Patent ID: 7965671

Claim:
A method comprising: determining a value indicative of a data output requirement for a node in an ad hoc network, the node having a plurality of one hop neighbors coupled in direct wireless communication with the node to form a neighborhood including as participants the node and the plurality of one hop neighbors; determining a value indicative of a transmission capacity for the node; calculating a bandwidth output metric for the node based upon the transmission capacity and the data output requirement; communicating the bandwidth output metric to the plurality of one hop neighbors of the node; receiving a corresponding bandwidth output metric from each one of the plurality of one hop neighbors of the node in an exchange of information whereby each one of the plurality of one hop neighbors share a common view with the node of all of the bandwidth output metrics for the neighborhood; and determining network scheduling that allocates at least one time slot to each participant in the neighborhood, wherein the network scheduling is biased in favor of at least one of the plurality of nodes in the neighborhood based on the bandwidth output metric for the node and the corresponding bandwidth output metric from each one of the plurality of one hop neighbors of the node.