Claims
- 1. A device comprising:
a physical communication component; and a processor coupled with the physical communication component, in which the processor is adapted to receive contending requests for respective wireless transmissions through a medium; schedule an ending time of a time window during which subsequent contending requests are impermissible; communicate the scheduled ending time; monitor the medium; determine that one of the wireless transmissions through the monitored medium ended before the scheduled ending time; and communicate that subsequent contending requests are permissible even if made before the scheduled ending time.
- 2. The device of claim 1, in which the processor is further adapted to:
detect an idle time in the medium; and compare the idle time to a preset minimum time; and in which the wireless transmission is determined to have ended if the idle time is longer than the preset minimum time.
- 3. The device of claim 2, in which the processor is further adapted to:
start an idle counter if the medium is detected to be idle.
- 4. The device of claim 2, in which
the preset minimum time equals a DIFS.
- 5. A device comprising:
a physical communication component; and a processor coupled with the physical communication component, in which the processor is adapted to receive data about a contention-free time window regarding a medium; decode from the data a scheduled ending time of the time window; then receive notification that contention will be permitted before the scheduled ending time; and contend for the medium before the scheduled ending time pursuant to the notification.
- 6. The device of claim 5, in which
receiving notification includes receiving and interpreting a terminating frame.
- 7. The device of claim 5, in which the processor is further adapted to:
adjust a contention mechanism to prevent contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time; and pursuant to the notification readjust the contention mechanism to enable contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time.
- 8. The device of claim 7, in which
adjusting the contention mechanism includes setting a counter to count down commensurately with the scheduled ending time, and readjusting the contention mechanism includes advancing the counter to a smaller value.
- 9. The device of claim 8, in which
the smaller value is zero.
- 10. A device comprising:
means for receiving contending requests for respective wireless transmissions through a medium; means for scheduling an ending time of a time window during which subsequent contending requests are impermissible; means for communicating the scheduled ending time; means for monitoring the medium; means for determining that one of the wireless transmissions through the monitored medium ended before the scheduled ending time; and means for communicating that subsequent contending requests are permissible even if made before the scheduled ending time.
- 11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:
means for detecting an idle time in the medium; and means for comparing the idle time to a preset minimum time; and in which the wireless transmission is determined to have ended if the idle time is longer than the preset minimum time.
- 12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:
means for starting an idle counter if the medium is detected to be idle.
- 13. The device of claim 11, in which
the preset minimum time equals a DIFS.
- 14. A device comprising:
means for receiving data about a contention-free time window regarding a medium; means for decoding from the data a scheduled ending time of the time window; means for then receiving notification that contention will be permitted before the scheduled ending time; and means for contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time pursuant to the notification.
- 15. The device of claim 14, in which
the means for receiving notification includes receiving and interpreting a terminating frame.
- 16. The device of claim 14, further comprising:
means for adjusting a contention mechanism to prevent contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time; and means for readjusting the contention mechanism to enable contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time pursuant to the notification.
- 17. The device of claim 16, in which
the means for adjusting the contention mechanism includes means for setting a counter to count down commensurately with the scheduled ending time, and the means for readjusting the contention mechanism includes means for advancing the counter to a smaller value.
- 18. The device of claim 17, in which
the smaller value is zero.
- 19. An article comprising: a storage medium, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon, in which when the instructions are executed by at least one device, they result in:
receiving contending requests for respective wireless transmissions through a medium; scheduling an ending time of a time window during which subsequent contending requests are impermissible; communicating the scheduled ending time; monitoring the medium; determining that one of the wireless transmissions through the monitored medium ended before the scheduled ending time; and communicating that subsequent contending requests are permissible even if made before the scheduled ending time.
- 20. The article of claim 19, in which the instructions further result in:
detecting an idle time in the medium; and comparing the idle time to a preset minimum time; and in which the wireless transmission is determined to have ended if the idle time is longer than the preset minimum time.
- 21. The article of claim 20, in which the instructions further result in:
starting an idle counter if the medium is detected to be idle.
- 22. The article of claim 20, in which
the preset minimum time equals a DIFS.
- 23. An article comprising: a storage medium, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon, in which when the instructions are executed by at least one device, they result in:
receiving data about a contention-free time window regarding a medium; decoding from the data a scheduled ending time of the time window; then receiving notification that contention will be permitted before the scheduled ending time; and contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time pursuant to the notification.
- 24. The article of claim 23, in which
receiving notification includes receiving and interpreting a terminating frame.
- 25. The article of claim 23, in which the instructions further result in:
adjusting a contention mechanism to prevent contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time; and pursuant to the notification readjusting the contention mechanism to enable contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time.
- 26. The article of claim 25, in which
adjusting the contention mechanism includes setting a counter to count down commensurately with the scheduled ending time, and readjusting the contention mechanism includes advancing the counter to a smaller value.
- 27. The article of claim 26, in which
the smaller value is zero.
- 28. A method comprising:
receiving contending requests for respective wireless transmissions through a medium; scheduling an ending time of a time window during which subsequent contending requests are impermissible; communicating the scheduled ending time; monitoring the medium; determining that one of the wireless transmissions through the monitored medium ended before the scheduled ending time; and communicating that subsequent contending requests are permissible even if made before the scheduled ending time.
- 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
detecting an idle time in the medium; and comparing the idle time to a preset minimum time; and in which the wireless transmission is determined to have ended if the idle time is longer than the preset minimum time.
- 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:
starting an idle counter if the medium is detected to be idle.
- 31. The method of claim 29, in which
the preset minimum time equals a DIFS.
- 32. A method comprising:
receiving data about a contention-free time window regarding a medium; decoding from the data a scheduled ending time of the time window; then receiving notification that contention will be permitted before the scheduled ending time; and contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time pursuant to the notification.
- 33. The method of claim 32, in which
receiving notification includes receiving and interpreting a terminating frame.
- 34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:
adjusting a contention mechanism to prevent contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time; and pursuant to the notification readjusting the contention mechanism to enable contending for the medium before the scheduled ending time.
- 35. The method of claim 34, in which
adjusting the contention mechanism includes setting a counter to count down commensurately with the scheduled ending time, and readjusting the contention mechanism includes advancing the counter to a smaller value.
- 36. The method of claim 35, in which
the smaller value is zero.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S.A. Provisional Application No. 60/273,278, filed on Mar. 2, 2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
[0002] This application may be found to be related to U.S.A. patent application Ser. No. 09/823,511 filed on Mar. 30, 2001, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60273278 |
Mar 2001 |
US |