Network channel access protocol - frame execution

• US 20020176440A1
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SkyPilot Networks Incorporated (Trilliant Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bradley, Kirk Alton, Rich, Mark J., Hammel, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,339,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Network channel access protocol is disclosed. More particularly, a distributed, locally determined, channel access protocol that adapts to load, avoids interference and controls access by a group of nodes to a set of shared channels is disclosed. Shared channel space is divided into a number of communication slots that are repeated at a predetermined interval. Permission to use a slot to communicate between any two nodes is dynamically adjusted by the channel access protocol, which locally: (i) estimates load to neighboring nodes; (ii) allocates or deallocates slot usage to adapt to load and avoid interference; and (iii) asserts and advertises slot usage within an interference area about itself.

Claims

1. A method for frame execution, comprising:

waiting for a frame synchronization;

accessing a slot of a slot allocation for a node;

determining a mode associated with the slot allocation;

if the mode is transmit,

transmitting using the slot allocation;

checking for another slot;

if the mode is none,

checking for another slot;

if the mode is receive,

turning on a receiver;

checking for signal;

if there is no signal,

storing first error information;

determining if failure rate exceeds a first threshold value for use of the slot;

if there is signal, determining if information received was received within an acceptable error rate;

if there is signal and if the information was received within the acceptable error rate, processing incoming data; and

checking for another slot.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting is only by point-to-point communication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting is only by point-to-multipoint communication.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting is only by broadcast communication.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting is by one or more of point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication and broadcast communication.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the information was received in excess of the acceptable error rate,

storing second error information;

determining if the failure rate exceeds a second threshold value for use of the slot;

if the failure rate does exceed the second threshold value,

canceling slot usage;

informing neighboring nodes of the slot usage cancellation;

characterizing an interferer;

storing the interferer characterization; and

checking for another slot.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the informing is only by point-to-point communication.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the informing is only by point-to-multipoint communication.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the informing is only by broadcast communication.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the informing is by one or more of point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication and broadcast communication.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the information was received in excess of the acceptable error rate, determining if the failure rate exceeds the second threshold value for use of the slot; and

if the failure rate does not exceed the second threshold value, checking for another slot.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising if the failure rate does not exceed the first threshold value for use of the slot, checking for another slot.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the failure rate exceeds the first threshold value for use of the slot, checking whether all slots for the node are failing;

if all the slots are not failing,

informing neighboring nodes of the slot allocation; and

checking for another slot.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the informing is only by point-to-point communication.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the informing is only by point-to-multipoint communication.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the informing is only by broadcast communication.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the informing is by one or more of point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication and broadcast communication.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the failure rate exceeds the first threshold value for use of the slot, checking whether all slots associated with the node are failing;

if all the slots are failing,

canceling all slot allocations for the node;

informing neighboring nodes of the canceling; and

checking for another slot.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the informing is only by point-to-point communication.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the informing is only by point-to-multipoint communication.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the informing is only by broadcast communication.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the informing is by one or more of point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication and broadcast communication.

23. For a transmission from a transmitting node to a receiving node having a receiver, a signal-bearing medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor in response to a call to locate interference, causes execution of a method comprising:

waiting for a frame synchronization;

accessing a slot allocation associated with a node;

determining a mode associated with the slot allocation;

if the mode is transmit,

transmitting using the slot allocation;

checking for another slot;

if the mode is none,

checking for another slot;

if the mode is receive,

turning on a receiver;

checking for signal;

if there is no signal, determining if failure rate exceeds a threshold value for use of a slot of the slot allocation; and

if there is signal, determining if information received was received within an acceptable error rate.