Patent ID: 7668511

Claim:
A method of communicating in a network comprising: transmitting a random access request signal from the first node in a slot of a frame to request access for the first node to transmit packetized data, said random access request signal including randomly generated information; receiving a grant signal, said grant signal returning said randomly generated information to the first node to enable identification of the first node as a desired recipient of the grant signal, said grant signal comprising additional information relating to a reserve request slot assignment identifying a reserve request slot of a frame where the first node can transmit an additional reservation request, wherein the reserve request slot assignment is provided independent of the randomly generated information; transmitting the additional reservation request from the first node in the reserve request slot subsequent to receipt of the reserve request slot assignment by the first node; and receiving an additional grant signal at the first node subsequent to the first node transmitting the additional reservation request, transmitting the packetized data from the first node in response to the additional grant signal, wherein the reserve request slot of the frame recurs repeatedly and wherein the packetized data is transmitted in a different location than the reserve request slot of the frame.