MASTERLESS SLOT ALLOCATION
First Claim
1. A method of collaboratively synchronizing devices communicating in an ad hoc network, said method comprising:
- a first device receiving a map from a second device, wherein said first device and said second device are included in devices communicating in said ad hoc network in which no device of said devices acts as a master device or base station in said ad hoc network, said devices collaboratively synchronized at a time frame level based on time frames, each time frame having time slots, and wherein said map includes an allocation of said time slots to said devices;
subsequent to said receiving said map, said first device determining said map indicates a conflict between said first device and another device of said devices, said conflict being indicated by a same time slot of said time slots being allocated to said first device and to said another device; and
in response to said determining said map indicates said conflict, said first device resolving said conflict by allocating another time slot of said time slots to said first device so that different time slots of said time slots are allocated to said first device and said another device, and each slot of said time slots is allocated to no more than a single corresponding device of said devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A masterless time slot allocation technique that collaboratively synchronizes, at a time slot level, devices communicating in an ad hoc network. Responsive to determining a current time slot allocated to a first device is occurring, the first device transmits a map to the other devices. The map includes an allocation of time slots to the devices, including indicators for whether each time slot is free, busy or overbooked, devices that own the time slots, and how recently information associated with each time slot was updated. After receiving the map, a second device determines a conflict in which the same time slot is allocated to the second device and to another device. The conflict is resolved by allocating another time slot to the second device and the result of resolving the conflict is each slot is allocated to no more than one device.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of collaboratively synchronizing devices communicating in an ad hoc network, said method comprising:
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a first device receiving a map from a second device, wherein said first device and said second device are included in devices communicating in said ad hoc network in which no device of said devices acts as a master device or base station in said ad hoc network, said devices collaboratively synchronized at a time frame level based on time frames, each time frame having time slots, and wherein said map includes an allocation of said time slots to said devices; subsequent to said receiving said map, said first device determining said map indicates a conflict between said first device and another device of said devices, said conflict being indicated by a same time slot of said time slots being allocated to said first device and to said another device; and in response to said determining said map indicates said conflict, said first device resolving said conflict by allocating another time slot of said time slots to said first device so that different time slots of said time slots are allocated to said first device and said another device, and each slot of said time slots is allocated to no more than a single corresponding device of said devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system comprising:
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a hardware-based processor included in a first device; and a hardware-based computer-readable memory unit coupled to said processor, said memory unit containing instructions that are carried out by said processor to implement a method of collaboratively synchronizing devices communicating in an ad hoc network, said method comprising; said first device receiving a map from a second device, wherein said first device and said second device are included in said devices communicating in said ad hoc network in which no device of said devices acts as a master device or base station in said ad hoc network, said devices collaboratively synchronized at a time frame level based on time frames, each time frame having time slots, and wherein said map includes an allocation of said time slots to said devices; subsequent to said receiving said map, said first device determining said map indicates a conflict between said first device and another device of said devices, said conflict being indicated by a same time slot of said time slots being allocated to said first device and to said another device; and in response to said determining said map indicates said conflict, said first device resolving said conflict by allocating another time slot of said time slots to said first device so that different time slots of said time slots are allocated to said first device and said another device, and each slot of said time slots is allocated to no more than a single corresponding device of said devices. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code stored therein, said computer readable program code containing instructions that are carried out by a processor of a first device in a computer system to implement a method of collaboratively synchronizing devices communicating in an ad hoc network, said method comprising:
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said first device receiving a map from a second device, wherein said first device and said second device are included in said devices communicating in said ad hoc network in which no device of said devices acts as a master device or base station in said ad hoc network, said devices collaboratively synchronized at a time frame level based on time frames, each time frame having time slots, and wherein said map includes an allocation of said time slots to said devices; subsequent to said receiving said map, said first device determining said map indicates a conflict between said first device and another device of said devices, said conflict being indicated by a same time slot of said time slots being allocated to said first device and to said another device; and in response to said determining said map indicates said conflict, said first device resolving said conflict by allocating another time slot of said time slots to said first device so that different time slots of said time slots are allocated to said first device and said another device, and each slot of said time slots is allocated to no more than a single corresponding device of said devices. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A process for supporting computing infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computer system comprising a processor, wherein said processor carries out instructions contained in said code causing said computer system to perform a method of collaboratively synchronizing devices communicating in an ad hoc network, wherein said method comprises:
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a first device receiving a map from a second device, wherein said first device and said second device are included in devices communicating in said ad hoc network in which no device of said devices acts as a master device or base station in said ad hoc network, said devices collaboratively synchronized at a time frame level based on time frames, each time frame having time slots, and wherein said map includes an allocation of said time slots to said devices; subsequent to said receiving said map, said first device determining said map indicates a conflict between said first device and another device of said devices, said conflict being indicated by a same time slot of said time slots being allocated to said first device and to said another device; and in response to said determining said map indicates said conflict, said first device resolving said conflict by allocating another time slot of said time slots to said first device so that different time slots of said time slots are allocated to said first device and said another device, and each slot of said time slots is allocated to no more than a single corresponding device of said devices. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification