White space usage for wireless local area network devices

摘要

A method and apparatus are described including defining a neighbor set for each access point, selecting a first clock in a first access point, the selected clock having a highest accuracy as a grand master clock, advising neighboring access points to synchronize with the selected grand master clock and transmitting a message to schedule a quiet period based on the grand master clock. Also described are a method and apparatus including receiving a beacon message, inspecting clock descriptors in the beacon message, selecting a best master clock responsive to the inspection and transmitting a message to schedule a quiet period based on the selected best master clock.

主权项

1. A method, said method comprising:
defining a neighbor set of access points for each access point; selecting a first clock in a first access point, said selected clock having a highest accuracy as a grand master clock; advising neighboring access points to synchronize with said selected grand master clock; selecting a second clock in a second access point as a master clock, said second access point being able to receive and decode beacon messages transmitted by said first access point synchronized with said grand master clock, wherein said second access point having said master clock is selected from among access points in said neighbor set that can receive and decode beacon messages transmitted by said first access point to act as said master clock for said access points of said neighbor set that cannot receive and said beacon messages transmitted by said first access point, said access points in said neighbor set being able to receive and decode a beacon message transmitted by said second access point; and transmitting a message to schedule a quiet period based on said grand master clock, wherein if multiple clocks have the same highest accuracy then a clock having a lowest media access control address among said multiple clocks is selected.