Patent ID: 7706404

Claim:
A method of joining a network using a communications device, comprising: scanning for a first beacon in a personal area network; receiving the first beacon in a first dynamic beacon period, the first dynamic beacon period comprising a plurality of unoccupied beacon slots and an occupied beacon slot; selecting an unoccupied beacon slot from the plurality of unoccupied beacon slots; receiving the first beacon in a second dynamic beacon period, wherein the second dynamic beacon period comprises the first beacon and the plurality of unoccupied beacon slots; transmitting a second beacon from the communications device in the unoccupied beacon slot of the second dynamic beacon period to join the network; receiving the first beacon, and a third beacon, in a third dynamic beacon period, wherein the third dynamic beacon period also comprises the plurality of unoccupied beacon slots; transmitting the second beacon in the unoccupied beacon slot of the third dynamic beacon period; monitoring an information element in the first beacon of the third dynamic beacon period to determine occupancy information of the third dynamic beacon period and to determine if the communications device has joined the network; and receiving the first beacon, in a fourth dynamic beacon period also comprising the plurality of unoccupied beacon slots, wherein the fourth dynamic beacon period is shorter in length than the third dynamic beacon period.