Patent ID: 8867518

Claim:
A method comprising: maintaining at each respective node of a plurality of nodes of a wireless Local Area Network (LAN), a timer (NAV) set to a corresponding time period during which the respective node must refrain from transmitting on a channel, and wherein a first node of said plurality of nodes has a time-critical (TC) frame; detecting by the first node of said plurality of nodes, a frame to be express-forwarded by a second node; decrementing by said first node a duration field by a first predetermined time increment (DT 0 ) before setting its NAV in response to said detecting a frame to be express forwarded; setting said NAV to a value of said duration field; and wherein said first node attempts transmission of said TC frame when said NAV of said first node expires, thereby providing express forwarding bypass since said NAV is set to a lower value then it would otherwise be.