Methods and systems for communication protocol for distributed asset management

A method for communicating data over a wireless network in accordance with a distributed asset management protocol, comprising:

• operating a sending device to generate a medium access control (MAC) frame to be transmitted over the wireless network, wherein generating the MAC frame includes,
• setting a frame control field of the MAC frame to indicate a broadcast network discovery frame transmission type, and
• defining a payload portion of the MAC frame to include,
• an identification of a device type of the sending device,
• an identification of a message type as the broadcast network discovery frame,
• an identification of an alternate channel to be used for subsequent communication,
• a specification of a broadcast interval duration of the sending device,
• a specification of a response interval duration for the receiving device,
• an identification of data types included within the data portion of the payload of the broadcast network discovery frame,
• the data portion of the payload of the broadcast network discovery frame, and
• a specification of cyclic redundancy data associated with the payload of the broadcast network discovery frame;
• operating the sending device to transmit the generated MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating a receiving device to receive the MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating the receiving device to recognize the MAC frame as the indicated frame transmission type;
• and
• operating the receiving device to process the payload portion of the MAC frame in accordance with the payload specification of the distributed asset management protocol corresponding to the indicated frame transmission type.

A method for communicating data over a wireless network in accordance with a distributed asset management protocol, comprising:

• operating a sending device to generate a medium access control (MAC) frame to be transmitted over the wireless network, wherein generating the MAC frame includes,
• setting a frame control field of the MAC frame to indicate a command frame transmission type, and
• defining a payload portion of the MAC frame to include,
• an identification of a device type of the sending device,
• an identification of a message type as the command frame,
• a specification of a length of data included within the data portion of the payload of the command frame,
• an identification of a type of command communicated in the command frame,
• the data portion of the payload of the command frame, and
• a specification of cyclic redundancy data associated with the payload of the command frame;
• operating the sending device to transmit the generated MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating a receiving device to receive the MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating the receiving device to recognize the MAC frame as the indicated frame transmission type;
• and
• operating the receiving device to process the payload portion of the MAC frame in accordance with the payload specification of the distributed asset management protocol corresponding to the indicated frame transmission type.

A method for communicating data over a wireless network in accordance with a distributed asset management protocol, comprising:

• operating a sending device to generate a medium access control (MAC) frame to be transmitted over the wireless network, wherein generating the MAC frame includes,
• setting a frame control field of the MAC frame to indicate a data frame transmission type, and
• defining a payload portion of the MAC frame to include,
• an identification of a device type of the sending device,
• an identification of a message type as the data frame,
• a specification of a length of data included within the data portion of the payload of the data frame,
• an identification of a packet type associated with the data included within the data portion of the payload of the data frame,
• the data portion of the payload of the data frame, and
• a specification of cyclic redundancy data associated with the payload of the data frame;
• operating the sending device to transmit the generated MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating a receiving device to receive the MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating the receiving device to recognize the MAC frame as the indicated frame transmission type;
• and
• operating the receiving device to process the payload portion of the MAC frame in accordance with the payload specification of the distributed asset management protocol corresponding to the indicated frame transmission type.

A method for communicating data over a wireless network in accordance with a distributed asset management protocol, comprising:

• operating a sending device to generate a medium access control (MAC) frame to be transmitted over the wireless network, wherein generating the MAC frame includes,
• setting a frame control field of the MAC frame to indicate a acknowledgement frame transmission type, and
• defining a payload portion of the MAC frame to include,
• an identification of a device type of the sending device,
• an identification of a message type as the acknowledgement frame,
• a specification of a length of the acknowledgement frame,
• a specification of an acknowledgement value as either successful acknowledgement or failed acknowledgement,
• an identification of a sequence number of a communication that is acknowledged by the acknowledgement frame,
• an identification of a packet identifier that is acknowledged by the acknowledgement frame in the case of a successful acknowledgement, or an identification of an error type in the case of a failed acknowledgement,
• a specification of a ready state of the sending device,
• a specification of a incrementing counter value indicating a sequence of processed commands,
• a specification of a sleep timer value used by the sending device,
• an identification of a current network channel used by the sending device for communication over the wireless network, and
• a specification of cyclic redundancy data associated with the payload of the acknowledgement frame;
• operating the sending device to transmit the generated MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating a receiving device to receive the MAC frame over the wireless network;
• operating the receiving device to recognize the MAC frame as the indicated frame transmission type;
• and
• operating the receiving device to process the payload portion of the MAC frame in accordance with the payload specification of the distributed asset management protocol corresponding to the indicated frame transmission type.