Patent ID: 9288837
Filing Date: 2016-03-15
CPC Classification: H04W,Y02D

Claim Text:
1. A wireless device for use in a wireless communication network including at least one or more neighboring wireless devices with which the wireless device communicates directly, the wireless device as well as each of said at least one or more neighboring wireless devices being operable as masters in a first mode and as slaves in a second mode, the wireless device relaying communications between the neighboring wireless devices in the first mode but not in the second mode, the wireless device comprising: a power controller for performing power control in the wireless device in different ways, depending on whether the wireless device operates as a master in the first mode or as a slave in the second mode; a transmitter controlled by the power controller to transmit mode information and data to the neighboring wireless devices, the transmitted mode information indicating whether the wireless device is operating as a master in the first mode or as a slave in the second mode; a receiver controlled by the power controller to receive mode information and data from each of the neighboring wireless devices, the received mode information indicating whether each of the neighboring wireless devices is operating as a master in the first mode or as a slave in the second mode; a storage facility for storing the received mode information; a mode controller for deciding whether to have the wireless device operate as a master in the first mode or as a slave in the second mode, depending at least on the presence of a neighboring wireless device operating in the first mode and in response to environmental changes of a communication link, as indicated by the received mode information that the neighboring wireless device is operating as a master in the first mode or as a slave in the second node; and a transition request signal transmitter for, when the wireless device is operating as a master in the first mode and the received mode information indicates that all the neighboring wireless devices operating as slaves in the second mode are able to communicate directly with at least one other wireless device, operating as a master in the first mode, transmitting a transition request signal to one of the neighboring wireless devices operating as slaves in the second mode to direct the one of the neighboring wireless devices to operate as a master in the first mode.