Patent ID: 8069254

Claim:
In a first electronic device, a method comprising: determining a duration of a first communication period that is scheduled between the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the first scheduled communication period comprises a first initiation time point, wherein the first initiation time point is known to both the first electronic device and the second electronic device before the first initiation time point commences, wherein the first electronic device communicates with the second electronic device during the first scheduled communication period, and wherein: determining the duration of the first communication period comprises determining a first termination time point for the first communication period, determining the first termination time point comprises negotiating with the second electronic device about the first termination time point, and negotiating with the second electronic device comprises: identifying a first potential termination time point for the first communication period, sending a request message to the second electronic device, the request message comprising a request that the first termination time point be equal to the first potential termination time point, receiving an accept message from the second electronic device if the first potential termination time point occurs before a second potential termination time point identified by the second electronic device, and receiving a reject message from the second electronic device if the first potential termination time point occurs after the second potential termination time point; comparing the duration of the first communication period with a threshold duration, wherein the threshold duration is a time period; determining whether the duration exceeds the threshold duration, wherein the first communication period is considered a short communication period if the duration of the first communication period does not exceed the threshold duration; and unscheduling the first communication period if the duration does not exceed the threshold duration, wherein the first communication period is unscheduled without user input.