Virtual timing indication

A method, comprising:

• operating a controller that comprises part of a wireless network access node that is coupled to at least one other wireless network access node, where operating comprises deriving two different timings from a timing source, wherein a first derived timing is a physical timing used for timing at least transmissions of frame from the wireless network access node, and wherein a second derived timing is a virtual timing representing a currently preferred physical frame timing, where the virtual timing representing the currently preferred physical frame timing may or may not be equal to a current physical timing;
• receiving an indication of a virtual timing from the at least one other wireless network access node;
• comparing the at least one received virtual timing indication with the derived virtual timing of the wireless network access node, and update the derived virtual timing;
• and
• determining achieving synchronization of the derived virtual timing with the at least one received virtual timing, and to adjust the physical timing accordingly.

A system, comprising a plurality of wireless network access nodes, each wireless network access node comprising a controller, a memory and at least one radio frequency transceiver, the controller being configured to:

• derive two different timings from a timing source, wherein a first derived timing is a physical timing used for timing at least transmissions of frames from the wireless network access node, and wherein a second derived timing is a virtual timing representing a currently preferred physical frame timing, where the virtual timing representing the currently preferred physical frame timing may or may not be equal to a current physical timing;
• receive an indication of a virtual timing from at least one other wireless network access node;
• compare the at least one received virtual timing indication with the derived virtual timing of the wireless network access node, and update the derived virtual timing;
• and
• determine achieving synchronization of the derived virtual timing with the at least one received virtual timing, and to adjust the physical timing accordingly.

A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium storing a program of computer instructions for executing by a controller that comprises part of a wireless network access node:

• deriving two different timings from a timing source, wherein a first derived timing is a physical timing used for timing at least transmissions of frame from the wireless network access node, and wherein a second derived timing is a virtual timing representing a currently preferred physical frame timing, where the virtual timing, representing the currently preferred physical frame timing may or may not be equal to a current physical timing;
• receiving an indication of a virtual timing from the at least one other wireless network access node;
• comparing the at least one received virtual timing indication with the derived virtual timing of the wireless network access node, and update the derived virtual timing;
• and
• determining achieving synchronization of the derived virtual timing with the at least one received virtual timing, and to adjust the physical timing accordingly.