US Patent 7120126 Method for improved media quality feedback

A method is provided for a local device in a network to determine media qualities for the transmission paths between it and all of the remote devices in a wireless network. Each of the devices in the network will be assigned at least one of a plurality of management time slots in a superframe rotation. Each device will always transmit a frame during this assigned time slot, whether it is a management frame or a null frame. Individual devices can listen during these frames, determine quality information about the transmission medium between the receiving device and the transmitting device, and based on this quality information set the transmission and reception parameters that the receiving device will use when later communicating with that particular transmitting device. The criteria for determining transmitting parameters and reception parameters can be different to make certain that compatible transmission and reception parameters are chosen among devices.