Ranch, CO (US);
Xiaoxin Qiu, Middletown, NJ (US);
Xiaolin Lu, Highlands Ranch, CO (US);
Xiaoxin Qiu, Middletown, NJ (US);
AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P., Reno, NV (US);
Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus for end-users to allocate a communication medium locally without requiring a central arbitration device while guaranteeing access to the end-users. The end-users bid for control of an upstream data channel by concurrently transmitting auction data and address data on a first upstream signaling channel and a second upstream signaling channel. An end-user gains control of the upstream data channel when data received from the first and second downstream signaling channels match the auction and address bits. When it is determined that the end-user lost the bid, the end-user backs off from the first and second upstream signaling channels and refrains from bidding until the first and second upstream signaling channels become quiet.