Frequency hopping spread spectrum communication system

• US 20050018631A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH (Forvia SE), Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Timo Olavi, Sivakumar, T V L N
• Application Number:
  US10/500,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20050018631A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/7154 with means for preventing interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 of the wireless resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of operating a frequency hopping spread spectrum, preferably a Bluetooth piconet, comprising a central node and dependent nodes which communicate over a time division duplexed, frequency hopping channel, alternate time-wise frequency/time slots being allocated for central node and dependent node transmission, wherein a first of said dependent nodes is not permitted to transmit in a frequency/time slot which immediately succeeds, time-wise, a frequency/time slot in which the central node transmitted to another of said dependent nodes, comprising the steps of: the central node maintaining a black-list of worse-performing frequency bands in the channel, and transmitting a dummy packet in a frequency/time slot immediately preceding, time-wise, a frequency/time slot allocated for possible dependent node transmission at a frequency band which is black-listed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a frequency hopping spread spectrum comprising a central node and dependent nodes which communicate over a time division duplexed, frequency hopping channel, alternate time-wise frequency/time slots being allocated for central node and dependent node transmission, wherein a first of said dependent nodes is not permitted to transmit in a frequency/time slot which immediately succeeds, time-wise, a frequency/time slot in which the central node transmitted to another of said dependent nodes, comprising the steps of:

the central node maintaining a black-list of worse-performing frequency bands in the channel, and transmitting a dummy packet in a frequency/time slot immediately preceding, time-wise, a frequency/time slot allocated for possible dependent node transmission at a frequency band which is black-listed.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the central node refrains from transmitting on a black-listed frequency/time slot.

3. A Bluetooth node comprising means for maintaining a black-list of worse performing frequency bands, and means for transmitting a dummy packet in a frequency/time slot immediately preceding, time-wise, a frequency/time slot allocated for possible slave node transmission at a frequency band which is black-listed.

4. A Bluetooth node as in claim 3, comprising means for refraining from transmitting on a given frequency/time slot on the basis of the black-list.