Wireless communication system with symmetric communication protocol

Abstract

A symmetrical communication protocol allows handsets to operate as a master unit or a slave unit and operate independently of any base station. Remote units may contact each other directly with the calling unit being temporarily designated as a master unit and the called unit being designated temporarily as a slave unit. A wireless communication link is established between the two units and the units frequency-hop in synchronization in accordance with FCC requirements. The units independently monitor the signal strength of the incoming signal and can transmit power change commands to the other unit to increase or decrease transmission power as required. A calling unit initially transmits a call request on a limited number of the available frequency channels in order to decrease the acquisition time period. An idle unit has a sleep cycle and an awake cycle. When entering the awake cycle, the idle unit is programmed for operation at one of the acquisition channels and monitors for an incoming data frame intended for that unit. If a data frame is not detected, the unit returns to the sleep cycle. If a data frame is detected, the handsets synchronize and communicate over the entire range of operational frequency channels utilizing a predetermined pseudo-random sequence.