Patent ID: 7283494

Claim:
A method for determining communication slot allocation, comprising; providing a network of nodes; determining whether there is at least one conflict for a planned transmission at a first node; amending the network in response to the at least one conflict identified at the first node; determining whether there is at least one conflict for the planned transmission at a second node; amending the network in response to the at least one conflict identified at the second node; identifying first potential interference between the first node and a first other node within an interference area of the first node for the planned transmission; amending the network in response to the potential interference identified; identifying second potential interference between the second node and a second other node within an interference area of the second node for the planned transmission; amending the network in response to the second potential interference identified; identifying third potential interference which would mitigate against selecting at least one communication slot for allocation thereof for the planned transmission; amending the network in response to the third potential interference identified; and selecting the at least one communication slot using the network as amended for allocation of the at least one communication slot for the planned transmission.