Time division physical layer access for network communications

A node of a network, comprising:

• a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions;
• and
• a memory configured to store the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• operating in a first scheduled communication mode specified for a current time division by a time-division schedule, wherein the time-division schedule comprises a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising at least two time divisions and specifying respective scheduled communication modes for the at least two time divisions, and wherein the first scheduled communication mode is one of a plurality of supported communication modes of the node;
• while operating in the first scheduled communication mode, determining whether a signal of a data packet sent by a transmitting node is detected in the current time division;
• in response to determining that the signal of the data packet is detected, receiving a remaining portion of the data packet in the first scheduled communication mode;
• and
• in response to determining that no data packet is received during the current time division, switching to a second scheduled communication mode specified for a subsequent time division by the time-division schedule to receive data packets, wherein the second scheduled communication mode is different from the first scheduled communication mode;
• detecting a mode switch header of a data packet while operating in the first scheduled communication mode to determine a selected communication mode;
• switching to the selected communication mode;
• and
• receiving and process the data packet in the selected communication mode, wherein the data packet is transmitted by the transmitting node responsive to determining that the selected communication mode is different from any scheduled communication mode in the time-division schedule.

A method, comprising:

• determining, by a node of a network, a scheduled communication mode of an upcoming time division according to a time-division schedule, wherein the time-division schedule comprises a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising at least two time divisions and specifying respective scheduled communication modes for the at least two time divisions;
• determining, by the node, that the scheduled communication mode of the upcoming time division matches a selected communication mode from a plurality of supported communication modes by both the node and a receiving node, the selected communication mode being determined based on communication conditions of the transmitting node and the receiving node;
• in response to determining that the upcoming time division has arrived and becomes a current time division, generating and transmitting, by the node, a data packet to the receiving node over the network using the scheduled communication mode;
• determining that the selected communication mode is different from any scheduled communication mode in the time-division schedule;
• generating and transmit a mode switch header in the scheduled communication mode of the current time division to indicate the selected communication mode;
• and
• transmitting the data packet in the selected communication mode.