Routing protocol within hybrid-cellular networks

• US 20050245270A1
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Visotsky, Eugene, Tripathi, Vinayak, Baum, Kevin L., Classon, Brian K., Sartori, Philippe J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In order to establish routing to/from a base station within a hybrid-cellular network, each network element is assigned a “class” based on a received signal strength of the base station. Each network element is allowed to choose a network element of lower class for relaying information to the base station.

Claims

1. A method for determining a route within cell operating in a hybrid-cellular network mode, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a signal characteristic of a transmission from a base station;

based on the signal characteristic, determining a particular class of operation; and

choosing a network element having a lower class of operation for routing data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the signal characteristic for the transmission from the base station comprises the step of determining a signal characteristic chosen from a group of signal characteristics consisting of a received signal strength, a carrier to interference ratio, a carrier to noise ratio, a carrier to noise plus interference ratio, a bit error rate, a frame error rate, a link loading, and a combination of two or more of these signal characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the particular class of operation comprises the step of comparing the signal characteristic to a set of thresholds, and determining the particular class of operation based on the comparison.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the particular class of operation comprises the steps of:

receiving a set of thresholds broadcasted from the base station;

comparing the signal characteristic to the received set of thresholds; and

determining the particular class of operation based on the comparison.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of choosing the network element comprises the steps of:

receiving signals transmitted by other network elements; and

determining a network element of lower class having a best signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of choosing the network element comprises the steps of:

receiving pilot signals transmitted by other network elements;

receiving a class for the other network elements; and

determining a network element of lower class having a best pilot signal strength.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving uplink data from a network element having a higher class of operation; and

routing the received data to the network element having the lower class of operation.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving the downlink data from the network element having the lower class of operation; and

routing the downlink data to the network element having a higher class of operation.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining a time period for transmission for network elements having the particular class of operation; and

during the time period, transmitting a signal utilized by other network elements for choosing a relay.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of choosing the network element having lower the lower class of operation for routing data, comprises the step of choosing the network element based on a cumulative path quality metric of the network element.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of choosing the network element having the lower class of operation comprises the step of choosing the network element from a group of network elements having a lower class of operation.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of thresholds T₁ through T_j to be used by a network element for class determination;

receiving a downlink transmission from a base station;

determining a signal characteristic for the downlink transmission;

based on the signal characteristic and the plurality of thresholds, determining a particular class of operation (k) for the network element;

receiving class information for other network elements; and

choosing a network element having class <

k for routing data.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining the signal characteristic for the downlink transmission comprises the step of determining a signal characteristic from a group of characteristics consisting of a received signal strength, a carrier to interference ratio, a bit error rate, and a frame error rate.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining the particular class of operation comprises the step of comparing the signal characteristic to the plurality of thresholds, and determining the particular class of operation based on the comparison.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of choosing the network element comprises the steps of:

receiving signals transmitted by the other network elements of lower class; and

determining a single network element of lower class having a best signal strength.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of choosing a network element comprises the steps of:

receiving pilot signals transmitted by the other network elements; and

determining a single network element of lower class having a best pilot signal strength.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

receiving uplink data from a network element having a class >

k; and

routing the uplink data to the network element having class <

k.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

receiving downlink data from the network element having class <

k; and

routing the downlink data to a network element having class >

k.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

determining a time period for transmission for network elements having class-k; and

during the time period, transmitting a signal utilized by other network elements for choosing a relay.

20. An apparatus for determining a route within a hybrid-cellular network, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a signal characteristic of a transmission from a base station;

means for determining a particular class of operation based on the signal characteristic;

means for choosing a network element having lower a lower class of operation for routing data; and

means for routing the data through the network element having the lower class of operation.