Relays in structured ad hoc networks

A method of routing first signals in a telecommunication network, wherein the telecommunication network comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein the telecommunication network uses time-division multiple access (TDMA) frames, each TDMA frame being divided into a series of time slots, and each time slot being divided into a number of subslots, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a first signal from an initiating node in a first subslot;
• receiving the first signal at other nodes in the network in the first subslot;
• and
• retransmitting the first signal or an encoding of the first signal configured as an algorithmically related first signal in a second subslot subsequent to the first subslot comprising:
• preparing a retransmission of at least one of the first signal or the algorithmically related first signal by two or more nodes via respective controllers, wherein at least two of the first signals or the algorithmically related first signals transmitted by the two or more nodes are time-dispersed;
• and
• transmitting the first signal or the algorithmically related first signal via the two or more nodes;
• adjusting the number of subslots within each time slot comprising;
• receiving communication network information from the two or more nodes retransmitting the first signal or the algorithmically related first signal, wherein the communication network information includes at least one of network topography data or the number of relay nodes in the telecommunication network;
• and
• increasing the number of subslots within the time slot based on the received communication network information;
• and
• designating a slot following the second subslot as a negative-acknowledgement slot, wherein at least one of the two or more nodes requiring a retransmission of the first signal or the algorithmically related first signal will transmit an automatic repeat request feedback response.