A Scheduling-Function-Based Distributed Access Protocol that Uses CDM to Relay Control Information in a Network with Hidden Nodes

We introduce a method for broadcasting control information (such as the information essential for correct operation of SOSAM and other scheduling-function-based access protocols) in stationary networks with "hidden" nodes (multihop networks). Control information is transmitted as short bit- parallel control messages on a separate control channel whose capacity is shared among the bits of a control message using code division multiplexing (CDM). The CDM method takes advantage of spread-spectrum signal properties that allow, in particular, high accuracy of time-of-arrival measurement and relatively easy separation of multipath copies of a control message.