Patent ID: 7920504
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method for network communications on a peer-to-peer network on which communications occur using superframes, the peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of network devices having scheduled beacon times during beacon periods within the superframes, the method comprising: a first network device determining a schedule of global communication windows, wherein the global communication windows are for communications with a plurality of the first network device's network neighbors, wherein the global communication windows comprise a predetermined number of superframes, and wherein successive global communication windows are separated by a plurality of superframes; during a first global communication window, the first network device broadcasting a local cycle value for its own periodic local communication windows occurring before a second global communication window to its network neighbors, wherein a given local communication window of the periodic local communication windows comprises a superframe, and wherein the local cycle value identifies a length of time between successive local communication windows; the first network device receiving a request from a neighbor network device to modify the first network device's local cycle value; the first network device updating its local cycle value and broadcasting the updated local cycle value; the first network device waking from a hibernation state at a predetermined time for a local communication window according to its local cycle value; the first network device receiving a transmission from another device in the network during the local communication window; and the first network device returning to the hibernation state after the local communication window.