Patent ID: 8855060

Claim:
A method for utilizing a contention control frame within a basic service set in a wireless network, comprising: sending the contention control frame from a point coordinator station of the basic service set only during a contention-free period of a time period, wherein the time period includes the contention-free period and a contention period that is distinct from the contention-free period, wherein the contention control frame comprises an indication of a length of a centralized contention interval following the contention control frame and a permission probability associated with the centralized contention interval, wherein the length of the centralized contention interval is expressed in a number of centralized contention opportunities contained in the centralized contention interval, wherein the permission probability specifies a probability number for permitting a non-point coordinator station of a plurality of non-point coordinator stations in the basic service set to send a reservation request frame, and in the centralized contention interval following the contention control frame in the contention-free period, receiving at the point coordinator station the reservation request frame that is non-colliding from the non-point coordinator station when a centralized contention opportunity is available during the centralized contention interval, the reservation request frame that is received indicating that the non-point coordinator station has a buffered data frame for transmission.