Timestamp-free synchronization for wireless body area networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for collecting biosignals can include a master node and a plurality of biosensor slave nodes wirelessly connected to the master node. The biosensor can be implanted in the body, or external to the body. One of the biosensors can function as the master node, or a networked cell phone or local area network (LAN) router can function as the master node. The biosensor slave nodes can collect biosignals such as blood pressure, blood sugar (glucose), EEG brain activity and similar biomarkers as biodata. The slave nodes can transmit the biodata to the master node, along with implicit timing information. In response, the master nodes can communicate implicit timing adjustment information back to the slave node(s), but only when said slave node's implicit timing information is outside of a predefined synchronization accuracy α, which can be determined according to the timing frequency requirements of the biodata being monitored.