Patent ID: 8027249

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a network station having a receiver and a wireless spectrum detector separate from the receiver; identifying, with the wireless spectrum detector, a framing of a cooperative network transmission on a first frequency; scheduling an asynchronous detection interval having a reference within a frame defined by the identified framing of the cooperative network; detecting, with the wireless spectrum detector, for non-cooperative transmissions on the first frequency, the non-cooperative transmissions originating from a source not participating in the cooperative network; detecting, with the wireless spectrum detector, for non-cooperative transmissions on a second frequency during the scheduled asynchronous detection interval; determining that the first frequency is occupied based upon a presence of a non-cooperative transmission detected by the wireless spectrum detector on the first frequency; determining that the second frequency is not occupied based upon an absence of non-cooperative transmissions detected by the wireless spectrum detector on the second frequency; tuning the receiver to the second frequency responsive to information received from the wireless spectrum detector regarding occupancy of the first and second frequencies; and receiving, with the receiver, a transmission from a cooperative network station on the second frequency.