Patent ID: 7280494

Claim:
A method for determining a preferred path between a cluster comprising a plurality of mobile stations and at least one of a main station and a zone network, and the preferred path within the cluster, the cluster being linked with at least one of the main station and the zone network by a long-range link, wherein the method comprises: transmitting a first pieces of information to all of the mobile stations of the cluster from at least one of the main station and the zone network via a plurality of respective direct links of the long-range link; determining one of the mobile stations of the cluster that receives the first pieces of information before any other one of the mobile stations of the cluster; designating the one of the mobile stations of the cluster that receives the first pieces of information before any of the other mobile stations of the cluster as a preferred mobile station; and associating with the preferred mobile station the preferred path within the cluster, between any of the mobile stations of the cluster and the preferred mobile station, and the preferred path between the preferred mobile station of the cluster and at least one of the main station and the zone network to be taken by all or a majority of second pieces of information, said second pieces of information destined to or from at least one of the main station and the zone network, to be transmitted between any of the mobile stations of the cluster and the preferred mobile station and between the preferred mobile station and at least one of the main station and the zone network via the preferred path.