TDMA backbone for a mobile network

A method of forming a TDMA based network backbone, comprising:

• sending an orderwire message from a first node selected from a plurality of nodes to other nodes of said plurality of nodes, said first node using a node control for sending said orderwire message to said other nodes;
• selecting a second node to form a link, said second node having a plurality of second transmit slots and a plurality of second receive slots;
• calculating time-of-flight of a transmission from said first node to said second node using locations of said first node and said second node;
• sending an orderwire message from said first node to said second node offering a plurality of first transmit slots and a plurality of first receive slots to said second node;
• and
• sending a status message from said second node to said first node.

A method for communicating over a TDMA based network backbone, comprising:

• determining a location for each one of a plurality of nodes, a plurality of each of said nodes including a node control for determining node location;
• calculating a time-of-flight between a sending node of said plurality of nodes, and a sub plurality of receiving nodes of said plurality of nodes;
• transmitting a plurality of RF bursts from said sending node to said receiving nodes using a plurality of transmitting phased array antennas (PAAs), said transmitting PAAs operating in accordance with a plurality of transmitting slots;
• and
• receiving a plurality of RF bursts from said sending node, using a plurality of receive phased array antennas (PAAs), said receive PAAs operating in accordance with a plurality of receiving slots.

A method for dynamically adjusting link capacities for a time division multiple access (TDMA) network backbone, comprising:

• estimating a needed modification in a total plurality of TDMA slots of a given transmission link for adjusting a link capacity of said given transmission link to accommodate a desired transmission link capacity;
• sending a modification request from a first node of said given transmission link to a second node of said given transmission link;
• updating a current status of said second node to accommodate a desired transmission link capacity;
• and
• sending a status message from said second node to said first node.

A method for maintaining a communication link between two nodes in the event of a change in a location of at least one of said two nodes, comprising:

• tracking, by a first node, a change in an angular position and an angular rate of movement of each of a plurality of links relative to a field-of-regard of a first antenna of said first node, said first node selected from a plurality of nodes;
• predicting a cross-over by each of said links confined within said field-of-regard of said first antenna into said field-of-regard of a second antenna associated with said first node;
• estimating a time of occurrence of said cross-over;
• communicating by said first node a first list of a plurality of available slots associated with said second antenna and an estimated time of said cross-over to a second node selected from said nodes;
• identifying, by said second node, a plurality of acceptable slots from said first list offered by said first node to create a second list;
• communicating, by said second node, said second list of said acceptable slots to said first node;
• and
• operating said link between said first node and said second node using said acceptable slots from said second list beginning at said estimated time of said cross-over.

A method for managing a communication system to predict and prevent collision of a plurality of RF bursts transmitted by a first antenna over a plurality of links associated with said first antenna on a first node, the method comprising:

• tracking, by said first node, the likelihood of an overlap in said RF bursts transmitted by said first antenna over said links to a second node and a third node, said first node, said second node and said third node selected from a plurality of nodes, said first antenna selected from a plurality of transmission antennas on said first node;
• estimating, by said first node, the relative motion of said second node and said third node;
• predicting, by said first node, the time of occurrence of said overlap between said RF bursts transmitted from said first node to said second node and to said third node;
• and
• reassigning a transmission of said RF bursts from said first node to said third node for avoiding said overlap.