Deterministic back-off method and apparatus for peer-to-peer communications

1. A method, said method comprising:

identifying a channel that a decentralized network is using for communications; and

identifying a station that is a member of said decentralized network to monitor data transmission activity over said identified channel; and

further comprising determining a number of member stations in said decentralized network, wherein said determining act further comprises determining said number of member stations by calculating a slot count between successive data transmissions by said identified member station and if a predetermined time period has elapsed, setting said number of stations to a randomly small number.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said decentralized network is a peer-to-peer network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said decentralized network is a wireless network.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said wireless network is a single hop wireless network.

5. A deterministic back-off method for a decentralized network including a plurality of stations, said method comprising:

monitoring a communication medium by a station of the plurality of stations of the decentralized network;

determining if said communication medium is idle;

transmitting data by said station if said communication medium is idle and if said station has a data to transmit; and

adjusting, by said station, a slot count and a service ring configuration of said decentralized network if said medium is busy;

wherein said adjusting act further comprises calculating said slot count using

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 when i>j in the service ring.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said communication medium is in a decentralized network, and further wherein said decentralized network is a peer-to-peer network.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said decentralized network is a wireless network.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said wireless network is a single hop wireless network.

9. A deterministic back-off method for a decentralized network including a plurality of stations, said method comprising:

monitoring a communication medium by a station of the plurality of stations of the decentralized network;

determining if said communication medium is idle;

transmitting data by said station if said communication medium is idle and if said station has a data to transmit; and

adjusting, by said station, a slot count and a service ring configuration of said decentralized network if said medium is busy;

wherein said adjusting act further comprises calculating said slot count using

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 when i≦j in the service ring.

10. A deterministic back-off apparatus for a decentralized network used in a station comprising:

means for identifying a channel that a decentralized network is using for communications; and

means for identifying a station that is a member f said decentralized network to monitor data transmission activity over said identified channel; and

further comprising means for determining a number of member stations in said decentralized network, wherein said means for determining further comprises means for determining said number of member stations by calculating a slot count between successive frame transmissions by said identified member station and if the process has exceeded a predetermined timer value, means for setting said number of stations to a randomly small number.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said decentralized network is a peer-to-peer network.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said decentralized network is a wireless network.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said wireless network is a single hop wireless network.

14. An apparatus for a station to transmit a frame over a communication medium of a decentralized network, comprising:

means for monitoring said communication medium by said station;

means for determining if said communication medium is idle;

means for transmitting data by said station if said communication medium is idle and if said station has data to transmit; and

means for adjusting a slot count and a service ring configuration if said medium is busy;

wherein said means for adjusting further comprises means for calculating said slot count using

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 when i>j in the service ring.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said decentralized network is a peer-to-peer network.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said decentralized network is a wireless network.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said wireless network is a single hop wireless network.

18. An apparatus for a station to transmit a frame over a communication medium of a decentralized network, comprising:

means for monitoring said communication medium by said station;

means for determining if said communication medium is idle;

means for transmitting data by said station if said communication medium is idle and if said station has data to transmit; and

means for adjusting a slot count and a service ring configuration if said medium is busy;

wherein said means for adjusting further comprises means for calculating said slot count using

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 when i≦j in the service ring.