System and method for energy efficient synchronization in mesh wide area network (wan) for machine-type-communication (mtc) and internet of everything (ioe) communication

An edge communication device capable of communicating with a network via a relay communication device, the edge communication device comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
• synchronize to a network using an initial synchronization signal;
• associate with the relay communication device;
• enter a power saving state;
• awaken from the power saving state;
• search for a periodic secondary relay synchronization signal (SRSS) transmitted by the relay communication device using an SRSS search window having a duration longer than a duration of a network search window for searching for the initial synchronization signal;
• synchronize to the relay communication device based on the SRSS signal;
• and
• transmit data to the relay communication device based on the synchronizing to enable the relay communication device to relay the data to the network.

An edge communication device, comprising:

• means for synchronizing to a network using an initial synchronization signal;
• means for associating with a relay communication device;
• means for entering a power saving state;
• means for awakening from the power saving state;
• means for searching for a periodic secondary relay synchronization signal (SRSS) transmitted by the relay communication device using an SRSS search window having a duration longer than a duration of a network search window for searching for the initial synchronization signal;
• means for synchronizing to the relay communication device based on the SRSS signal;
• and
• means for transmitting data to the relay communication device based on the synchronizing to enable the relay communication device to relay the data to the network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for communication by an edge communication device with a network via a relay communication device, the code executable by a processor to:

• synchronize to a network using an initial synchronization signal;
• associate with a relay communication device;
• enter a power saving state;
• awaken from the power saving state;
• search for a periodic secondary relay synchronization signal (SRSS) transmitted by the relay communication device using an SRSS search window having a duration longer than a duration of a network search window for searching for the initial synchronization signal;
• synchronize to the relay communication device based on the SRSS signal;
• and
• transmit data to the relay communication device based on the synchronizing to enable the relay communication device to relay the data to the network.