Networked evacuation system

1. A method comprising:

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

determining, by the first node in the communication network, a listening schedule to be used by the first node, wherein a wake up frequency associated with the listening schedule is based at least in part on a battery life of the first node and the listening schedule is based on the timing information from the plurality of nodes;

transmitting, by the first node, the listening schedule to a second node in the communication network;

causing, by the first node, the second node to adopt the listening schedule such that the second node is able to communicate with the first node in accordance with the listening schedules;

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 , further comprising defining, by the first node, a number of slots that constitute a frame, and wherein the listening schedule comprises one or more slots within each frame.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each node in the communication network defines its own frame length such that different nodes can have different frame lengths.

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

9. 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.

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

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 distance between the first node and 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 hardware type of the third node.

13. 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.

14. A first node in a communication network comprising:

a memory;

a transmitter; and

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

receive timing information from a plurality of nodes in a communication network; and

determine a listening schedule to be used by the first node, wherein a wake up frequency associated with the listening schedule is based at least in part on a battery life of the first node and the listening schedule is based on the timing information from the plurality of nodes;

cause the transmitter 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;

cause the second node to adopt the listening schedule such that the second node is able to communicate with the first node in accordance with the listening schedule;

average the received timing information; and

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

15. The first node of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to define a number of slots that constitute a frame, and wherein the listening schedule comprises one or more slots within each frame.

16. The first node of claim 15 , wherein each node in the communication network defines its own frame length such that different nodes can have different frame lengths.

17. The first node of claim 14 , 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.

18. 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 receive timing information from a plurality of nodes in a communication network;

instructions to determine a listening schedule to be used by the first node, wherein a wake up frequency associated with the listening schedule is based at least in part on a battery life of the first node and the listening schedule is based on the timing information from the plurality of nodes;

instructions to transmit the listening schedule to a second node in the communication network;

instructions to cause the second node to adopt the listening schedule such that the second node is able to communicate with the first node in accordance with the listening schedules;

instructions to average the received timing information; and

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