Techniques for efficient data transfers in a body area network

1. A method for transferring data among devices in a body area network (BAN) including a plurality of slave devices and a plurality of master devices arranged in a two-tier architecture, comprising:

dividing an access time to a wireless medium of the BAN into at least a contention-based period and a contention-free reservation period;

allowing devices to transfer data during the contention-based period using a local prioritized contention access (LPCA) mechanism; and

allowing only devices having reserved time slots to transfer data during the contention-free reservation period, wherein the time slots in the contention-free reservation period are reserved by the plurality of master devices based, in part, on reservation requests received from devices requesting to transmit data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein data transfers are between master devices, between a master device and its peer respective slave devices, and between slave devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a first master device to a second master device during the contention-based period comprises:

causing the first master device to listen to a local beacon sent by the second master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the second master device; and

causing the first master device to contend for the wireless medium to transfer data during the contention-based period of the second master device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a first master device to a second master device during the contention-free reservation period comprises:

causing the first master device to listen to a local beacon sent by the second master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the second master device;

causing the first master device to contend for the wireless medium to transfer a reservation request during the contention-based period of the second master device;

allocating time slots to the first master device in the contention-free reservation period of the second master device based on the reservation request;

causing the first master devices to listen to a local beacon sent by the second master device to synchronize and locate the allocated time slots;

allowing the first master device to transfer data to the second master device in the allocated time slots.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a master device to a slave device during the contention-based period comprises:

causing the slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the master device, wherein the local beacon indicates on messages pending for the slave device;

sending by the slave device a request to receive the pending messages from the master device; and

transferring the pending messages from the master device to the slave device during the contention-based period of the master device.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a master device to a slave device during the contention-free reservation period comprises:

causing the slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device, wherein the local beacon includes at least information about time slots to be reserved for data transfers from the master device to the slave device;

acknowledging the time slot allocation request by the slave device;

allocating time slots for the slave device in the contention-free reservation period of master device;

causing the slave device to listen to local beacons of the master device in order to synchronize and locate the time slots allocated for the slave device;

transferring data from the master device to the slave device in the allocated time slots.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a slave device to a master device during the contention-based period comprises:

causing the slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the master device; and

causing the slave device to contend for the wireless medium to transfer data during the contention-based period of the master device.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a slave device to a master device during the contention-free reservation period comprises:

causing the slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the master device;

sending a reservation request from the slave device to the master device during the contention-based period of the master device;

allocating time slots to the slave device in the contention-free reservation period of the master device based on the reservation request;

causing the slave devices to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device to synchronize and locate the allocated time slots;

transferring data from the slave device to the master device in the allocated time slots.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein transferring data from a first slave device to a second slave device during the contention-based period comprises:

causing the first slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by a master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the master device;

causing the first slave device to contend for the wireless medium to transfer data during the contention-based period of the master device;

causing the second slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master, wherein the local beacon indicates on messages pending for the second slave device;

sending by the second slave device a request to receive the pending messages from the master device; and

transferring the pending messages from the master device to the second slave device during the contention-based period of the master device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein transferring data from a first slave device to a second slave device during the contention-free reservation period comprises:

causing the first slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by a master device in order to synchronize and locate the contention-based period of the master device;

sending a reservation request from the first slave device to the master device during the contention-based period of the master device;

causing the second slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device, wherein the local beacon includes at least information about time slots to be reserved for data transfers from the first slave device to the second slave device;

acknowledging the time slot allocation request by the second slave device;

allocating time slots in the contention-free reservation period of the master device;

causing the first slave device and the second slave device to listen to a local beacon sent by the master device to synchronize and locate the allocated slots; and

transferring data from the first slave device to the second slave device in the allocated time slots.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein the duration of the contention-free reservation period is dynamically changed according to the number of allocated time slots, wherein the duration of the contention-based access period is shortened if no messages are received during a predefined time interval.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein reserved time slots can be de-allocated by a master device.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the contention-based period is used for transferring on-demand data.

14. A wireless device operable in a body area network (BAN) including a plurality of slave devices and a plurality of master devices arranged in a two-tier architecture, comprising:

a radio transceiver configured to receive and transmit radio signals over a medium of the body area network;

a processor;

a memory for storing instructions that, when executed, configure the processor to:

divide an access time to a wireless medium of the BAN into at least a contention-based period and a contention-free reservation period;

allow devices to transfer data during the contention-based period using a local prioritized contention access (LPCA) mechanism; and

allow only devices having reserved time slots to transfer data during the contention-free reservation period, wherein the time slots are reserved by the plurality of master devices based, in part, on reservation requests received from devices requesting to transmit data.