Protocols for scalable communication system using overland signals and multi-carrier frequency communication

A communication system comprising:

• a first node for receiving a first signal;
• a plurality of second nodes for receiving a second signal;
• and
• a coordinator node for alternately transmitting in a first mode and in a second mode, wherein:
• the first mode generates the first signal having a first plurality of non-overlapping sub-channels conveying information, the first plurality of non-overlapping sub-channels collectively corresponding to the first node to receive the first signal,
• the second mode generates the second signal representative of a second plurality of non-overlapping sub-channels conveying information, and a plurality of groups of one or more sub-channels of the second plurality of non-overlapping sub-channels, each group corresponding to one of the plurality of second nodes to receive the second signal, and
• the plurality of second nodes simultaneously receives and processes the second signal, wherein processing the second signal generates, for each information-conveying group of one or more sub-channels corresponding to the one of the plurality of second nodes, a data stream representative of the information conveyed thereby.