Systems and methods for random access communication

A communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of transmitters that each comprise an encoder, wherein the encoder of a given transmitter is configured to:
• receive a start of epoch message;
• select a codebook;
• encode message data as symbols using a rateless code determined using the selected codebook;
• and
• receive feedback messages at a predetermined set of potential decoding times;
• wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit symbols until a received feedback message is an end of epoch message;
• and
• a receiver configured to simultaneously receive messages from the plurality of transmitters, where the receiver comprises a decoder configured to:
• select at least one codebook;
• cause a broadcast transmitter to transmit at least one start of epoch message;
• receive observed symbols;
• at each of a predetermined set of decode times, determine whether a decoding rule is satisfied;
• and
• when the decoding rule is satisfied:
• decode a plurality of messages received simultaneously from at least two of the plurality of transmitters based upon the received observed symbols and based upon the rateless code and the selected at least one codebook;
• and
• cause the broadcast transmitter to transmit an end of epoch message.