Patent ID: 8891494

Claim:
A method of multiple packet reception (MPR) using distributed time slot assignment (DTSA) in a multi-user network where receivers can detect two packets at the same time, comprising: requesting information on slot assignment in a contention area by a new node, including information on MPR slots which are taken with two neighbors; setting a frame length and taking a slot assignment, where the new node makes a list of time slots that are MPR slots from the neighbors' point of view; selecting an assigned slot by: taking an unassigned slot (GU), taking an MPR slot (GM or MPR extension; if there is no unassigned timeslot and at least one nonconflicting time slot exists, the new node assigns nonconflicting time slot to itself, where a nonconflicting time slot is a time slot that is not being reported as an MPR slot from one-hop neighbors, and is not occupied by one-hop neighbors; and releasing multiple assigned slots (RMA) where one of the multiple assigned time slots is released from one of its neighbor nodes to create a nonconflicting time slot and assigning the nonconflicting tier e slot to itself; and doubling the frame (DF); after assigning a slot to itself, the new node sends a suggestion (SUG) packet to its neighbors which has the information about the frame length and the assigned slots; after receiving the SUG packet, each neighbor updates its time slot assignment and changes its frame length accordingly; sending a reply (REP) packet from each neighbor to their neighbors; if the new node connects two or more nodes that are assigned to the same timeslot, the new node resolves the conflict by: deleting a conflicting slot, where if the conflicting nodes are assigned to multiple slots and there are some nonconflicting slots assigned to them, the new node releases the conflicting slot from all of the conflicting nodes except the slot with the smallest number of assigned nodes; dividing the assignment, where if multiple slots are conflicting in the new node, the new node divides the slots between the conflicting nodes; and doubling the frame and dividing the assignment; and exiting the control mode for all neighbors of the new node.