Abstract: A communication unit (10) can have at least a first receiver (11) and a second receiver (12). The latter typically consumes more power than the former during ordinary operation. Pursuant to one embodiment a communication unit can use the lower-power receiver to detect energy on a monitored channel while the second receiver is retained in a reduced power mode of operation. Upon detecting an absence of channel activity the second receiver can be restored to normal operability to effect such activities as are then presently required.

Abstract: A method (600) performed by a packet scheduler of an access point (215) of adaptively resizing a scheduling window in a Quality of Service enabled Local Area Network (200) is disclosed. The packet scheduler schedules data packets for a given duration, termed a scheduling window. The packet scheduler according to an embodiment of the invention adaptively changes the duration of the scheduling window based on the QoS requirements of data packets to be transmitted to and from the access point (215). In particular, the duration of the scheduling window is changed based on the delay requirement of the data packet having the most constraint QoS requirement.

Abstract: A communication unit (10) can have at least a first receiver (11) and a second receiver (12). The latter typically consumes more power than the former during ordinary operation. Pursuant to one embodiment a communication unit can use the lower-power receiver to detect energy on a monitored channel while the second receiver is retained in a reduced power mode of operation. Upon detecting an absence of channel activity the second receiver can be restored to normal operability to effect such activities as are then presently required.

Abstract: Wireless sensor platforms (10), when deployed, can ascertain whether they can meaningfully participate in communications with more than one cluster (22, 23) of such devices. When true, such multi-cluster platforms can serve as bridge nodes to facilitate the passing of data collected from one cluster to or through another cluster. In a preferred embodiment, the platforms serving as bridge modes (24 and 25) utilize a communication schedule that imposes no greater work load than the load the platform would otherwise have served as an ordinary node, and preferably the workload is considerably reduced. This aids in ensuring that the portable power reserves of the bridge nodes will support bridge operations for at least as long as the clusters are otherwise functioning.

Abstract: A method (600) performed by a packet scheduler of an access point (215) of adaptively resizing a scheduling window in a Quality of Service enabled Local Area Network (200) is disclosed. The packet scheduler schedules data packets for a given duration, termed a scheduling window. The packet scheduler according to an embodiment of the invention adaptively changes the duration of the scheduling window based on the QoS requirements of data packets to be transmitted to and from the access point (215). In particular, the duration of the scheduling window is changed based on the delay requirement of the data packet having the most constraint QoS requirement.

Abstract: The invention establishes broadcast channels between neighbor nodes (10) forming ad-hoc clusters of nodes (20). Broadcast channels (25) are established by transmitting (32) a channel establishing request message from the requesting node to inform neighbor nodes of a broadcast channel of said requesting node. The channel establishing request message includes broadcast timing information of the requesting node. Later, the requesting node starts receiving (33) an acknowledge decision message from a said neighbor node to inform the requesting node of a broadcast channel of said neighbor node. The channel acknowledge decision message includes broadcast timing information of the neighbor node. All timing information should have been passed between two or more nodes 10 in the network 20. Accordingly, broadcasting and receiving can be conducted between pseudo-random time intervals that are dependent on the broadcast timing information.

Abstract: A method for a wireless sensor platform (10) establishing a pair-wise communication channel with an acknowledge platform by firstly transmitting a channel establishing request message (32) and then receiving an acknowledge message (33), having at least one requirement, from the acknowledge platform. Thereafter, the platform (10) determines a request decision message (37) indicating if a channel should be established with the acknowledge platform if the requirement is acceptable to the platform (10). The platform (10) then performs transmitting the request decision message (38) to the acknowledge platform and then another acknowledge signal is received (40) from the acknowledge platform thereby confirming pair-wise communication of the platform (10) with the acknowledge platform at pseudo-random communication rendezvous times based on a shared seed communicated between the platform (10) and the acknowledge platform.

Abstract: Wireless sensor platforms (10), when deployed, can ascertain whether they can meaningfully participate in communications with more than one cluster (22, 23) of such devices. When true, such multi-cluster platforms can serve as bridge nodes to facilitate the passing of data collected from one cluster to or through another cluster. In a preferred embodiment, the platforms serving as bridge modes (24 and 25) utilize a communication schedule that imposes no greater work load than the load the platform would otherwise have served as an ordinary node, and preferably the workload is considerably reduced. This aids in ensuring that the portable power reserves of the bridge nodes will support bridge operations for at least as long as the clusters are otherwise functioning.