Method and apparatus for controlling information transmission on a multipoint link

摘要

A method and apparatus for controlling communications on a multipoint communication link includes a multipoint link (29) coupling plural slave stations (11-13) and a master (10) having a communications controller (35) controlling signaling broadcast to slave stations (11-13) via an encoder (36). Broadcast signals (201-205) each include a time slot marker or identifier associated with a slave station. Master (10) monitors via detector (32) for response signals (211-213) within a window period, and when detected waits until an end of transmission and generates the next broadcast signal with an incremented marker. Master (10) also functions to cycle through broadcast signals to all slave stations (11-13) at an adaptive rate, e.g., more frequently for active as compared with idle or inactive slave stations.