Systems and methods for self-formation and self-management of full-duplex communication networks

A communication device comprising:

• a communication interface;
• a processor;
• and
• data storage containing instructions executable by the processor for carrying out a set of functions, wherein the set of functions comprises:
• determining whether or not there is at least one available self-assignable device-data time slot among N self-assignable device-data time slots in a frame structure, the frame structure further comprising a shared network-self-administration time slot;
• and
• if there is at least one available device-data time slot, then:
• selecting an available device-data time slot for outbound transmissions;
• updating a network-status table maintained in the data storage to include an association between the selected device-data time slot and a device identifier of the communication device;
• transmitting outbound device data via the communication interface during the selected device-data time slot of at least one ensuing frame;
• and
• during each of a plurality of ensuing frames, making a determination as to whether to transmit a maintenance packet during the shared network-self-administration time slot of the current frame, and transmitting such a packet via the communication interface during said shared time slot if the determination is made in the affirmative, each such maintenance packet containing at least a subset of the network-status table.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a processor for carrying out a set of functions, wherein the set of functions comprises:

• determining whether or not there is at least one available self-assignable device-data time slot among N self-assignable device-data time slots in a frame structure, the frame structure further comprising a shared network-self-administration time slot;
• and
• if there is at least one available device-data time slot, then:
• selecting an available device-data time slot for outbound transmissions;
• updating a network-status table maintained in data storage to include an association between the selected device-data time slot and a device identifier of a communication device;
• transmitting outbound device data via a communication interface during the selected device-data time slot of at least one ensuing frame;
• and
• during each of a plurality of ensuing frames, making a determination as to whether to transmit a maintenance packet during the shared network-self-administration time slot of the current frame, and transmitting such a packet via the communication interface during said shared time slot if the determination is made in the affirmative, each such maintenance packet containing at least a subset of the network-status table.