Continual grant request polling of slave stations by master

摘要

Digital data is transported "bidirectionally" between a broadband network unit (1) and devices (5). The data is transmitted in a series of downstream and upstream frame intervals. Devices (5) may request use of cell slots in upstream frames. The broadband network unit (1) determines which requests to grant. If the request is granted, the device (5) may use the cell slot to transmit digital data. Acknowledgement of successful reception of data transmitted in an upstream frame is provided in a subsequent downstream frame interval.