Burst reservation scheme with multiple access with free bandwidth allocation on request

摘要

A demand assignment process for a packet switching communications system in which a terminal requests capacity from a scheduler for the transmission of bursts of packets, and in which the terminal transmits position signals to the scheduler with at least some of the packets indicative of those packets' position in a burst The position signals are used by the scheduler to determine the length of the burst and preferentially allocate capacity to those terminals currently in the middle of transmitting a burst, allowing transmission of further packets of the burst.