Patent ID: 8094573
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of managing transmission in a wireless network, comprising: sending a request for permission to transmit by each ready node in the wireless network, each ready node being a node of the wireless network ready to transmit, each request identifying a node in the network that is the destination, and each request being sent over a control channel; performing a block operation at each destination node such that each destination node selectively sends block messages to neighboring nodes based on respective transmission priorities for the ready nodes neighboring the destination node, the block message instructing the neighboring node not to transmit; performing an announce operation at each ready node to announce a transmission state of the ready node, the transmission state being one of a blocked from transmitting state and a cleared to transmit state, the blocked from transmitting state being a state in which at least one uncleared block message has been received by the ready node, and the cleared to transmit state being a state in which no uncleared block messages have been received at the ready node; performing a block/clear operation at each destination node such that each destination node selectively sends block messages and clear messages to neighboring nodes based on the transmission state of each neighboring node, the clear message clearing any block message previously sent by the destination node; repeating the announce and block/clear operations for a number of iterations; and sending transmissions over a payload channel from ready nodes in the clear to transmit state.