Patent ID: 8089901
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for operating in a network in which stations communicate over a shared medium, the shared medium having at least one varying channel characteristic that varies approximately periodically such that a period associated with the varying channel characteristic is approximately equal to a predetermined value, the method comprising: providing repeated beacon transmissions from a coordinator station for coordinating transmissions among a plurality of the stations, wherein at least some beacon transmissions are synchronized to the varying channel characteristic; determining a start time of a first beacon transmission based on a time offset from a detected feature of the varying channel characteristic; including in the first beacon transmission information indicating a start time of at least one future second beacon transmission; and wherein transmission between a first station and at least one receiving station is performed during a time slot determined based on at least one of the first or second beacon transmissions received by the first station from the coordinator station.