Patent ID: 7827459

Claim:
A method of transmitting a Media Access Control (MAC) layer message that is k packets in length from one of a plurality of terminals to a hub station over a multi-channel slotted Aloha-type network wherein the improvement comprises: a) encoding the k message packets using a packet-level forward error correction protocol to generate a total of n encoded packets wherein n-k packets are parity packets; b) transmitting the n encoded packets to the hub over the shared medium; c) determining the number of packets correctly received by the hub (m); and performing one of the following steps: i. if m is equal to or greater than k, send an ACK from the hub to the sending terminal; or ii. if 0≦m≦k then send an ARQ from the hub to the sending terminal, said ARQ comprises an authorization to reserve a return channel for the retransmission from the sending terminal of at least k-m packets of the original m packets that were not properly received in the initial transmission and the retransmission by the terminal, over the reserved channel, of at least k-m packets of the original m packets of the original transmission that were not properly received.