Method and device for time division multiplex operation of a changing number of stations operating autonomously on one communications channel

摘要

In the time division multiplex operation of autonomous transceiver stations on the same communications channel, a favourable throughput of variable-length data blocks is possible if unnecessary transmission gaps are avoided by adapting the transmission intervals to the number of received stations. This is achieved even without a higher-order station by indicating and evaluating future transmission times, the next intrinsic transmission time being determined at the start of each transmission from the previously received information relating to the future transmission times of the remaining stations as the transmission gap with the associated duration of the intrinsic transmission time which follows bridged transmission gaps, the sum of whose lengths corresponds at least to the longest transmission duration of the stations. The future transmission time is transmitted as information and is subsequently transmitted at the determined transmission time. The transmission sequence can be adapted according to the urgency of the data or to special operating conditions by controlling the number and length of the bridged transmission gaps and by means of information characters in the data block. <IMAGE>