Long range scheduling for directional antenna manet networks

1. A method for scheduling time division multiple access (TDMA) communications among a plurality of peer nodes using directional antennas in a mobile ad hoc network, comprising:

arranging a plurality of peer nodes to form a wireless ad hoc mobile network, said peer nodes communicating with each other using directional antennas and a TDMA process;

automatically scheduling at least one transmit time slot during which a first one of said plurality of peer nodes transmits wireless data to a second one of said plurality of peer nodes;

wherein said scheduling step includes:

automatically selecting a candidate time slot for said transmit time slot, said candidate time slot having a first timing position within a data epoch comprising a plurality of mini-slots;

determining whether transmissions during said candidate time slot will (1) cause interference with communications of any of said plurality of peer nodes that are located in a defined transmit antenna beam of said first node, or (2) be subject to interference when received at said second node resulting from transmissions from any of said plurality of peer nodes located in a defined receive antenna beam of said second node; and

automatically selecting a second timing position within said data epoch for said candidate time slot if it is determined that said candidate time slot will cause or be subject to said interference, said second timing position being different than said first timing position; and

wherein said candidate time slot includes any contiguous group of said plurality of mini-slots having an arbitrary starting position within said data epoch.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

defining said data epoch for said TDMA process, said data epoch comprising a recurring time period which defines an overall timing cycle for said TDMA process;

sub-dividing said data epoch in time to form a plurality of mini-slots, each comprising a fractional duration of said data epoch; and

selecting said candidate time slot to have a duration which comprises M mini-slots.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said scheduling step further comprises automatically selecting a receive time slot for said second node corresponding to a time of said transmit time slot, but automatically adjusted in time to compensate for a propagation delay between said first node and said second node.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said second node automatically determines said receive time slot exclusive of any centralized controller for said mobile ad hoc network.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said receive time slot comprises a different contiguous group of mini-slots as compared to said transmit time slot.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said scheduling step is cooperatively performed at least at said first node and said second node.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a second scheduling step which includes scheduling at least a second transmit time slot for said second one of said plurality of peer nodes to transmit wireless data to said first one of said plurality of peer nodes using a distributed process.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said second scheduling step includes automatically selecting a second candidate time slot for said second transmit time slot and determining whether transmissions during said second candidate time slot will

(1) cause interference with communications of any of said plurality of peer nodes that are located in a defined transmit antenna beam of said second node, or

(2) be subject to interference when received at said first node resulting from transmissions from any of said plurality of peer nodes located in a defined receive antenna beam of said first node.

9. A method for scheduling time division multiple access (TDMA) communications among a plurality of peer nodes using directional antennas in a mobile ad hoc network, comprising:

arranging a plurality of peer nodes to form a wireless ad hoc mobile network that communicate with each other using directional antennas and a TDMA process;

automatically selecting a transmit time slot for a first node of said plurality of peer nodes, said transmit time slot having a first timing position within a data epoch comprising a plurality of mini-slots;

determining whether transmissions during said transmit time slot will cause or be subject to interference;

automatically selecting a second timing position within said data epoch for said transmit time slot if it is determined that said transmit time slot will cause or be subject to said interference, said second timing position being different than said first timing position;

automatically scheduling for said first node said transmit time slot for transmitting wireless data to a second node of said plurality of peer nodes; and

automatically scheduling for said second node a receive time slot for receiving signals transmitted from said first node during said transmit time slot, said receive time slot corresponding to a time of said transmit time slot, but automatically adjusted in time to compensate for a propagation delay between said first and second nodes;

wherein said candidate time slot includes any contiguous group of said plurality of mini-slots having an arbitrary starting position within said data epoch.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said determining step further comprises determining whether transmissions during said transmit time slot will

(1) cause interference with communications of any of said plurality of peer nodes that are located in a defined transmit antenna beam of said first node, or

(2) be subject to interference when received at said second node resulting from transmissions from any of said plurality of peer nodes located in a defined receive antenna beam of said second node.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

defining said data epoch for said TDMA process, said data epoch comprising a recurring time period which defines an overall timing cycle for said TDMA system;

sub-dividing said data epoch in time to form a plurality of mini-slots, each comprising a fractional duration of said data epoch; and

selecting said transmit time slot to have a duration which comprises M mini-slots.

12. A distributed system for scheduling time division multiple access (TDMA) communications among a plurality of peer nodes using directional antennas in a mobile ad hoc network, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes arranged to form a wireless ad hoc mobile network that communicate with each other using directional antennas and a TDMA process;

a scheduling means operating at each node of said plurality of peer nodes and configured for cooperatively scheduling at least one transmit time slot during which a first node of said plurality of peer nodes transmits wireless data to a second node of said plurality of peer nodes;

wherein said scheduling means is further configured to:

automatically select a candidate time slot for said transmit time slot, said candidate time slot having a first timing position within a data epoch comprising a plurality of mini-slots; and

determine whether transmissions during said candidate time slot will (1) cause interference with communications of any of said plurality of peer nodes that are located in a defined transmit antenna beam of said first node, or (2) be subject to interference when received at said second node resulting from transmissions from any of said plurality of peer nodes located in a defined receive antenna beam of said second node; and

automatically select a second timing position within said data epoch for said candidate time slot if it is determined that said candidate time slot will cause or be subject to said interference, said second timing position being different than said first timing position;

wherein said candidate time slot includes any contiguous group of said plurality of mini-slots having an arbitrary starting position within said data epoch.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein:

said TDMA process includes a data epoch comprising a recurring time period which defines an overall timing cycle for said TDMA process;

each data epoch is sub-divided in time to form a plurality of mini-slots, each comprising a fractional duration of said data epoch; and

said scheduling means is configured for selecting said candidate time slot to have a duration which comprises M mini-slots.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said scheduling means is further configured to automatically select a receive time slot for said second node corresponding to a time of said transmit time slot, wherein said receive time slot is automatically adjusted in time to compensate for a propagation delay between said first node and said second node.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said scheduling means at said second node automatically determines said receive time slot exclusive of any centralized controller for said mobile ad hoc network.

16. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said receive time slot comprises a different contiguous group of mini-slots as compared to said transmit time slot.