Method of communicating in wireless network

Abstract

A wireless network includes a current coordinator, at least one device which is currently associated with the wireless network, and a device selected as a new coordinator among the at least one device by the current coordinator. The current coordinator transmits a handover request message to the new coordinator; receives a handover response message in response to the handover request message from the new coordinator, the handover response message including a reason code field that is set to “success”; and broadcasts one or more beacons, each beacon including identification information which identifies the new coordinator and number information which indicates a number of remaining beacons that the current coordinator will broadcast before a handover occurs. The number information included in a last beacon among the one or more beacons is set to “0,” and the new coordinator broadcasts a beacon after receiving the last beacon from the current coordinator.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless network comprising:
 a current coordinatorand; 
 at least one device which is currently associated with the wireless network; and 
 a device selected as a new coordinator among the at least one device that is selected as a new coordinator by the current coordinator, 
 wherein the current coordinator is configured to:
 transmit a handover request message including count information to the new coordinator, wherein the count information indicates a number of remaining beacon intervals until the current coordinator hands over a function of coordinator; 
 receive a handover response message from the new coordinator in response to the handover request message from the new coordinator, the handover response message comprising including a reason code field that is set to “success” indicating whether the handover request message is accepted; and 
 broadcast one or more beacons when the reason code field indicates that the handover request message is accepted, 
 
 wherein each of the one or more beacons comprisingincludes identification information which identifiesidentifying the new coordinator and numberperiod information which indicatesindicating a number of remaining beacons that the current coordinator will broadcast before a handover occursbeacon periods, and  
 wherein the number period information included in a last beacon among of the one or more beacons is set to “0,” and 
 wherein the new coordinator is configured to broadcast a beacon after receiving the last beacon from the current coordinator “0”. 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless network of  claim 1 , wherein the current coordinator is further configured to transmit coordinator relevant information to the new coordinator. 
     
     
       3. The wireless network of  claim 2 , wherein the coordinator relevant information comprises information about the at least one device. 
     
     
       4. The wireless network of  claim 3 , wherein the coordinator relevant information further comprises information associated with current requests from the at least one device for channel time blocks (CTBs). 
     
     
       5. The wireless network of  claim 3 , wherein the information about the at least one device comprises capabilities and an identifier of each of the at least one device. 
     
     
       6. The wireless network of  claim 1 , wherein the current coordinator is further configured to receive the beacon broadcast by the new coordinator. 
     
     
       7. A wireless network comprising:
 a coordinator; and 
 at least one device which is currently associated with the wireless network, 
 wherein the coordinator is configured to:
 receive, from a new device, information associated with a priority of the a new device when the new device joins the wireless network; 
 transmit a handover request message including count information to the new device if the priority of the new device is higher than a priority of the coordinator based on the information received from the new device, wherein the count information indicates a number of remaining beacon intervals until the current coordinator hands over a function of coordinator; 
 receive a handover response message from the new device in response to the handover request message from the new device, the handover response message including a reason code field indicating whether the handover request message is accepted; and 
 broadcast one or more beacons when the reason code field indicates that the handover request message is accepted, 
 
 wherein each of the one or more beacons comprisingincludes identification information which identifiesidentifying the new device and numberperiod information which indicatesindicating a number of remaining beacons that the coordinator will broadcast before a handover occursbeacon periods, and  
 wherein the number period information included in a last beacon among of the one or more beacons is set to “0,” and 
 wherein the new device is configured to broadcast a beacon as a new coordinator after receiving the last beacon from the coordinator “0”. 
 
     
     
       8. The wireless network of  claim 7 , wherein the coordinator is further configured to transmit coordinator relevant information to the new device. 
     
     
       9. The wireless network of  claim 8 , wherein the coordinator relevant information comprises information about the at least one device. 
     
     
       10. The wireless network of  claim 9 , wherein the coordinator relevant information further comprises information associated with current requests from the at least one device for channel time blocks (CTBs). 
     
     
       11. The wireless network of  claim 9 , wherein the information about the at least one device comprises capabilities and an identifier of each of the at least one device. 
     
     
       12. The wireless network of  claim 7 , wherein the handover response message comprises further includes information indicating that the new device is ready to take over as the new coordinator of the wireless network. 
     
     
       13. A wireless network comprising:
 a current coordinator;   at least one device currently associated with the wireless network; and   a device among the at least one device that is selected as a new coordinator based on a priority,   wherein the current coordinator is configured to:
 transmit a handover request message including count information to the new coordinator, wherein the count information indicates a number of remaining beacon intervals until the current coordinator hands over a function of coordinator; 
 receive a handover response message from the new coordinator in response to the handover request message, the handover response message including a reason code field indicating whether the handover request message is accepted; and 
 broadcast a beacon signal when the reason code field indicates that the handover request message is accepted, 
   wherein the beacon signal includes identification information identifying the new coordinator and period information indicating a number of remaining beacon periods,   wherein the period information included in a last beacon among one or more beacons is set to “0,” and   wherein the priority is determined according to a network environment of the device.    
     
     
       14. The wireless network of claim 13, wherein the current coordinator is further configured to transmit coordinator relevant information to the new coordinator.  
     
     
       15. The wireless network of claim 14, wherein the coordinator relevant information comprises information about the at least one device.  
     
     
       16. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein:
 the handover request message includes a time out field; and   the time out field indicates a time at which the new coordinator should transmit the handover response message.    
     
     
       17. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein:
 the handover request message includes a breaking-in period field; and   wherein the breaking-in period field indicates a remaining time until the new coordinator initiates a coordinating function.