Patent ID: 7822008

Claim:
A method of communicating between nodes comprising: establishing a plurality of time-slots in a time frame; associating every time-slot with communications between a pair of nodes, wherein at least one time-slot is associated with communications between a first node and a second node, and wherein a second time-slot is associated with communications between the first node and a third node; having the first node and the second node communicate during at least one time-slot; and having the third node await communications with the first node in the second time-slot; wherein the first node does not communicate with the third node in the second time-slot if the first node continues to communicate with the second node beyond a time period defined by the at the least one time slot; wherein while the third node awaits communications with the first node the third node receives signals from other nodes; and wherein while the third node awaits communications with the first node the third node directs an antenna toward the first node.