Adaptive beacon period in a distributed network

• US 20050249170A1
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Provenance Asset Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamaki, Jukka, Salokannel, Juha
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A wireless communications network includes one or more wireless communications devices and a wireless transmission medium. The one or more wireless communications devices transmit beacon messages across the wireless transmission medium during a beacon period that is within a superframe. The beacon period has a number of beacon slots that is dynamically adjusted.

Claims

1. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium,

a controller configured to determine a number of beacon slots for a group of one or more devices based on the received beacon messages, the group including the wireless communications device; and

a transmitter configured to send a generated beacon message to allocate the determined number of beacon slots to the group.

2. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the determined number of beacon slots are within a beacon period of a superframe.

3. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of beacon messages are within a two or more beacon periods.

4. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of beacon messages identifies:

one or more devices within a same beaconing group; and

beacon slots employed by the one or more devices.

5. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the generated beacon message indicates number of used beacon slots that are visible to the device.

6. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the generated beacon message indicates a relative usage of beacon slots that are visible to the device.

7. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive ultra wideband (UWB) signals, and the transmitter is configured to transmit UWB signals.

8. A method, comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium,

(b) determining a number of beacon slots for a group of one or more devices based on the received beacon messages, the group including the wireless communications device; and

(c) sending a beacon message to allocate the determined number of beacon slots to the group.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determined number of beacon slots are within a beacon period of a superframe.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of beacon messages are within a two or more beacon periods.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of beacon messages identifies:

one or more devices within a same beaconing group; and

beacon slots employed by the one or more devices.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the beacon message sent in step (c) indicates number of used beacon slots that are visible to the device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the sent beacon message sent in step (c) indicates a relative usage of beacon slots that are visible to the device.

14. A method, comprising:

(a) receiving one or more beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium, wherein each of the one or more beacon messages is received within one or more corresponding beacon periods;

(b) determining a number of beacon slots for one of the one or more beacon periods based on the one or more received beacon messages; and

(c) sending a beacon message allocating the determined number of beacon slots to the one beacon period.

15. A wireless communications network, comprising:

one or more wireless communications devices; and

a wireless transmission medium;

wherein the one or more wireless communications devices transmit beacon messages across the wireless transmission medium during a beacon period, wherein the beacon period is within a superframe and has a number of beacon slots that is dynamically adjusted based on the amount of the one or more wireless communications devices.

16. The wireless communications network of claim 15, wherein the transmitted beacon messages include one or more ultra wideband (UWB) signals.