Wireless computer network communication system and method which determines an available spreading code

A method of communicating by a first group of terminals, comprising the steps of:

• sensing, by a host terminal of the first group, a spreading code which is vacant and available for use by the first group;
• transmitting, by the host terminal of the first group, a confirmation packet indicating a desire to use the sensed spreading code which is vacant;
• waiting, by the host terminal of the first group, for a response to the confirmation packet, and when a response is received from a terminal of a second group of terminals which indicates that the spreading code is busy, selecting another spreading code and repeating the steps of sensing, transmitting and waiting;
• and
• communicating, by the terminals of the first group, using code-division multiple access communication using the spreading code which was determined to be vacant and for which no busy response was received.

A method of communicating by a first group of terminals, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting, by a host terminal of the first group, a code-division multiple access communication using a spreading code:
• monitoring a condition of communication, after said transmitting step, and selecting another spreading code and repeating the steps of transmitting and monitoring when the monitoring step determines that the condition of the communication is unacceptable;
• and
• communicating, by the terminals of the first group, using the spreading code for which communication was not unacceptable,
• wherein:
• said step of monitoring includes waiting, by the host terminal of the first group, for a response to the transmitting, and when a response is received from a terminal of a second group of terminals which indicates that the spreading code is busy, selecting another spreading code and repeating the steps of transmitting and waiting;
• and
• the step of communicating includes communicating, by the terminals of the first group, using one of the spreading codes for which no response was received.

A method of communicating by a first group of terminals, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting, by a host terminal of the first group, a code-division multiple access communication using a spreading code;
• monitoring a condition of communication, after said transmitting step, and selecting another spreading code and repeating the steps of transmitting and monitoring when the monitoring step determines that the condition of the communication is unacceptable;
• and
• communicating, by the terminals of the first group, using the spreading code for which communication was not unacceptable,
• wherein:
• said step of monitoring includes monitoring, by the host terminal of the first group, of a frequency of carrier sensing, and when the frequency of carrier sensing becomes greater than a predetermined value, selecting another spreading code and repeating the steps of transmitting and monitoring.

A method of communicating by a first group of terminals, comprising the steps of:

• sensing, by a host terminal of the first group, spreading codes which are vacant and available for use by the first group;
• transmitting, by the host terminal of the first group, an inquiry code requesting information indicating spreading codes being used by other groups;
• receiving information indicating the spreading codes being used;
• selecting a spreading code to be used by the first group using the information which was received;
• and
• communicating by the first group using code-division multiple access communication using the spreading code which has been selected.