Method and apparatus for detection and classification of collisions in a rf - network with common access

摘要

The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for detecting collisions on a shared access network. In accordance with the present invention, two or more RF modulated signals having a plurality of different phase states are transmitted to a central controller, wherein two or more of the transmitted signals collide at the central controller. The collision detection system then determines a characteristic of the collision signal, such as the absolute value of the peak amplitude of the collision signal. The collision detection system then compares the characteristic with a plurality of thresholds and determines the number of RF modulated signals that collided as a function of the comparison. The method for detecting collisions may further include monitoring a plurality of collision events to determine a characteristic, such as the absolute value of the peak amplitude of the collision signal, of each of the collision events. The collision detection system then determines the thresholds in accordance with the characteristics of the monitored collision events. The monitored collision events may be simulated or the result of actual laboratory experimentation.