Patent ID: 6816493
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
A first communication device of a plurality of communication devices operable to mediate communications between the plurality of communication devices in an asynchronous network, comprising:a processing element; a receiver, coupled to and controlled by the processing element, that receives during a mediation communication period of the first communication device a communication request from a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices when a message transmitted by the second communication device is not received by a third communication device of the plurality of communication devices, wherein the communication request comprises contact information from the second communication device useful for facilitating communication between the second and third communication devices; a transmitter, coupled to the processing element, that in response to the receiver receiving a query from the third communication device transmits the contact information to the third communication device; wherein the first communication device operates to mediate communications between the second and third communication devices during the mediation communication period in a mediation mode and does not operate to mediate communications between the second and third communication devices in a normal operating mode; and wherein the processing element of the first communication device randomly sets a duration of a communication cycle of a plurality of communication cycles comprising the mediation communication period during the mediation mode, and a plurality of normal communication periods and a plurality of sleep periods during the normal operating mode.