Apparatus and method for mac logical channel selection for operating piconets in body area networks

For use in a body area network capable of low power wireless communications, a coexistence method for operating a piconet, the coexistence method comprising:

• selecting, by a first piconet controller, a first frequency band as an operation frequency band for operation of a first piconet;
• scanning at least one channel in the operation frequency band to determine if a second piconet is operating within the at least one channel;
• receiving, from the second piconet, information regarding a third piconet that the first piconet controller is unable to detect;
• and
• forming the first piconet based at least in part on a result of the scanning and the information regarding the third piconet, wherein the first piconet is formed in:
• a random mode if the second piconet is not determined to be operating within the at least one channel, and
• a coexistence mode if the second piconet is determined to be operating within the at least one channel.

A system that includes a plurality of devices capable of low power wireless communications, wherein a first piconet controller is configured to control communications in an existing, first piconet, the system comprising:

• a second piconet controller configured to establish a new, second piconet and control communications in the second piconet to coexist with the first piconet, wherein the second piconet controller comprises:
• a processor configured to form the second piconet and select a logical channel for operation of the second piconet;
• and
• a receiver interface configured to detect a presence of the first piconet, wherein the processor is configured to receive, from the second piconet, information regarding a third piconet, which the first piconet controller is unable to detect, and the processor further is configured to select the logical channel and an operational mode based at least in part on an attribute of the first piconet and the information regarding the third piconet, and wherein the processor is configured to form the second piconet to operate in at least one of:
• a non-interference mode when the processor is able to establish communications with the first piconet controller, and
• an interference mitigation mode when the processor is unable to establish communications with the first piconet controller.