Patent ID: 8116231

Claim:
A method of discovering a wireless device (A) using a directional antenna system ( 322 ) configured to send and receive signals in a plurality of antenna sectors ( 10 - 40 ), the wireless device being located in a first antenna sector of the plurality of antenna sectors, the method comprising: transmitting a plurality of primary beacons in a corresponding plurality of primary beacon time slots, the plurality of primary beacon time slots ( 1 P- 4 P) corresponding to the plurality of antenna sectors and having an associated plurality of secondary beacon time slots ( 1 s - 4 s ); receiving a secondary beacon from the wireless device in a first secondary beacon time slot ( 4 s A) associated with a first primary beacon time slot ( 4 P) corresponding to the first antenna sector ( 40 ), the secondary beacon being responsive to a first primary beacon included in the first primary beacon time slot; and adding an additional first secondary beacon time slot ( 4 s ) in association with the first primary beacon time slot, wherein the additional first secondary beacon time slot enables an additional wireless device in the first antenna sector to send an additional secondary beacon in response to a subsequent first primary beacon included in the first primary beacon time slot.