Load-dependent transmission in communication networks

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first network device adapted for communication with at least a second network device;

the first network device being configured to detect load information transmitted by the second network device and to select one of a plurality of modes of communication responsive to the detected load information;

wherein the modes of communication include at least a first mode of communication that is selected responsive to the detected load information indicating a relatively low load condition and a second mode of communication that is selected responsive to the detected load information indicating a relatively high load condition;

wherein in each of the plurality of modes particular information is to be transmitted from the first network device to the second network device including at least one identifier and associated data; and

wherein in different ones of the plurality of modes different portions of the particular information are transmitted from the first network device to the second network device using different channel arrangements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first network device comprises a sensor node of a wireless network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second network device comprises an access point node of a wireless network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one identifier comprises at least one of a preamble identifier and a user equipment identifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits said at least one identifier and the data to the second network device using a random access channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits said at least one identifier to the second network device using the random access channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one identifier comprises first and second types of identifiers, and wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits the first type of identifier and the data to the second network device using a random access channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits the second type of identifier to the second network device using the random access channel and transmits the first type of identifier and the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one identifier comprises first and second types of identifiers, and wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits the first type of identifier and the data to the second network device using a random access channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits the second type of identifier to the second network device using the random access channel, transmits the first type of identifier to the second network device using a first scheduled channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a second scheduled channel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one identifier comprises first and second types of identifiers, and wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits the first type of identifier to the second network device using a random access channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits the second type of identifier to the second network device using the random access channel and transmits the first type of identifier and the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one identifier comprises first and second types of identifiers, and wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits the first type of identifier to the second network device using a random access channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits the second type of identifier to the second network device using the random access channel, transmits the first type of identifier to the second network device using a first scheduled channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a second scheduled channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one identifier comprises first and second types of identifiers, and wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits the second type of identifier to the second network device using a random access channel and transmits the first type of identifier and the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits the second type of identifier to the second network device using the random access channel, transmits the first type of identifier to the second network device using a first scheduled channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a second scheduled channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein first and second ones of the different channel arrangements comprise at least one random access channel and at least one scheduled channel, respectively.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said at least one random access channel comprises one of a code division multiple access channel, a frequency division multiple access channel and a time division multiple access channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said at least one scheduled channel comprises a scheduled time slot of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed channel.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first network device is configured to extract the load information from a beacon signal transmitted by the second network device.

15. A communication network comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .

16. A method comprising:

detecting in a first network device load information transmitted by a second network device; and

selecting in the first network device one of a plurality of modes of communication with the second network device responsive to the detected load information;

wherein the modes of communication include at least a first mode of communication that is selected responsive to the detected load information indicating a relatively low load condition and a second mode of communication that is selected responsive to the detected load information indicating a relatively high load condition;

wherein in each of the plurality of modes particular information is to be transmitted from the first network device to the second network device including at least one identifier and associated data; and

wherein in different ones of the plurality of modes different portions of the particular information are transmitted from the first network device to the second network device using different channel arrangements.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein in the first mode of communication the first network device transmits said at least one identifier and the data to the second network device using a random access channel, and in the second mode of communication the first network device transmits said at least one identifier to the second network device using the random access channel and transmits the data to the second network device using a scheduled channel.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein first and second ones of the different channel arrangements comprise at least one random access channel and at least one scheduled channel, respectively.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said detecting comprises extracting the load information from a beacon signal transmitted by the second network device.

20. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having embodied therein executable program code that when executed by a processor of a first network device causes the first network device:

to detect load information transmitted by a second network device; and

to select one of a plurality of modes of communication with the second network device responsive to the detected load information;

wherein the modes of communication include at least a first mode of communication that is selected responsive to the detected load information indicating a relatively low load condition and a second mode of communication that is selected responsive to the detected load information indicating a relatively high load condition;

wherein in each of the plurality of modes particular information is to be transmitted from the first network device to the second network device including at least one identifier and associated data; and

wherein in different ones of the plurality of modes different portions of the particular information are transmitted from the first network device to the second network device using different channel arrangements.