SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC TIME DIVISION ACCESS

摘要

The present invention is a system and method for providing wireless packet data transmission without dependence on a fixed time slot access method or central timing mechanism. An available radio frequency (RF) channel in a communications network is divided into time frames which are further divided into time slots, wherein corresponding single time slots in each frame define a logical channel for carrying user packet data. The network includes a plurality of nodesdivided into at least two time domain groups, wherein the time domain groups aredivided into segments. Each of the time domain groups includes an independent timing source for synchronizing the time slots of logical channels within a timedomain, wherein communication between nodes is accomplished through a data messaging scheme, such as a token passing scheme. Buffer segments interface between the time domain groups. The buffer segments maintain logical synchronization for communication between interconnected time domains by dynamically reassigning the token from the logical channel of a first time domain to an unused time slot of another logical channel in response to a given offset condition. The logical channel for dynamic reassignment is chosen such that the time slot of a first time domain does not overlap the logical channel used by a second time domain.