Networked evacuation system

1. A method comprising:

selecting, by each node in a communication network, a frame length for a frame that is to be used, wherein the frame length is a multiple of two slots;

determining, by a first node in the communication network, a listening schedule to be used by the first node, wherein the listening schedule is based at least in part on a battery life of the first node;

transmitting, by the first node, the listening schedule to a second node in the communication network such that the second node is able to communicate with the first node in accordance with the listening schedule;

receiving, by the first node, timing information from a plurality of nodes in the communication network;

averaging the received timing information; and

adjusting timing information of the first node based on the averaged timing information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the listening schedule is transmitted in an acknowledgement message.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery life comprises an actual battery life.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery life comprises a desired battery life.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting, by the first node, the listening schedule based on updated battery life information for the first node.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the listening schedule comprises one or more slots within each frame.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assigning an absolute slot number to each slot in the communication network.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forcing, by the first node, the second node to at least temporarily use a dedicated schedule, wherein the dedicated schedule comprises the listening schedule of the first node.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dedicated schedule expires after a predetermined number of slots.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising weighting, by the first node, the timing information received from a third node based at least in part on a distance between the first node and the third node.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising weighting, by the first node, the timing information received from a third node based at least in part on a hardware type of the third node.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising weighting, by the first node, the timing information received from a third node based at least in part on a reliability of the third node.

13. A first node in a communication network comprising:

a memory;

a processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:

select a frame length for a frame that is to be used, wherein the frame length is a multiple of two slots, and wherein different nodes in the communication network use different frame lengths; and

determine a listening schedule to be used by the first node, wherein the listening schedule is based at least in part on a battery life of the first node;

a transmitter operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the listening schedule to a second node in the communication network such that the second node is able to communicate with the first node in accordance with the listening schedule; and

a receiver operably coupled to the processor and configured to receive timing information from a plurality of nodes in the communication network;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

average the received timing information; and

adjust timing information of the first node based on the averaged timing information.

14. The first node of claim 13 , wherein the listening schedule comprises one or more slots within each frame.

15. The first node of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the listening schedule of the first node based on updated battery life information for the first node.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a first node in a communication network, the instructions comprising:

instructions to select a frame length for a frame that is to be used, wherein the frame length is a multiple of two slots, and wherein different nodes in the communication network use different frame lengths; and

instructions to determine a listening schedule to be used by the first node, wherein the listening schedule is based at least in part on a battery life of the first node;

instructions to transmit the listening schedule to a second node in the communication network such that the second node is able to communicate with the first node in accordance with the listening schedule;

instructions to receive timing information from a plurality of nodes in the communication network;

instructions to average the received timing information; and

instructions to adjust timing information of the first node based on the averaged timing information.