Patent ID: 8112085

Claim:
A method comprising: determining by a first wireless node a topological arrangement of the first wireless node and one or more other wireless nodes neighboring to the first wireless node in a wireless network, wherein a basis for determination of the topological arrangement includes: receiving at least one beacon transmission from each of the one or more other wireless nodes neighboring to the first wireless node, wherein the beacon transmission includes information identifying the neighboring wireless node originating the beacon transmission and other nodes of the wireless network known to said neighboring wireless node with indications of nodes determined as anchor nodes performing anchor node operations; and selecting a second wireless node to perform anchor node operations for the first wireless node based on the determined topological arrangement; wherein the determining the topological arrangement comprises: determining by the first wireless node a first set of one or more wireless nodes other than the first wireless node that is in a receiving range of the first wireless node, the first set including a first neighboring anchor node, and receiving from the first neighboring anchor node by the first wireless node one or more indicators indicating a second set of one or more wireless nodes that is in a receiving range of the first neighboring anchor node; wherein receiving from the first neighboring anchor node by the first wireless node one or more indicators indicating a second set of one or more wireless nodes that is in a receiving range of the first neighboring anchor node comprises receiving by the first wireless node a beacon from the first neighboring node; and wherein the beacon includes a beacon period occupancy information element (BPOIE) including one or more indicators of wireless nodes that are in a receiving range of the first neighboring node.