Patent ID: 8817756

Claim:
A method comprising: at a controller apparatus that communicates with a plurality of synchronization access points in a wireless network, wherein each of the synchronization access points has a respective cluster of member devices, has network connectivity to the controller, and is configured to serve wireless client devices, member personal coordination points and member access points within its respective cluster, and in which member access points in turn are configured to serve wireless client devices in the wireless network, during a data transmission time interval allocated for transmission of data by access points or client devices, allocating one or more portions of the data transmission time interval for contention by personal coordination points, access points and client devices to perform transmit sector sweep operations; sending to the plurality of synchronization wireless access points a message indicating occurrence of the one or more portions of the data transmission time interval; and assigning synchronization access points to channels in a frequency band, wherein personal coordination points and access points group themselves into a cluster served by a synchronization access point.