The present invention enables APs to communicate with CNs in a backhaul network
configuration in such a manner that the network is dynamically and adaptively self-aligning
in terms of bandwidth utilization. A technique known as Black bursts is adapted
to a backhaul network configuration to enable access instants in communicating
between APs and CNs to be automatically and dynamically self re-aligned in response
to APs entering and leaving the network. Thus, APs are not required to explicitly
inform each other of these changes. Real-time APs are given priority over non-real-time
APs in order to ensure that real-time traffic meets bounded end-to-end delay requirements.
This is accomplished by decreasing the period of time that real-time APs must wait
while the channel is idle before accessing the channel relative to the time period
that non-real-time APs must wait before accessing the channel. Furthermore, the
present invention utilizes the Black bursts technique to resolve contentions between
APs attempting to access the channel simultaneously. During this resolution process,
the AP that has been waiting the longest to access the channel is given priority.
That AP then waits an additional observation time period before transmitting over
the channel. When a determination is made that the observation time period has
expired and that the channel is idle, the AP transmits. The observation time period
is periodically decreased. This causes the APs to attempt to access the channel
earlier than in previous access instants, which results in additional bandwidth
being evenly spread out and consumed by the remaining APs.
