Patent ID: 8213301

Claim:
A method for scheduling network channel characteristic measurement transmissions, said method comprising: a) establishing a central network coordinator (CCo) that receives bandwidth requests from network devices and allocates bandwidth to said network devices; b) implementing a conditionally-variable priority system for bandwidth allocation wherein said CCo distinguishes between requests for transmissions with the sole purpose of network channel characteristic measurement (NCCM) comprising no user traffic and other transmissions comprising user traffic, wherein priority in said priority system, for said NCCM requests varies with the occurrence of a network condition, wherein said network condition is selected from the set consisting of a known periodic channel disruption, an inability to combine NCCM transmissions with other transmissions, a historical record of high channel dynamics and a gross channel disruption; and c) assigning a priority to said NCCM transmissions without user traffic that is different than a priority assigned to said other transmissions with user traffic when at least one of said network conditions is detected.