Patent ID: 8432887
Filing Date: 2013-04-30
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for a network coordinator to communicate on a network, comprising: associating with a plurality of end devices; communicating with the end devices during a group of superframes, wherein the group of superframes comprises a number of superframes equal to the number of end devices of the plurality of end devices, and wherein each superframe of the group of superframes comprises a beacon period bounding the superframe, a priority access period, a contention access period, and a contention free period; for each superframe of the group of superframes, reserving the priority access period for an end device of the plurality of end devices such that, through the step of reserving, each end device of the plurality of end devices is scheduled to have its own priority access period during the superframe group; for each superframe of the group of superframes, scheduling the contention access period for the end devices to contend for access to communicate with the network coordinator; and reserving a communication period during one of the contention free periods of the group of superframes between an end device of the plurality and the network coordinator for a particular superframe; and during each superframe of the group of superframes, transmitting a beacon during the beacon period that includes information identifying which end device has the scheduled priority access period for the current superframe and when scheduled priority access period begins, information about when the contention access period for the current superframe begins, and information about what reservations have been made for the contention free period for the current superframe.