Network channel access protocol—slot scheduling
View Patent ↗Network channel access protocol is disclosed. More particularly, a distributed, locally determined, channel access protocol that adapts to load, avoids interference and controls access by a group of nodes to a set of shared channels is disclosed. Shared channel space is divided into a number of communication slots that are repeated at a predetermined interval. Permission to use a slot to communicate between any two nodes is dynamically adjusted by the channel access protocol, which locally: (i) estimates load to neighboring nodes; (ii) allocates or deallocates slot usage to adapt to load and avoid interference; and (iii) asserts and advertises slot usage within an interference area about itself.
1. A method for communication slot allocation and assertion for a planned transmission, comprising:
providing a node;
obtaining an array of communication slots;
locating at least one available communication slot within the array;
allocating the at least one communication slot;
determining if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override;
if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override,
canceling a prior allocation of the at least one communication slot;
informing neighboring nodes of the node of cancellation of the prior allocation;
asserting usage of the at least one communication slot;
informing the neighboring nodes of assertion of the at least one communication slot;
determining whether the at least one communication slot is configured to receive or transmit; and
if the at least one communication slot is configured to receive, scheduling use of the at least one communication slot.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising,
checking for another allocated communication slot to process.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the array of communication slots is frequencies by times.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is only by point-to-point communication.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is only by point-to-multipoint communication.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is only by broadcast communication.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is by one or more of point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication and broadcast communication.
8. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor in response to a command to allocate at least one communication slot, causes execution of a method comprising:
allocating the at least one communication slot;
determining if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override;
if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override,
canceling a prior allocation of the at least one communication slot;
informing neighboring nodes of the node of cancellation of the prior allocation;
asserting usage of the at least one communication slot;
informing the neighboring nodes of assertion of the at least on communication slot;
determining whether the at least one communication slot is configured to receive or transmit; and
if the at least on communication slot is configured to receive, scheduling use of the at least on communication slot.