Patent ID: 8923343

Claim:
An apparatus for synchronizing a first wireless access point, a second wireless access point, and a third wireless access point, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving first beacon information from a first monitor station positioned in a first overlap area wherein a radiofrequency coverage area of the first wireless access point and a radiofrequency coverage area of the second wireless access point overlap in the first overlap area, wherein the first wireless access point transmits a first beacon including a first transmission timestamp and a first contention-free period schedule, and wherein the second wireless access point transmits a second beacon including a second transmission timestamp and a second contention-free period schedule, the first beacon information comprising the first transmission timestamp, the first contention-free period schedule, a first arrival time recording a time at which the first beacon is received at the first monitor station, the second transmission timestamp, the second contention-free period schedule, and a second arrival time recording a time at which the second beacon is received at the first monitor station; receiving second beacon information from a second monitor station positioned in a second overlap area, wherein the radiofrequency coverage area of the second wireless access point and a radiofrequency coverage area of the third wireless access point overlap in the second overlap area, wherein the third wireless access point transmits a third beacon including a third transmission timestamp and a third contention-free period schedule, the second beacon information comprising the second transmission timestamp, the second contention-free period schedule, a third arrival time recording a time at which the second beacon is received at the second monitor station, the third transmission timestamp, the third contention-free period schedule, and a fourth arrival time recording a time at which the third beacon is received at the second monitor station; determining a common timebase; and, transmitting control commands to adjust: the first contention-free period schedule to generate an adjusted first contention-free period schedule; and the second contention-free period schedule to generate an adjusted second contention-free period schedule.