Patent ID: 8804603

Claim:
A wireless communications system comprising: a plurality of wireless communications devices communicating with one another via time division multiple access (TDMA); said plurality of wireless communications devices comprising a first wireless communications device defining a time master wireless communications device configured to transmit a first synchronization message comprising a time value, and a hop count value, a first maintenance message comprising unique identifiers (UIDs) of other wireless communications devices in a range of communications from the time master wireless communications device, and a timing head relay designation message; a second relay wireless communications device defining a timing head relay wireless communications device corresponding to the timing head relay designation message and configured to receive the first synchronization message, first maintenance message and timing head relay designation message, transmit a second synchronization message comprising an updated time value and an updated hop count, and transmit a second maintenance message comprising unique identifiers (UIDs) of other wireless communications devices in a range of communications from the timing head relay wireless communications device; and a third wireless communications device defining a time forwarding wireless communications device configured to receive the second synchronization message and the second maintenance message, transmit a third synchronization message comprising a further updated time value and a further updated hop count when a downstream wireless communications device is outside a range of said timing head relay wireless communications device, and transmit a third maintenance message comprising unique identifiers (UIDs) of other wireless communications devices in a range of communications from the time forwarding wireless communications device.