Slotted channel access in communications network

An apparatus comprising at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to perform a method for slotted channel access in a communications network, the method comprising:

• determining, by a node of a communications network, a current proportional number of access slots for communications in the communications network;
• generating, by the node, predictions of a next active access slot on a communications channel on the basis of the current proportional number of access slots;
• switching ON, from a low power mode, a communications unit of the node on the basis of at least one generated prediction for the next active access slot for an operation comprising at least one of a transmission of data, reception of data and synchronization;
• switching the communications unit of the node back to the same low power mode or to another low power mode after the operation has been performed;
• and
• adapting at least one of the generated predictions for the next active access slot on the basis of feedback for operations performed in one or more previous active access slots.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a node of a communications network to carry out a method for slotted channel access in a communications network, the method comprising:

• determining, by a node of a communications network, a current proportional number of access slots for communications in the communications network;
• generating, by the node, predictions of a next active access slot on a communications channel on the basis of the current proportional number of access slots;
• switching ON, from a low power mode, a communications unit of the node on the basis of at least one generated prediction for the next active access slot for an operation comprising at least one of a transmission of data, reception of data and synchronization;
• switching the communications unit of the node back to the same low power mode or to another low power mode after the operation has been performed;
• and
• adapting at least one of the generated predictions for the next active access slot on the basis of feedback for operations performed in one or more previous active access slots.