| 摘要 |
A method of contending for access, by a communication device, of a shared communication medium for transmission of data in a communications network, involves the device setting a contention metric value S1-4, for comparison with any incoming control messages also indicative of attempts to contend for the medium S1-6, S1-8. Contention metric values from incoming control messages are compared with the selected contention metric value and, on the basis of the comparison S1-8, a decision is taken as to continuing for contention for the medium or discontinuing S1-24. The device can be said to have gained access to the medium when it has completed a requisite period of listening to the medium S1-12, with no incoming message received indicative of a stronger claim to the medium S1-14. The incoming control messages are messages broadcast by other devices contending for the medium. The contention metric value is a number chosen from a range of possible values indicating a current priority associated with the device, this number may be randomly chosen by the device from the possible range of values. |
