TDMA synchronization using visibility designation

In a TDMA conference of stations, a method of selecting a prime station for determining TDMA timing for the conference comprising the steps of:

• a) determining, at a local station (LST) in the conference, which of the other stations in the conference have transmitted a signal which is received at LST,
• b) receiving reports, at LST, respecting visibility of stations in the conference to stations other than LST,
• c) combining, at LST, information collected in steps a) and b), processing said combined information and transmitting said processed information to others of the stations in the conference,
• d) repeating said steps a)-c) at each of the other stations in the conference, and
• e) at each of the stations, periodically identifying a prime station from information collected in steps a)-d).

A method of controlling timing in a TDMA system having a plurality of stations in a TDMA conference, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) collecting information at a given station LST concerning other stations directly visible at the station LST,
• b) receiving reports from other stations concerning visibility information available at the other stations,
• c) combining the visibility information of steps a) and b) and processing the combined information to produce at the station LST a direct visibility array (VDB),
• d) transmitting from the station LST the direct visibility array (VDB) to other stations in the system, and
• e) determining, at the station LST, from the direct visibility array (VDB), whether the station LST will lock its TDMA timing to another station in the system, and if it will, the identify of such other station.