Patent ID: 8116295
Filing Date: 2012-02-14
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of medium access control in a network, comprising a plurality of mesh nodes, the method, operable in a sending mesh node within the network, the method comprising: dividing a time interval into a first phase and a second phase, the second phase including a beacon period and the beacon period being divided into one or more slots, where the sending mesh node may use the slots to dynamically enlarge its corresponding beacon period, said enlarged beacon period including information about each slot and its occupancy by a corresponding one of a previous neighboring mesh node and a slot length for each of the slots in the beacon period is dynamically defined, transmitting the beacon period, every time interval, with information seen from the sending mesh node; and transmitting the beacon period, every second time interval, with information seen from the mesh node and further information regarding planned transmissions from the sending mesh node.