Patent ID: 8553548
Filing Date: 2013-10-08
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method, said method comprising: receiving a message for a reservation of a communications medium; a first determining, performed by a device, wherein determining that said message specifies a receiver of the message in a list of receivers from which a response is requested; a second determining, performed by the device, wherein determining that said communications medium is idle; a third determining, wherein determining a time period in which to transmit said response responsive to an order in said list, wherein said list of receivers is a combination of a bitmap control field and a partial virtual bitmap, said bitmap control field containing a bitmap offset corresponding to a base association identifier divided by 16 and wherein each bit in said partial virtual bitmap corresponds to a specific receiver, and when bit i in said partial virtual bitmap is set then a receiver with said bitmap offset multiplied by 16+i is requested to respond to said message for reserving said communications medium; and transmitting said response responsive to said third determining.