Cluster head selection in a communications network

1. A method for cluster head selection in a communications network, the method comprising a wireless device:

receiving a respective beacon signal from each one of at least one further wireless device, each beacon signal comprising a cluster head capability metric;

comparing each of the received cluster head capability metrics to at least one qualifying criterion; and

selecting one of the at least one further wireless devices as the cluster head of the wireless device based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 :

further comprising determining a list of candidate cluster heads based on received cluster head capability metrics;

further comprising ranking candidate cluster heads in the list based on fulfilled qualifying criteria for each received cluster head capability metrics; and

wherein the selecting comprises selecting the cluster head from the list based on the ranking.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing all received cluster head capability metrics to a minimum value; and

wherein the selecting comprises selecting as the cluster head one of the wireless devices having a cluster head capability metrics above the minimum value.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the wireless device is associated with a cluster head capability metric of its own, the method further comprising:

comparing all received cluster head capability metrics above the minimum value to the own cluster head capability metric; and

wherein the selecting comprises selecting as the cluster head one of the wireless devices having a cluster head capability metrics above the own cluster head capability metric.

5. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the cluster head capability metric comprises parameters having an order of priority; and

wherein cluster head is selected based on the order of priority of the parameters.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cluster head capability metric represents at least one of:

a number of wireless devices currently having selected the wireless device as their cluster head;

a network coverage parameter of the wireless device;

capability of the wireless device serving as a cluster head;

identity of the current cluster head of wireless device; and

a random number.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting a cluster head is triggered by at least one of:

the wireless device receiving a communications request to another wireless device;

the wireless device receiving a paging signal from another wireless device;

the wireless device receiving user input; and

power up signaling of the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is associated with a cluster head capability metric of its own, the method further comprising:

adjusting its own cluster head capability metric based on the received beacon signal; and

transmitting a beacon signal comprising the adjusted cluster head capability metric.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the wireless device adjusting its own cluster head capability metric based on the selected cluster head.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving at least one reference signal (RS); and

establishing synchronization with other wireless devices based on the received RS.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the RS is part of the received beacon signal.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal further comprises an identity of the wireless device transmitting the beacon signal.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal is transmitted at regular intervals.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal is transmitted in response to a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from the wireless device to its current cluster head being below a predetermined threshold value.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing a peer connection to the selected cluster head.

16. A wireless device for cluster head selection in a communications network, the wireless device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a respective beacon signal from each one of at least one further wireless device, each beacon signal comprising a cluster head capability metric;

a processing circuit configured to:

compare each of the received cluster head capability metrics to at least one qualifying criterion; and

select one of the at least one further wireless devices as the cluster head of the wireless device based on the comparison.

17. The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

determine a list of candidate cluster heads based on received cluster head capability metrics;

rank candidate cluster heads in the list based on fulfilled qualifying criteria for each received cluster head capability metrics; and

select the cluster head from the list based on the ranking.

18. The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

compare all received cluster head capability metrics to a minimum value; and

select as the cluster head one of the wireless devices having a cluster head capability metrics above the minimum value.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 :

wherein the wireless device is associated with a cluster head capability metric of its own;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

compare all received cluster head capability metrics above the minimum value to the own cluster head capability metric; and

select as the cluster head one of the wireless devices having a cluster head capability metrics above the own cluster head capability metric.

20. The wireless device of claim 16 :

wherein the wireless device is associated with a cluster head capability metric of its own;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to adjust its own cluster head capability metric based on the received beacon signal; and

wherein the wireless device further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a beacon signal comprising the adjusted cluster head capability metric.

21. The wireless device of claim 20 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to adjust its own cluster head capability metric based on the selected cluster head.

22. The wireless device of claim 16 :

wherein the receiver is configured to receive at least one reference signal (RS); and

wherein the processing circuit is configured to establish synchronization with other wireless devices based on the received RS.

23. The wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to establish a peer connection to the selected cluster head.

24. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling cluster head selection in a communications network, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on a processing circuit of a wireless device, causes the wireless device to:

receive a respective beacon signal from each one of at least one further wireless device, each beacon signal comprising a cluster head capability metric;

compare each of the received cluster head capability metrics to at least one qualifying criterion; and

select one of the at least one further wireless devices as the cluster head of the wireless device based on the comparison.