Method and system for data collision avoidance in a wireless communications system

A method of avoiding the simultaneous transmission of data from a plurality of data sources over a single wireless channel, wherein each data source is operationally connected to a means for wireless communication over the network, comprising:

• establishing a first wireless link between first and second data sources selected from the plurality of data sources and transmitting data therebetween;
• listening, via the wireless communication means, for a break in transmission between the first and second data sources;
• waiting for a first predetermined time interval if the break in transmission between the first and second data sources;
• establishing a second predetermined time interval if the first predetermined time interval lapses with no detected transmission over the channel;
• dividing the second predetermined time interval into a plurality of slots, wherein each data source randomly selects one of the slots;
• wherein the wireless communication means operationally connected to one of the plurality of data sources establishes a second link if said one of the plurality of data sources has selected a slot earlier in time than slots selected by the remainder of the data sources.

A single-channel, wireless network, comprising:

• a plurality of nodes capable of receiving and transmitting data across the network, wherein a single link between two of the plurality of nodes can be established at any time, each link including a plurality of sequential data packets separated by non-terminating breaks in transmission, each node including
• a listening structure that substantially continuously monitors communications on the channel and initiates a contention interval when no communication has been detected on the channel for a first predetermined time, wherein the contention interval is divided into a predetermined number of slots, and
• a selection structure that randomly selects one of the predetermined number of slots,
• wherein the node that has selected a slot that is earlier in time than slots selected by other nodes is permitted to establish a link.

A method of transmitting data over a single-channel wireless network, the network including a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

• establishing a first link between first and second nodes selected from the plurality of nodes and transmitting data therebetween;
• listening for a link termination message;
• establishing a predetermined time interval upon detection of the link termination message;
• dividing the predetermined time interval into a plurality of slots, wherein each node randomly selects one of the slots;
• wherein one of the plurality of nodes establishes a second link if said one of the plurality of nodes has selected a slot earlier in time than slots selected by the remainder of the nodes.