Patent ID: 7978666

Claim:
A method for a communication system comprising sequentially controlling nodes of a network into an active state from an inactive state, wherein the nodes of the network include a plurality of nodes and at least one crossing node, wherein sequentially controlling includes placing each node of the plurality of nodes in the active state at least twice during a given time period and placing the at least one crossing node in the active state once during the given time period, wherein sequentially controlling includes staggering initiation of the active state for the nodes, comprises: using a crossed ladders wakeup pattern to selectively wakeup nodes at node levels by designating a first node level in the network as a crossing node level that includes a first crossing node and placing the first crossing node in the active state once during a first time period based in part on the combining of two wakeups of a second node level; and using the crossed ladders wakeup pattern to designate a third node level in the network as another crossing node level that includes a second crossing node and placing the second crossing node in the active state once during a second time period based in part on the combining of two wakeups of a fourth level as part of changing the node level designated as the crossing node level during the second time period.