Method and apparatus for managing communications within a distributed network

Some embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus for managing communications within a distributed network. According to some embodiments of the invention, the apparatus may include a communication management module and a synchronization module. The communication management module may be operatively coupled to a communication module belonging to the distributed network. The communication management module may be adapted to allocate for each communication within the network a communication frame comprised of a predetermined number of timeslots. The communication management module may configure the communication module coupled thereto to repeat a communication at one or more of the timeslots of the frame allocated for the communication. The timeslots may, for example, be equal in length and may each correspond to a predetermined fraction of the length of a communication frame. The synchronization module may be adapted to synchronize frames across the distributed network, either directly or indirectly. According to further embodiments of the invention, the synchronization module may be adapted to bit synchronize the communication module.