Patent ID: 8966120
Filing Date: 2015-02-24
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a priority-based, low-collision distributed coordination function (DCF) in a wireless network comprising a plurality of stations, the method comprising: determining a priority for a first station from one of a high priority and a low priority; selecting a back-off time for the first station based on the priority, wherein the back-off time for a current high priority station among the plurality of stations is shorter than the back-off time for current low priority stations among the plurality of stations; selecting a next high priority station using a probability based algorithm configured to define a selection probability calculation interval for which a selection probability of each of the plurality of stations to be selected as the high priority station during a current selection interval is based on an estimated load for the respective station that is estimated based on the respective station's load during a prior selection interval; determining a low probability threshold and a high probability threshold for the first station and for each neighbor station among the plurality of stations in a neighbor list within an interval, wherein the first station is further configured to generate a bounded random number; selecting the next high priority station from the neighbor list such that the bounded random number is greater than the low probability threshold of the next high priority station and lower than the high probability threshold of the next high priority station; and transmitting data relating to the next high priority station after the back-off time has elapsed.