Abstract: A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system is disclosed. The patch consists of a housing that is configured to be worn on the skin of a patient. The housing contains a radio, one or more sensor interfaces, a processor, and a battery. The processor can selectably turn portions of the processor off and on and selectably turn power off and on to at least a portion of the sensor interfaces and radio. The processor includes a timer that, each time the timer times out, will turn all the parts of the processor on and start a new timing period. When the processor receives a signal, the processor will turn off power to at least a portion of the processor and at least a portion of the sensor interfaces.

Abstract: A TDMA-based communication method for enabling communication between a base station and a client, the base station and the client each comprising a clock for synchronizing communications, the method comprising: allocating a TDMA channel to said client; causing a transceiver of the client to operate in a communication mode during client timeslots making up said allocated channel and to operate in a sleep mode at other times; causing a transceiver of said base station to begin operating in a communication mode with said client on said channel in advance of each said client timeslot and/or to continue operating in a communication mode with said client after each said client timeslot.

Abstract: A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system is disclosed. The patch consists of a housing that is configured to be worn on the skin of a patient. The housing contains a radio, one or more sensor interfaces, a processor, and a battery. The processor can selectably turn portions of the processor off and on and selectably turn power off and on to at least a portion of the sensor interfaces and radio. The processor includes a timer that, each time the timer times out, will turn all the parts of the processor on and start a new timing period. When the processor receives a signal, the processor will turn off power to at least a portion of the processor and at least a portion of the sensor interfaces.

Abstract: A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system is disclosed. The patch consists of a housing that is configured to be worn on the skin of a patient. The housing contains a radio, one or more sensor interfaces, a processor, and a battery. The processor can selectably turn portions of the processor off and on and selectably turn power off and on to at least a portion of the sensor interfaces and radio. The processor includes a timer that, each time the timer times out, will turn all the parts of the processor on and start a new timing period. When the processor receives a signal, the processor will turn off power to at least a portion of the processor and at least a portion of the sensor interfaces.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for enabling two or more TDMA-based wireless networks to share a communication channel, each wireless network implementing superframes. The method comprises within each network, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes, wherein a network only communicates during that networks active superframes and does not communicate during that networks inactive superframes.

Abstract: A TDMA-based communication method for enabling communication between a base station and a client, the base station and the client each comprising a clock for synchronising communications, the method comprising: allocating a TDMA channel to said client; causing a transceiver of the client to operate in a communication mode during client timeslots making up said allocated channel and to operate in a sleep mode at other times; causing a transceiver of said base station to begin operating in a communication mode with said client on said channel in advance of each said client timeslot and/or to continue operating in a communication mode with said client after each said client timeslot.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a data sequence between a sender and a receiver over a wireless link. The method comprises, at the sender, segmenting the data sequence into a plurality of data segments and, for each segment, constructing a frame containing as payload the data segment, transmitting the frame across the wireless link, and receiving an acknowledgement or non-acknowledgement from said receiver for the frame, and only upon receipt of such acknowledgement or non-acknowledgement, retransmitting the frame or transmitting a further frame containing as payload the next data segment.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for enabling two or more TDMA-based wireless networks to share a communication channel, each wireless network implementing superframes. The method comprises within each network, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes, wherein a network only communicates during that networks active superframes and does not communicate during that networks inactive superframes.

Abstract: A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system is disclosed. The patch consists of a housing that is configured to be worn on the skin of a patient. The housing contains a radio, one or more sensor interfaces, a processor, and a battery. The processor can selectably turn portions of the processor off and on and selectably turn power off and on to at least a portion of the sensor interfaces and radio. The processor includes a timer that, each time the timer times out, will turn all the parts of the processor on and start a new timing period. When the processor receives a signal, the processor will turn off power to at least a portion of the processor and at least a portion of the sensor interfaces.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a data sequence between a sender and a receiver over a wireless link. The method comprises, at the sender, segmenting the data sequence into a plurality of data segments and, for each segment, constructing a frame containing as payload the data segment, transmitting the frame across the wireless link, and receiving an acknowledgement or non-acknowledgement from said receiver for the frame, and only upon receipt of such acknowledgement or non-acknowledgement, retransmitting the frame or transmitting a further frame containing as payload the next data segment.