Method of communicating in wireless network

A wireless network comprising:

• a coordinator;
• and
• at least one device which is currently associated with the wireless network,
• wherein the coordinator is configured to:
• receive, from a new device, information associated with a priority of the new device when the new device joins the wireless network;
• transmit a handover request message to the new device if the priority of the new device is higher than a priority of the coordinator based on the information received from the new device;
• receive a handover response message in response to the handover request message from the new device;
• and
• broadcast one or more beacons, each of the one or more beacons comprising identification information which identifies the new device and number information which indicates a number of remaining beacons that the coordinator will broadcast before a handover occurs, wherein the number information included in a last beacon among the one or more beacons is set to “0,” and
• wherein the new device is configured to broadcast a beacon as a new coordinator after receiving the last beacon from the coordinator.

A method of performing communication in a wireless network that includes a coordinator and at least one device, the method comprising:

• transmitting a handover request message including count information indicating a number of remaining beacon intervals until the coordinator hands over a function of the coordinator to a substitute coordinator;
• receiving a handover response message from the substitute coordinator in response to the handover request message, the handover response message including a reason code field indicating whether the handover request is accepted and the reason code field including a first value indicating that the handover request is accepted or a second value indicating that the handover request is not accepted;
• and
• transmitting a beacon to the at least one device when the reason code field includes the first value,
• wherein the beacon includes substitute coordinator information and number information, and
• wherein the substitute coordinator operates as a new coordinator when the number information is set to “0”.

An apparatus for performing communication in a wireless network that includes a coordinator and at least one device, the apparatus configured to:

• transmit a handover request message including count information indicating a number of remaining beacon intervals until the coordinator hands over a function of the coordinator to a substitute coordinator;
• receive a handover response message from the substitute coordinator in response to the handover request message, the handover response message including a reason code field indicating whether the handover request is accepted and the reason code field including a first value indicating that the handover request is accepted or a second value indicating that the handover request is not accepted;
• and
• transmit a beacon to the at least one device when the reason code field includes the first value,
• wherein the beacon includes substitute coordinator information indicating the substitute coordinator and number information, and
• wherein the substitute coordinator operates as a new coordinator when the number information is set to “0”.