Communication period management in a communication system

• US 20030088682A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hlasny, Daryl J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/50 Queue scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/522 Dynamic queue service slot or variable bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/626 channel conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for communication period management in a communication system is disclosed. The method may involve determining a duration of a communication period that is scheduled between two electronic devices. The method may then involve determining whether the duration exceeds a threshold. If the duration does not exceed the threshold, the communication period may be unscheduled. Furthermore, the unscheduled time may be rescheduled with another communication period to another electronic device. The method may also involve determining whether a conflict exists between the communication period and any other communication periods that are scheduled to involve either of the electronic devices. If a conflict exists, the communication period may be unscheduled.

Claims

1. In a first electronic device, a method comprising:

determining a duration of a first communication period that is scheduled between the first electronic device and a second electronic device;

determining whether the duration exceeds a threshold; and

unscheduling the first communication period if the duration does not exceed the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a conflict exists between the first communication period and a second communication period that is scheduled to involve the first electronic device; and

unscheduling the first communication period if such a conflict exists.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point, and wherein determining whether a conflict exists comprises determining whether the second communication period comprises a second initiation time point that is substantially equal to the first initiation time point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration of the first communication period does not exceed the threshold, and further comprising extending the duration of a second communication period that is scheduled to involve the first electronic device and whose duration was previously limited by the first communication period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point, wherein the second communication period comprises a second initiation time point that is earlier than the first initiation time point, and wherein the second communication period comprises a second termination time point that is substantially equal to the first termination time point.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein extending the duration of the second communication period comprises negotiating with a third electronic device about a new termination time point for the second communication period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point, and wherein determining the duration of the first communication period comprises determining a first termination time point for the first communication period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the first termination time point comprises negotiating with the second electronic device about the first termination time point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein negotiating with the second electronic device comprises:

identifying a first potential termination time point for the first communication period;

sending a request message to the second electronic device, the request message comprising a request that the first termination time point be substantially equal to the first potential termination time point;

receiving an accept message from the second electronic device if the first potential termination time point occurs before a second potential termination time point identified by the second electronic device; and

receiving a reject message from the second electronic device if the first potential termination time point occurs after the second potential termination time point, the reject message comprising a counter-request that the first termination time point be substantially equal to the second potential termination time point.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first initiation time point and the first termination time point are stored in a communication schedule, and wherein unscheduling the first communication period comprises deleting the first initiation time point and the first termination time point from the communication schedule.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is part of a first device network, and wherein the second electronic device is part of a second device network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first device network comprises a first piconet, and wherein the second device network comprises a second piconet.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of pseudo-random time points that define scheduled communication periods between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point that corresponds to one of the plurality of pseudo-random time points.

15. In a first electronic device, a method comprising:

scheduling a first communication period between the first electronic device and a second electronic device;

determining whether a conflict exists between the first communication period and a second communication period that is scheduled to involve the first electronic device;

unscheduling the first communication period if such a conflict exists.

16. A first electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

a communication schedule; and

a schedule manager configured to implement a method comprising;

determining a duration of a first communication period that is scheduled between the first electronic device and a second electronic device;

determining whether the duration exceeds a threshold; and

unscheduling the first communication period if the duration does not exceed the threshold.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a conflict exists between the first communication period and a second communication period that is scheduled to involve the first electronic device; and

unscheduling the first communication period if such a conflict exists.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point, and wherein determining whether a conflict exists comprises determining whether the second communication period comprises a second initiation time point that is substantially equal to the first initiation time point.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the duration of the first communication period does not exceed the threshold, and wherein the method further comprises extending the duration of a second communication period that is scheduled to involve the first electronic device and whose duration was previously limited by the first communication period.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point, wherein the second communication period comprises a second initiation time point that is earlier than the first initiation time point, and wherein the second communication period comprises a second termination time point that is substantially equal to the first termination time point.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein extending the duration of the second communication period comprises negotiating with a third electronic device about a new termination time point for the second communication period.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point, and wherein determining the duration of the first communication period comprises determining a first termination time point for the first communication period.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein determining the first termination time point comprises negotiating with the second electronic device about the first termination time point.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein negotiating with the second electronic device comprises:

identifying a first potential termination time point for the first communication period;

sending a request message to the second electronic device, the request message comprising a request that the first termination time point be substantially equal to the first potential termination time point;

receiving an accept message from the second electronic device if the first potential termination time point occurs before a second potential termination time point identified by the second electronic device; and

receiving a reject message from the second electronic device if the first potential termination time point occurs after the second potential termination time point, the reject message comprising a counter-request that the first termination time point be substantially equal to the second potential termination time point.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the first initiation time point and the first termination time point are stored in the communication schedule, and wherein unscheduling the first communication period comprises deleting the first initiation time point and the first termination time point from the communication schedule.

26. The device of claim 16, wherein the first electronic device is part of a first device network, and wherein the second electronic device is part of a second device network.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the first device network comprises a first piconet, and wherein the second device network comprises a second piconet.

28. The device of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises providing a plurality of pseudo-random time points that define scheduled communication periods between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the first communication period comprises a first initiation time point that corresponds to one of the plurality of pseudo-random time points.

30. A first electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

a communication schedule; and

a schedule manager configured to implement a method comprising;

scheduling a first communication-period between the first electronic device and a second electronic device;

determining whether a conflict exists between the first communication period and a second communication period that is scheduled to involve the first electronic device;

unscheduling the first communication period if such a conflict exists.