Spread spectrum packet-switching radio devices (22) are operated in
two or more ad-hoc networks or pico-networks (19, 20, 21) that share frequency-hopping
channel and time slots that may collide. The frequency hopping sequences (54)
of two or more masters (25) are exchanged using identity codes, permitting
the devices to anticipate collision time slots (52). Priorities are assigned
to the simultaneously operating piconets (19, 20, 21) during collision slots
(52), e.g., as a function of their message queue size or latency, or other
factors. Lower priority devices may abstain from transmitting during predicted
collision slots (52), and/or a higher priority device may employ enhanced
transmission resources during those slots, such as higher error correction levels,
or various combinations of abstinence and error correction may be applied. Collisions
are avoided or the higher priority piconet (19, 20, 21) is made likely to
prevail in a collision.
