Abstract: A method of allocating channels in a PTMP (point-to-multi-point) system having a master and a plurality of nodes comprising the steps of: transmission by the master to the nodes of a synch beacon, the sync beacon having a first frequency and a substantially fixed time period between successive sync beacon transmissions; dividing the time period into a slotted time and an unslotted time; allocating a plurality of slots in the slotted time for RF activity of the nodes that have resolved the sync beacon; and identifying the unslotted time for unallocated RF activity of the nodes that have not resolved the sync beacon.

Abstract: In a communication system with receipt acknowledgements, a method for a receiving communication node to acknowledge receipt of a message from a sending communication node, including the receiving node embedding the acknowledgement in a message which the receiving node produces for a purpose which is more than just acknowledgement of receipt of the message, and the receiving node transmitting the message. A communication node including a message receiver for receiving messages, an acknowledgement generator for producing acknowledgements to at least some of the received messages, a message generator for producing messages for transmission, in which the receiving communication node embeds at least one of the acknowledgements in a message for transmission which the message generator produces for a purpose which is other than just acknowledgement.

Abstract: A method of allocating channels in a PTMP (point-to-multi-point) system having a master and a plurality of nodes comprising the steps of: transmission by the master to the nodes of a synch beacon, the sync beacon having a first frequency and a substantially fixed time period between successive sync beacon transmissions; dividing the time period into a slotted time and an unslotted time; allocating a plurality of slots in the slotted time for RF activity of the nodes that have resolved the sync beacon; and identifying the unslotted time for unallocated RF activity of the nodes that have not resolved the sync beacon.