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A method and apparatus for a wireless communication network. The network utilizing time-division-multiple-access (TDMA) and being configured in a star layout having a base station and at least one remote station. A packet frame having a header, a trailer and a packet is transmitted and received thro

A method and apparatus for a wireless communication network. The network utilizing time-division-multiple-access (TDMA) and being configured in a star layout having a base station and at least one remote station. A packet frame having a header, a trailer and a packet is transmitted and received throughout the communication network. The packet is defined to support a registration mechanism for controlling access of remote stations into and out of the network and supporting retransmission of defective or lost packets.

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1. A method for attaining access to a wireless communication network configured in a star layout utilizing a base station and a remote station wherein a packet frame is transmitted and received throughout the network, the method comprising the steps of:discovering the network; requesting access to t

1. A method for attaining access to a wireless communication network configured in a star layout utilizing a base station and a remote station wherein a packet frame is transmitted and received throughout the network, the method comprising the steps of:discovering the network; requesting access to the network by transmitting a registration packet; granting access to the network by transmitting a grant packet; assigning a temporary identifier to the remote station, the temporary identifier being associated with the remote station for a predetermined number of dwell periods; monitoring the dwell periods during a transmission of a broadcast packet; requesting to extend the use of the temporary identifier by transmitting a renewal request packet from the remote station, the requesting to extend the use of the temporary identifier further comprising: providing a handle field populated with the temporary identifier of the remote station requesting renewal of its temporary identifier; and, providing a renewal constant, the renewal constant being utilized by the base station to distinguish the renewal packet from the registration packet; granting the request to extend the use of the temporary identifier; and, removing the temporary identifier. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration packet comprises:a packet identifier; a request handle; a serial number field including a factory assigned identifier; a previous network identifier representing a previous network accessed by the remote station; a receive sequence number for cooperating with an automatic-repeat request message utilized to ensure delivery of the registration packet during network communication with the remote station; and, a transmit sequence number for cooperating with the automatic-repeat request message utilized to ensure delivery of the registration packet during network communication with the remote station. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the granting access to the remote station to enter the network comprises:assigning a new handle to the remote station; assigning a serial number field to the remote station, the serial number field comprising a unique serial number to the remote station; and, assigning a time slot to be utilized by the remote station during network communication. 4. A protocol for a wireless communication network having a plurality of stations including a base station and a plurality of remote stations, the network being configured in a star layout for transmitting and receiving a plurality of packets of information throughout the network, the protocol comprising:a broadcast message packet for providing global information of a network's configuration and status, the broadcast message packet being exclusively transmitted from the base station; an acknowledge message packet for informing a transmitting station that a one of a plurality of packets of information was successfully received; a data message packet for providing a higher-level application data; a registration request message packet for requesting access to the network, the registration packet being sent from a one of the plurality of remote stations; a grant message packet for granting access to the network, the grant packet being transmitted from the base station to the one of the plurality of remote stations; and, a renewal message packet for requesting renewal of access to the network. 5. The protocol of claim 4 wherein the broadcast message packet comprising:a packet identifier field for distinguishing the broadcast message packet from the plurality of packets of information; a duty cycle field for specifying a duty cycle parameter for the plurality of remote stations to power down during a dwell period; a dwell length field for specifying a length of the dwell period to be utilized by the plurality of remote stations; a timing field for timing registration events; a time slot field for communicating a size of a time slot to the plurality of remote stations; and, a partition field for determining an amount of sections the dwell period should be partitioned. 6. The protocol of claim 4 wherein the data message packet comprises;a handle field for specifying a one of the plurality of remote stations the data message packet is received from or destined for; a sequence field having an automatic repeat-request sequence number; a payload field; and, a length field for specifying a number of bits in the payload field, the payload field ranging from 0-255 bytes as specified by the length field. 7. The protocol of claim 4 further comprising an access control packet selected from the group consisting of registration, renewal and grant packets.8. The protocol of claim 7 wherein the registration packet comprises:a packet identifier field; a handle field for requesting a handle preferred by a one of the plurality of remote stations; a previous network field for informing the base station of the previous network to which the one of the plurality of remote stations requesting access may have belonged; a receive sequence field being set to an initial value for a receive automatic repeat-request sequence number to be utilized for communication with the one of the plurality of remote stations; a transmit sequence field being set to an initial value for a transmit automatic repeat-request sequence number to be utilized for communication with the one of the plurality of remote stations; and, a serial number field comprising a factory assigned unique identifier for the one of the plurality of remote stations. 9. The protocol of claim 7 wherein the grant packet comprising:a packet identifier; a serial number field for specifying a unique serial number associated with the one of the plurality of remote stations being granted permission to access the network; a grant handle field for specifying a handle being assigned to the one of a plurality of remote stations; a grant slot field for specifying a time slot utilized by the one of a plurality of remote stations; a renewal handle field for specifying the one of the plurality of remote stations renewed by the base station; and, a renewal slot field for specifying a renewal time slot assigned to the renewed one of the plurality of remote stations. 10. The protocol of claim 7 wherein the renewal packet comprises:a handle field comprising a handle identifier of a one of the plurality of remote stations transmitting the renewal request; and, a constant field having a constant utilized by the base station to distinguish the renewal packet from the registration packet. 11. The protocol of claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of packets of information comprises:a header having a first byte and a second byte, the second byte further including a station identifier and a network number; and, a trailer having an end-of-file (EOF) byte and a 24 bit checksum.