Method for coordinating participants in sensor networks

A base station of a communication system,

• wherein the base station is configured to transmit a multicast data transfer to asynchronously transmitting participants of the communication system, wherein the multicast data transfer comprises a synchronization data packet and a payload data packet referenced in time and/or frequency to the synchronization data packet, wherein the synchronization data packet is transferred in a frequency range of the frequency band of the communication system that is known to the participants,
• wherein the base station is configured to is transfer the synchronization data packet of the multicast data transfer divided onto a plurality of partial synchronization data packets, wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets each comprise a part of the synchronization data packet, and wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are transferred distributed in time and/or frequency according to a time and frequency hopping pattern known to a participant,
• wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are transferred according to the time and frequency hopping pattern of the synchronization data packet within the frequency range known to the participants,
• wherein the frequency range known to the participants at most corresponds to a reception bandwidth of a receiver of the participants,
• wherein the frequency band used by the communication system comprises a bandwidth that is larger than the reception bandwidth of the receivers of the participants at least by the factor 5, or wherein receivers of the participants comprise a reception bandwidth of 250 kHz or less, or wherein receivers of the participants comprise a reception bandwidth that corresponds to a bandwidth of two to ten immediately adjacent frequency channels into which the frequency band is subdivided.

A method for operating an asynchronously transmitting participant of a communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a synchronization data packet of a multicast data transfer of the base station of the communication system, wherein the synchronization data packet is transferred in a frequency range of the frequency band of the communication system that is known to the participant,
• receiving, on the basis of the synchronization data packet, a payload data packet of the multicast data transfer that is referenced in time and/or frequency to the synchronization data packet,
• wherein the synchronization data packet of the multicast data transfer is transferred divided onto a plurality of partial synchronization data packets, wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets each comprise a part of the synchronization data packet, and wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are transferred distributed in time and/or frequency according to a time and frequency hopping pattern known to the participant,
• wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are received on the basis of the time and frequency hopping pattern known to the participant,
• wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are transferred within the frequency range known to the participant,
• wherein the frequency range known to the participant at most corresponds to a reception bandwidth of a receiver of the participant,
• wherein the frequency band used by the communication system comprises a bandwidth that is larger than the reception bandwidth of the receiver of the participant at least by the factor 5, or wherein the receiver of the participant comprises a reception bandwidth of 250 kHz or less, or wherein the receiver of the participant comprises a reception bandwidth that corresponds to a bandwidth of two to ten immediately adjacent frequency channels into which the frequency band is subdivided.

A method for operating a base station of a communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting a multicast data transfer to a plurality of asynchronously transmitting participants of the communication system, wherein the multicast data transfer comprises a synchronization data packet and a payload data packet referenced in time and/or frequency to the synchronization data packet, wherein the synchronization data packet is transferred in a frequency range of the frequency band of the communication system that is known to the participants,
• wherein the synchronization data packet of the multicast data transfer is transferred divided onto a plurality of partial synchronization data packets, wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets each comprise a part of the synchronization data packet, and wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are transferred distributed in time and/or frequency according to a time and frequency hopping pattern known to the participant,
• wherein the plurality of partial synchronization data packets are transferred according to the time and frequency hopping pattern of the synchronization data packet within the frequency range known to the participants,
• wherein the frequency range known to the participants at most corresponds to a reception bandwidth of a receiver of the participants,
• wherein the frequency band used by the communication system comprises a bandwidth that is larger than the reception bandwidth of the receivers of the participants at least by the factor 5, or wherein receivers of the participants comprise a reception bandwidth of 250 kHz or less, or wherein receivers of the participants comprise a reception bandwidth that corresponds to a bandwidth of two to ten immediately adjacent frequency channels into which the frequency band is subdivided.