System and method for networking a plurality of nodes

• US 20040167708A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Atheros Technology, Ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maimone, Peter Joseph, Jackson, Timothy Ronald, Jenkins, Daniel Collin
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update

Abstract

A system and method for networking a plurality of nodes is disclosed. A network of data devices having data representations of connectivity, network node position, and/or position topologies is also disclosed, wherein the network may be self-configuring and the network nodes spatially addressable. In another embodiment, a unique form of signal acquisition assistance intrinsic in the signal structure may also be used. A data positioning device capable of operating as a node in a network of the present invention is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A network comprising:

a first network node having a first storage with a topology of said network; and

,

a second network node having a second storage with said topology, wherein communication signals are transmitted between said first and second network nodes;

wherein said first and second storages are updated in response to network topology changes, and said first and second network nodes are addressable by one or more parameters that are useable to selectively communicate data.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein said first and second network nodes are positioning devices capable of sending and receiving data wirelessly.

3. The network of claim 2 wherein said one or more parameters comprise spatial parameters for said first and second network nodes, said spatial parameters to include at least one of a position parameter and a velocity parameter.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein said network is self-configuring in that a new node may join said network by protocol sharing, and said topology of the first and second storages will be automatically updated to reflect the addition of said new node to the network.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and relative position information.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein relative position information is derived from said communication signals using triangulation techniques.

7. The network of claim 1, further comprising weak-position-signal nodes and strong-position-signal nodes, and wherein said communication signals are transmitted to said weak-position-signal nodes by being relayed through said strong-position-signal nodes.

8. The network of claim 1, further comprising a master transmitter that sets the basic frequency and phase of said network and said first and second network nodes.

9. The network of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of navigation beacons which transmit position signals to said first and second network nodes, and wherein said first and second network nodes are position transponders.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein said communication signals are synchronized to said position signals.

11. The network of claim 9, wherein said communication signals are used as ranging signals for other network nodes, said other network nodes to determine signal propagation time using signal time tagging.

12. The network of claim 9;

wherein said position signals are usable for determining absolute positioning information for said first and second network nodes.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and absolute position information.

14. The network of claim 9, wherein said communication signals substitute for said position signals in determining network node position information.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein said communication signals are used to provide frequency and signal phase assistance in the determination of node position information.

16. The network of claim 15, wherein said frequency and signal phase assistance is used by said first network node to detect attenuated positioning signals from said plurality of navigation beacons.

17. A positioning device coupled to a network, comprising:

a receiver portion;

a transmitter portion;

a processor coupled to the receiver portion and transmitter portion; and

a memory coupled to the processor to store one or more instruction sequences, said instruction sequences to cause the positioning device to transmit communication signals between said positioning device and a second positioning device,

wherein said memory further includes information representative of a topology said network, said information to be updated in response to network topology changes, said positioning device and second positioning device to be addressable by one or more parameters that are useable to selectively communicate data.

18. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein said positioning device and second positioning device transmit said communications signals wirelessly.

19. The positioning device of claim 18 wherein said one or more parameters comprise spatial parameters for said positioning device and second positioning device, said spatial parameters to include at least one of a position parameter and a velocity parameter.

20. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein said network is self-configuring in that a new device may join said network by protocol sharing, and said information representative of the topology will be automatically updated to reflect the addition of said new device to the network.

21. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and relative position information.

22. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein relative position information is derived from said communication signals using triangulation techniques.

23. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the network further comprising weak-position-signal devices and strong-position-signal devices, and wherein said communication signals are transmitted to said weak-position-signal nodes by being relayed through said strong-position-signal nodes.

24. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the network further comprising a master transmitter that sets the basic frequency and phase of said network and said positioning device and second positioning device.

25. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the network further comprises a plurality of navigation beacons which transmit position signals to said positioning device and second positioning device.

26. The positioning device of claim 25, wherein said communication signals are synchronized to said position signals.

27. The positioning device of claim 25, wherein said communication signals are used as ranging signals for additional positioning devices, said additional positioning devices to determine signal propagation time using signal time tagging.

28. The positioning device of claim 25, wherein said position signals are usable for determining absolute positioning information for said positioning device and second positioning device.

29. The positioning device of claim 28, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and absolute position information.

30. The positioning device of claim 25, wherein said communication signals substitute for said position signals in determining position information.

31. The positioning device of claim 30, wherein said communication signals are used to provide frequency and signal phase assistance in the determination of position information.

32. The positioning device of claim 31, wherein said frequency and signal phase assistance is used by said positioning device to detect attenuated positioning signals from said plurality of navigation beacons.

33. A method comprising:

transmitting communication signals from a first network node to a second network node, said first and second network nodes to comprise a network, said first and second network nodes to further be addressable by one or more parameters that are useable to selectively communicate data;

storing information representative of a topology of said network in each of said first and second network nodes; and

updating said information in response to network topology changes.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said first and second network nodes are positioning devices capable of sending and receiving data wirelessly.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said one or more parameters comprise spatial parameters for said first and second network nodes, said spatial parameters to include at least one of a position parameter and a velocity parameter.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

protocol sharing by a new network node with said network;

self-configuring said network to include said new network node; and

automatically updating said information to reflect the addition of said new node to the network.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and relative position information.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein relative position information is derived from said communication signals using triangulation techniques.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the network further comprises weak-position-signal nodes and strong-position-signal nodes, the method further comprising transmitting said communication signals to said weak-position-signal nodes by relaying the communication signals through said strong-position-signal nodes.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising setting a basic frequency and phase of said network and said first and second network nodes using a master transmitter.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said first and second network nodes are position transponders, the method further comprising transmitting position signals to said first and second network nodes by a plurality of navigation beacons.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising synchronizing said communication signals to said position signals.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising using said communication signals as ranging signals for other network nodes, said other network nodes to determine signal propagation time using signal time tagging.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising determining absolute positioning information for said first and second network nodes using said position signals.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and absolute position information.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising substituting said communication signals for said position signals in determining network node position information.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising providing frequency and signal phase assistance using said communication signals in the determination of node position information.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising detecting attenuated positioning signals from said plurality of navigation beacons using said frequency and signal phase assistance.