# US 2014/0153550 A1 · Methods and arrangements for synch frame transmissions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153550 A1 - Document ID: US20140153550A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/931,919 - Filed: 2013-06-29 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Emily H. Qi; Po-Kai Huang; Minyoung Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153550A1 ## CPC - H04W 56/001: {Synchronization between nodes} - H04W 56/00: Synchronisation arrangements - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Logic to manage synch frame transmissions in a synch network via helper stations (STAs) synched to the network. Logic may coordinate actions of helper STAs via a transmission window (TW) provided by a master clock STA. Logic may distribute synch frame transmissions within a TW via synch logic in the helper STAs. Logic in helper STAs of a synch network may determine discovery periods in which to transmit synch frames between synch frame transmissions by the master clock STA. Logic in helper STAs to determine a discovery period in which to transmit synch frames to share workload with the master clock STA and to extend the coverage area of the synch network. Logic of the master clock STA may establish a fixed TW based upon the number of helper STAs and a time constraint for discovering the synch network. Or logic of the master clock STA may establish a dynamic TW in which the master clock STA can adjust the TW based upon a number of synch frame transmissions during a TW. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining a transmission window from a first synch frame received from a master clock station; determining a discovery period in which to transmit a second synch frame based upon the transmission window, wherein the transmission window comprises a period of synch frame transmissions from the master clock station; and transmitting the second synch frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying transmission of the second synch frame during the discovery period if a third synch frame is received during a backoff period. ### Claim at position 3 -4. (canceled) ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the discovery period in which to transmit the second synch frame based upon the transmission window comprises determining the discovery period, wherein the discovery period occurs within the transmission window. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the discovery period in which to transmit the second synch frame based upon the transmission window comprises determining a random number bounded by 2 and the transmission window, wherein the random number is associated with the discovery period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the discovery period in which to transmit the second synch frame based upon the transmission window comprises determining the discovery period based upon a default sequence. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein determining the discovery period based upon a default sequence comprises determining a number of discovery periods within the transmission window, selecting a number from the default sequence, and multiplying the number of discovery periods within the transmission window with the number in the default sequence to determine the discovery period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining the discovery period based upon a default sequence further comprises adding one discovery period to the result of the multiplying to avoid discovery periods coinciding with transmission of the master synch frames. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein determining the discovery period based upon a default sequence comprises determining the discovery period based upon a default sequence that comprises two or more numbers of the sequence ½, ¾, ¼, ⅝, ⅞, and ⅛. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the discovery period in which to transmit the second synch frame based upon the transmission window comprises determining the discovery period to be in the middle of the transmission window or in the middle of synch transmissions within the transmission window. ### Claim 12 A device comprising: a memory; and a medium access control logic coupled with the memory to determine a transmission window from a first synch frame received from a master clock station; determine a discovery period in which to transmit a second synch frame based upon the transmission window, wherein the transmission window comprises a period of synch frame transmissions from the master clock station; and transmit the second synch frame. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, further comprising a radio coupled with the medium access control logic to scan for another synch frame transmission during a backoff period in a discovery window of the discovery period. ### Claim at position 13 -16. (canceled) ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to determine a random number bounded by 2 and the transmission window, wherein the random number is associated with the discovery period. ### Claim 18 (canceled) ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to determine the discovery period to be in the middle of the transmission window or in the middle of synch transmissions within the transmission window. ### Claim 20 A method comprising: monitoring synch frame transmissions over one or more transmission windows, wherein the transmission window describes a period of synch frame transmissions from the master clock station; determining a new transmission window based upon a number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows; and transmitting the new transmission window in a master synch frame. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein determining the new transmission window comprises increasing the transmission window in response to determining that the number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein determining the new transmission window comprises decreasing the transmission window in response to determining that the number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows fails to reach a threshold. ### Claim 23 A device comprising: a memory; and a medium access control logic coupled with the memory to monitor synch frame transmissions over one or more transmission windows, wherein the transmission window describes a period of synch frame transmissions from the master clock station; determine a new transmission window based upon a number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows; and transmit the new transmission window in a master synch frame. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The device of claim 23, wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to increase the transmission window in response to determining that the number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The device of claim 23, wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to decrease the transmission window in response to determining that the number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows fails to reach a threshold. ### Claim 26 A machine-accessible product comprising: a medium containing instructions to mitigate collisions between transmissions of devices operating at different bandwidths on a primary frequency of operation, wherein execution of the instructions cause a machine to perform operations, the operations comprising: determining a transmission window from a first synch frame received from a master clock station; determining a discovery period in which to transmit a second synch frame based upon the transmission window, wherein the transmission window comprises a period of synch frame transmissions from the master clock station; and transmitting the second synch frame. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The machine-accessible product of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise delaying transmission of the second synch frame during the discovery period if a third synch frame is received during a backoff period. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The machine-accessible product of claim 26, wherein determining the discovery period in which to transmit the second synch frame based upon the transmission window comprises determining the discovery period, wherein the discovery period occurs within the transmission window. ### Claim 29 A machine-accessible product comprising: a medium containing instructions to mitigate collisions between transmissions of devices operating at different bandwidths on a primary frequency of operation, wherein execution of the instructions cause a machine to perform operations, the operations comprising: monitoring synch frame transmissions over one or more transmission windows, wherein the transmission window describes a period of synch frame transmissions from the master clock station; determining a new transmission window based upon a number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows; and transmitting the new transmission window in a master synch frame. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The machine-accessible product of claim 29, wherein determining the new transmission window comprises increasing the transmission window in response to determining that the number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The machine-accessible product of claim 29, wherein determining the new transmission window comprises decreasing the transmission window in response to determining that the number of synch frame transmissions received over the one or more transmission windows fails to reach a threshold.