Dynamically variable priority, variable position channels in a TDMA burst

摘要

The position of a channel of information transmitted from a particular port is varied in response to the changing priority of that port's messages as time passes. Variable priority assignments become necessary when low speed data has been deferred in its transmission until a time just prior to the production of a second unit of data. The effect of changing the priority of deferred data messages in a TDMA burst is to change the relative position of the associated channel within the TDMA burst by means of compiling the address of that message in a higher priority threaded list. The mechanism by which a deferred data message has its priority changed from an initial low value to a subsequent higher value is by measuring the amount of time remaining for retaining a deferred data message relative to the expected time of arrival of the next data message, the impending arrival of a new message causing the priority of the deferred message to be increased, thereby increasing the probability of its successful transmission.