Single transceiver architecture for a wireless network

• US 20040160928A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: OnLive Incorporated
• Inventors: Perlman, Stephen G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A network for wireless transmission of data includes a source access point, a destination device and a plurality of wireless repeaters that provide a transmission link between the source access point and the destination device. The plurality of access points each includes a single transceiver with separate transmitter and receiver sections operable to simultaneously transmit and receive data on different frequency channels. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A repeater for a wireless network comprising:

a transceiver operable to receive data in a 2.4 GHz band or a 5 GHz band, and transmit data in either the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band, the transceiver also being operable to switch channel frequency in the 2.4 GHz or the 5 GHz bands;

a processor unit coupled to control the transceiver;

a RAM memory device to store data received by the transceiver.

2. The repeater of claim 1 further comprising an input/output (I/O) unit to receive encryption key information that authenticates the repeater for use in the wireless network.

3. The repeater of claim 2 further comprising a ROM to store the encryption key information.

4. The repeater of claim 1 further comprising a second transceiver operable to receive data in a 2.4 GHz band or a 5 GHz band, and transmit data in either the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band, the second transceiver being controlled by the processor unit.

5. The repeater of claim 1 further comprising an antenna coupled to the transceiver.

6. The repeater of claim 1 further comprising a connector coupled to the I/O unit, the connector to receive a wire plug coupled to another device that delivers the encryption key information to the repeater.

7. The repeater of claim 6 wherein the connector comprises a 1394 connector.

8. The repeater of claim 1 further comprising an indicator panel that provides a visual indication of transmission signal strength, the indicator panel being coupled to the I/O unit.

9. The repeater of claim 1 further comprising an external switch for initializing the repeater.

10. A wireless network comprising:

a source device that transmits data on a first channel;

a destination device that receives data on a second channel; and

a plurality of repeaters to provide a pipelined data transmission link between the source device and the destination device, each of the repeaters having a transceiver with a transmitter and a receiver operable to transmit and receive data on different channels, each of the repeaters being located beyond an in-band interference range, yet within a maximum bandwidth range, of adjacent repeaters in the transmission link.

11. The wireless network of claim 10 wherein a first repeater in the transmission link is located beyond the in-band interference range, yet within the maximum bandwidth range, of the source device.

12. The wireless network of claim 11 wherein the first repeater in the transmission link transmits and receives data on a same channel.

13. The wireless network of claim 10 wherein the source and destination devices operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

14. The wireless network of claim 10 wherein the plurality of repeaters transmit and receive in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

15. The wireless network of claim 13 wherein a first repeater in the transmission link receives data from the source device in the 2.4 GHz frequency band and transmits in the 5 GHz frequency band, and a last repeater in the transmission link receives data in the 5 GHz frequency band and transmits to the destination device in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

16. A wireless network comprising:

a source device that transmits data packets on a first channel;

a destination device that receives data packets on a second channel; and

a plurality of repeaters to provide a pipelined data transmission link between the source device and the destination device, each of the wireless repeaters having a transceiver with a transmitter and a receiver operable to transmit and receive data on different channels, the plurality of repeaters including a first repeater to receive a first data packet from the source device on the first channel and transmit the first data packet to a second repeater on a different channel, and a last repeater to receive the first data packet from a penultimate repeater and transmit the first data packet to the destination device on the second channel, and wherein each of the repeaters is located beyond an in-band interference range, yet within a maximum bandwidth range, of adjacent repeaters in the transmission link.

17. The wireless network of claim 16 wherein the first repeater is located beyond the in-band interference range, yet within the maximum bandwidth range, of the source device.

18. The wireless network of claim 17 wherein the destination device is located beyond the in-band interference range, yet within the maximum bandwidth range, of the last repeater.

19. The wireless network of claim 16 wherein the source and destination devices operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

20. The wireless network of claim 16 wherein each of the plurality of repeaters transmits and receives in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

21. The wireless network of claim 16 wherein the first repeater in the transmission link receives data from the source device in a 2.4 GHz frequency band and transmits in a 5 GHz frequency band, and the last repeater in the transmission link receives data in the 5 GHz frequency band and transmits to the destination device in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.

22. A wireless network comprising:

a source device;

a destination device; and

a plurality of repeaters to provide a pipelined data transmission link between the source device and the destination device, even numbered repeaters in the pipelined data transmission link having a transceiver that receives on one frequency channel and switches to another frequency channel to transmit, odd numbered repeaters in the pipelined data transmission link having a transceiver that receives and transmits on a single frequency channel, each of the repeaters being located beyond an in-band interference range, yet within a maximum bandwidth range, of adjacent repeaters in the pipelined data transmission link.

23. The wireless network of claim 22 wherein a first repeater in the pipelined data transmission link is located beyond the in-band interference range, yet within the maximum bandwidth range, of the source device.

24. The wireless network of claim 23 wherein the source device transmits data packets on a first channel and the first repeater receives and re-transmits the data packets on the first channel.

25. The wireless network of claim 24 wherein the destination device is located beyond the in-band interference range, yet within the maximum bandwidth range, of a last repeater in the pipelined data transmission link.

26. The wireless network of claim 25 wherein the destination device receives the data packets on a second channel and the last repeater receives and re-transmits the data packets on the second channel.

27. The wireless network of claim 22 wherein the source and destination devices operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

28. The wireless network of claim 27 wherein each of the plurality of repeaters transmits and receives in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

29. The wireless network of claim 27 wherein a first repeater in the pipelined data transmission link receives data packets from the source device in the 2.4 GHz frequency band and re-transmits the data packets in a 5 GHz frequency band, and a last repeater in the pipelined data transmission link receives the data packets in the 5 GHz frequency band and re-transmits the data packets to the destination device in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.

30. A wireless network comprising:

a source device;

a destination device; and

a plurality of repeaters to provide a pipelined data transmission link between the source device and the destination device, each of the repeaters having a transceiver operable to receive data packets on one channel and re-transmit the data packets on two different channels simultaneously to a next repeater in the pipelined data transmission link, each of the repeaters being located beyond an in-band interference range, yet within a maximum bandwidth range, of adjacent repeaters in the pipelined data transmission link.

31. The wireless network of claim 30 wherein the source device transmits the data packets on a first channel and the destination device receives the data packets on a second channel.

32. The wireless network of claim 31 wherein a first repeater in the pipelined data transmission link receives the data packets on the first channel.

33. The wireless network of claim 32 wherein a last repeater in the pipelined data transmission link transmits the data packets to the destination device on the second channel.

34. The wireless network of claim 31 wherein the source and destination devices operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

35. The wireless network of claim 30 wherein each of the plurality of repeaters switches channels from receiving to transmitting.

36. The wireless network of claim 34 wherein a first repeater receives the data packets from the source device on the first channel in the 2.4 GHz band and re-transmits the data packets on the two different channels in a 5 GHz band.

37. The wireless network of claim 36 wherein each of the repeaters, except the first repeater and a last repeater in the pipelined data transmission link receives and transmits the data packets in the 5 GHz band.

38. The wireless network of claim 37 wherein the last repeater in the pipelined data transmission link receives the data packets in the 5 GHz band and re-transmits the data packets to the destination device in the 2.4 GHz band.