FLEXIBLE ASSIGNMENT OF SCHEDULED AND REQUEST TRANSMISSIONS

摘要

Methods and apparatus are presented for conducting communications using a shared communication medium. A first request is sent over the shared communication medium. The shared communication medium is organized to include a signal space comprising request signal space and transmission signal space. The request signal space and the transmission signal space have different locations within the signal space. The request signal space includes request segments and the transmission signal space includes scheduled transmission segments. The first request occupies a portion of a transmission segment. An assignment is received associating the first request with a scheduled transmission segment. The assignment takes into account the location of the portion of the transmission segment within the transmission signal space. A data transmission is sent in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the first request.