Techniques For Generating And Using A Reservation Map

A master station for controlling stations of a network, comprising:

• a. a receiver for a. receiving a list of clear channels from one or more remote stations;
• b. a processing element for aggregating a list of clear channels into a reservation map comprising a list of clear channels that are clear to all stations in a network;
• and
• c. a transmitter for sending the reservation to all station in the network.

A station of a network comprising:

• a. a receiver listening on each of a plurality of transmission channels for a clear channel;
• b. a storage mechanism for storing a list of clear channels;
• c. a transmitter for sending a list of clear channels to a master station;
• e. said receiver receiving from a master station a reservation map listing transmission channels that are clear to all stations in the network;
• and
• f. a selection mechanism for using selected channels from the reservation map for transmission using said transmitter.

A system comprising:

• a. a master station for controlling stations of a network, which comprises:
• a1. a receiver for a. receiving a list of clear channels from one or more remote stations;
• a2. a processing element for aggregating a list of clear channels into a reservation map comprising a list of clear channels that are clear to all stations in a network;
• and
• a3. a transmitter for sending the reservation map to all stations in the network;
• and
• b. one or more stations of said network, each station of said network comprising:
• b1. a receiver listening on each of a plurality of transmission channels for a clear channel;
• b2. a storage mechanism for storing a list of clear channels;
• b3. a transmitter for sending a list of clear channels to a master station;
• b4. said receiver receiving from a master station a reservation map listing transmission channels that are clear to all stations in the network;
• and
• b5. a selection mechanism for using selected channels from the reservation map for transmission using said transmitter.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a. a memory medium;
• and
• b. instructions stored on said memory medium, said instructions said instructions controlling a transceiver:
• b1. to partition a frequency band into a plurality of transmission channels of smaller bandwidth;
• b2. to listen on each transmission channel for a clear channel;
• b3. to store a list of clear channels;
• b4. to send a list of clear channels to a master station;
• b5. to receive from a master station a reservation map listing transmission channels that are clear to all stations in the network;
• and
• b6. to use selected channels from the reservation map for transmission.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a. a memory medium;
• and
• b. instructions stored on said memory medium, said instructions said instructions controlling a transceiver:
• b1. to receive a list of clear channels from one or more remote stations;
• b2. to aggregate one or more lists of clear channels into a reservation map comprising a list of clear channels that are clear to all stations in a network;
• b3. to send the reservation map to all station in the network.