Time synchronization of a wireless network

1. A method of synchronizing nodes of a wireless network, comprising:

identifying synchronization paths between one or more synchronization reference nodes of the wireless network and each non-reference node of the wireless network, wherein each synchronization reference node receives a synchronization signal or is designated as a source of the synchronization signal, and each non-reference node does not directly receive the synchronization signal and is not designated as a source of the synchronization signal, wherein each synchronization path includes one or more wireless hops between the one or more synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference node;

determining a number of timing slots needed for supporting each of the identified synchronization paths; and

selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and at least one of the synchronization reference nodes based on a number of wireless hops of each of the identified synchronization paths and the determined number of timing slots needed to support each of the identified synchronization paths;

wherein at least one of the synchronization reference nodes or at least one intervening non-reference node includes an antenna array that forms a beamforming pattern having multiple beams.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the one or more synchronization reference nodes communicating the synchronization signal to each of the non-reference node through the selected at least one of the synchronization paths.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one or more synchronization reference nodes is further based on selecting a redundant number of synchronization paths between each non-reference node and the one or more synchronization reference nodes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selected at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is different than a data path to the non-reference nodes.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the at least one of the synchronization reference nodes or at least one intervening non-reference node that includes that antenna array that forms the beamforming pattern having multiple beams broadcasting a synchronization signal to non-reference nodes through the multiple beams.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is further based on maintaining synchronization errors between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference node within a selected threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is further based on maintaining synchronization errors between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference node of a local region within a selected threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the local region is based on levels of interference based on antenna patterns of the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference nodes.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference nodes characterizing beamforming patterns between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference nodes, and wherein a central network controller performs the selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference nodes and at least one of the synchronization reference nodes additionally based on the characterized beamforming patterns.

10. A wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of synchronization reference nodes;

a plurality of non-reference nodes;

a controller, wherein the controller operates to:

identify synchronization paths between one or more synchronization reference nodes of the wireless network and each non-reference node of the wireless network, wherein each synchronization reference node receives a synchronization signal or is designated as a source of the synchronization signal, and each non-reference node does not directly receive the synchronization signal and is not designated as a source of the synchronization signal, wherein each synchronization path includes one or more wireless hops between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference node;

determine a number of timing slots needed for supporting each of the identified synchronization paths; and

select at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and at least one of the synchronization reference nodes based on a number of wireless hops of each of the identified synchronization paths and the determined number of timing slots needed to support each of the identified synchronization paths;

wherein at least one of the synchronization reference nodes or at least one intervening non-reference node includes an antenna array that forms a beamforming pattern having multiple beams.

11. The wireless network of claim 10 , wherein one or more synchronization reference nodes communicate a synchronization signal to each of the non-reference node through the selected at least one of the synchronization paths.

12. The wireless network of claim 10 , wherein selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is further based on selecting a redundant number of synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one or more of the synchronization reference nodes.

13. The wireless network of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the selected at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is different than a data path to the non-reference nodes.

14. The wireless network of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of the synchronization reference nodes or the intervening non-reference nodes that includes that antenna array that forms the beamforming pattern having multiple lobes broadcasting a synchronization signal to non-reference nodes through the multiple beams.

15. The wireless network of claim 10 , wherein selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is further based on maintaining synchronization errors between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference node within a selected threshold.

16. The wireless network of claim 10 , wherein selecting at least one of the synchronization paths between each non-reference node and one of the synchronization reference nodes is further based on maintaining synchronization errors between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference node of a local region within a selected threshold.

17. The wireless network of claim 16 , wherein the local region is based on levels of interference based on antenna patterns of the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference nodes.

18. The wireless network of claim 16 , wherein the local region is based on levels of interference based on interference measurements between the synchronization reference nodes and the non-reference nodes.