MAC protocol for wireless networks in tactical environments

A MAC protocol suitable for cellular wireless networks with motorized base stations operating in battlefield environments is described. The proposed scheme is a quasi-deterministic media access protocol based on disjunctive superimposed codes. Each wireless terminal is pre-assigned a unique code vector from a binary superimposed code whose parameters are computed from network specifications. A terminal transmits in slot /spl kappa/ of each fixed length frame only if the the /spl kappa/th component of its assigned code vector is non-zero. This scheme guarantees each active terminal at least one collision free packet transmission per time frame. Additionally, this scheme is robust, does not require reassignment of code vectors, and obviates the need for explicit association procedures when users cross cell boundaries. These properties are important in environments where the coverage areas and intersections between cells vary dynamically as a consequence of base station mobility.