Patent ID: 8284755

Claim:
A synchronization system for wireless networks, comprising: a plurality of uncoordinated wireless devices j configured to transmit a beacon in a beacon period having a beacon period start time BPST j and receive a beacon in a beacon period having a beacon period start time BPST i for all devices i, where devices i are not the same as devices j; and a beacon alignment apparatus for aligning BPST j to BPST i by performing an adjustment procedure by setting BPST j to BPST i if BPST j ∈1 st half of BPST i if BPST j ∈1 st half of BPST i , incrementing a counter unique to the device i and trying to perform the adjustment procedure again; wherein if the counter reaches a predetermined maximum number of times without aligning BPST j to BPST i setting BPST j to a random number, wherein the beacon alignment apparatus is used by the device j whenever the device j receives a beacon from another device i of said plurality of uncoordinated wireless devices j and BPST j is not the same as BPST i .