Patent ID: 7382799

Claim:
A method of communicating over a network of nodes using a plurality of time slots, wherein nodes are permitted to simultaneously use a time slot only when the nodes are at least three hops apart, the method comprising: assigning at least one of the plurality of time slots to a first node; the first node communicating, to neighboring nodes within one hop of the first node, which time slots assigned to the first node are scheduled to be used by the first node; each neighboring node determining whether said each neighboring node has a need to use more time slots than have been assigned to said each neighboring node; each neighboring node communicating its respective need to the first node; and permitting at least one of the neighboring nodes to use a time slot assigned to the first node and not scheduled to be used by the first node; wherein the permitting step further includes permitting at least one of the neighboring nodes to use the time slot assigned to the first node, and not scheduled to be used by the first node, only when said at least one of the neighboring nodes has not indicated a preference to obtain slots from a node other than the first node.