Patent ID: 6823186
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
In a radio communication system having at least a first set of communication stations forming at least a first network set operable to communicate upon a common set of channels according to a selected frequency hopping scheme, the first set having a master-device station, a first slave-device station, a second slave-device station and at least a third slave-device station defined therein, an improvement of apparatus for facilitating communication between the first and at least second slave-device stations, respectively, said apparatus comprising:a request detector coupled to receive indications of a request for allocation of channel capacity to permit the communications between the first and at least second slave-device stations; and a channel allocator coupled to said request detector, said allocator for selectably allocating channel capacity for the communications between the first and second slave-device stations, allocations made by said channel allocator responsive, at least in part, upon other communications in the radio communication system, such that the other communications in the radio communication system are effectuable according to the selected frequency hopping scheme; wherein the channel capacity allocated by said channel allocator providing for communications between the first and second slave-device stations includes an allocation of time periods that are nonoverlapping with time periods allocated for the other communications.