Importance

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Abstract

A TDMA system (11) is provided using a programmable, fixed-period frame structure for communication between network terminals (6,10). All bursts are timed with respect to this programmable periodic frame. Each terminal (6,10) uses its local clock to generate a transmit frame period and a receive frame period. According to the invention an Acquisition and Synchronization procedure is provided to align the start of transmit frame period and start of receive frame period and start of receive frame period at each terminal in such a way that if a burst is transmitted by any terminal at offset x after local start of transmit frame period, then all terminals receive that burst a position y after their local start of receive frame periods, where Yy-xY is less than a small threshold value. In addition, a number of different types of bursts are used for communication between terminals. The various types of bursts are programmable. In other words, the parameters defining the bursts, such as length, frequency, and location within a frame may be dynamically assigned by the network based on monitored network conditions.

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First Claim