US 12,231,261 B2
EMI reduction in PLCA-based networks through beacon temporal spreading
Galin I. Ivanov, Stutensee (DE)
Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed by Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed on May 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/200,771.
Application 18/200,771 is a continuation of application No. 17/409,858, filed on Aug. 24, 2021, granted, now 11,700,146.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/070,643, filed on Aug. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0291606 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04L 12/413 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 12/413 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a network interface configured to communicatively couple the apparatus to one or more other nodes in a network; and
a control circuit configured to:
repeatedly issue transmission cycles to the other nodes through the network interface, wherein a given transmission cycle includes a least one send slot for each of the other nodes to send data;
initiate transmission cycles by issuing beacon signals to the other nodes; and
determine when to issue a beacon signal in a given transmission cycle, including:
a determination that all of the other nodes have completed all associated send slots in an immediately previous transmission cycle, thus completing the other nodes' transmission; and
based upon a determination of the completion of the other nodes' transmission, delay transmission of the beacon signal for the given transmission cycle;
wherein the control circuit is further configured to set a delay of transmission of the beacon signal for the given transmission cycle according to a function, wherein the delay of transmission of the beacon signal for the given transmission cycle is longer than a delay of transmission of a beacon signal for the immediately previous transmission cycle, wherein the delay of transmission of the beacon signal for the immediately previous transmission cycle was longer than a delay of transmission of a beacon signal for a further immediately previous transmission cycle.