System and method for single radio retransmission using a half duplex radio

• US 20040176028A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Global Communications, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dibernardo, Anthony Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/13.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence

Abstract

Single radio retransmission with a half duplex radio accomplished using Time Division Duplexing to alternate between transmit and receive cycles of a retransmission radio. This allows a single half duplex radio to function as the retransmission radio. The retransmission half duplex radio may be utilized in a communication system comprised of a plurality of remote units to increase communication range and area coverage and perform channel conversion.

Claims

1. A half duplex radio for facilitating communication of data between two remote terminals using Time Division Duplexing where channel resources are divided in time into fixed size frames comprising:

a receiver means for receiving data from a remote transmitting terminal in a receive segment of said fixed size frame;

a buffering means for storing the data said buffering means comprising at least an input pointer, an output pointer, a counter and a control means; and

,

a transmitter means for transmitting said data to a remote receiving terminal in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame.

2. The half duplex radio of claim 1 wherein said remote transmitting terminal establishes the frame timing for the communication exchange.

3. The half duplex radio of claim 2 wherein a frequency scanning means is utilized to monitor at least two frequency channels.

4. A method of retransmission of data using Time Division Duplexing in half duplex radios where channel resources are divided in time into fixed size frames comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting said data from a first half duplex radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame;

(b) receiving the data from said first half duplex radio by a second half duplex radio in a receive segment of said fixed size frame;

(c) buffering the data in said second half duplex radio;

(d) transmitting the data by said second half duplex radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame; and

,

(e) receiving said data by a third half duplex radio in a receive segment of said fixed size frame.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said first half duplex radio establishes the frame timing of the communication exchange.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a frequency scanning means is utilized to monitor at least two frequency channels.

7. A data retransmission system using Time Division Duplexing where channel resources are divided in time into fixed size frames comprising:

a first radio wherein said radio transmits data to a half duplex radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame;

said half duplex radio receiving the data from said first radio in a receive segment of said fixed frame, said half duplex radio further buffering the data and retransmitting the data to a second radio in a transmit segment of said fixed frame; and

,

said second radio receiving the data from said half duplex radio in a receive segment of said fixed frame.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said first radio establishes the frame timing of the communication exchange.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein a frequency scanning means is utilized to monitor at least two frequency channels.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said half duplex radios is mobile.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of said half duplex radios is handheld.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said first radio is a half duplex radio.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said second radio is a half duplex radio.

14. A method of extending the range of communicated data using Time Division Duplexing where channel resources are divided in time into fixed size frames comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting said data from a first radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame;

(b) receiving said data from the first radio by a half duplex radio in a receive segment of said fixed size frame;

(c) buffering the data in said half duplex radio;

(d) transmitting the data by said half duplex radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame; and

,

(e) receiving said data by a second radio in a receive segment of said fixed size frame.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first radio establishes the frame timing of the communication exchange.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said half duplex radio frequency scans to monitor at least two frequency channels.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first radio is a half duplex radio.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said second radio is a half duplex radio.

19. A method of channel conversion of communicated data using Time Division Duplexing where channel resources are divided in time into fixed size frames comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting said data from a first radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame;

(b) scanning at least two different channels by a half duplex radio until data is received from one of at least two different channels;

(c) receiving said data from the first radio by said half duplex radio in a receive segment of said fixed size frame;

(d) buffering the data in said half duplex radio;

(e) transmitting the data by said half duplex radio in a transmit segment of said fixed size frame; and

,

(f) receiving said data by a second radio in a receive segment of said fixed size frame.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said half duplex radio frequency scans to monitor at least two frequency channels.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said first radio transmits a synchronization burst.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said synchronization burst comprises a tone followed by a synchronization preamble.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said synchronization burst is long enough for said half duplex radio to scan at least two channels and detect said burst on the second channel.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said first radio is a half duplex radio.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said second radio is a half duplex radio.

26. A system of channel conversion of communicated data using Time Division Duplexing where channel resources are divided in time into fixed size frames comprising:

a first radio transmitting data to a half duplex radio in a transmit segment of said fixed frame;

said half duplex radio receiving the data in a receive segment of said fixed frame, said half duplex radio further buffering said data and retransmitting the data to a second radio in a transmit segment of said fixed frame; and

,

said second radio receiving the data from the half duplex radio in a receive segment of said fixed frame.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said half duplex radio is scanning at least two different channels until data is received from one of at least two said different channels;

28. The system of claim 26 wherein a frequency scanning means is utilized to monitor at least two frequency channels.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein one of said at least two frequency channels is a frequency hopping channel.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein said first radio transmits a synchronization burst.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said synchronization burst comprises a tone followed by a synchronization preamble.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said synchronization burst is long enough for said half duplex radio to scan at least two channels and detect said burst on the second channel.

33. The system of claim 26 wherein said first radio is a half duplex radio.

34. The system of claim 26 wherein said second radio is a half duplex radio.