Beacon transmission for wireless networks

• US 20060268746A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kneckt, Jarkko, Wijting, Carl Simon
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Various embodiments are disclosed relating to beacon transmissions in wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a wireless node may receive a beacon from one or more wireless nodes. The receiving node may generate and transmit a beacon map to other wireless nodes in the network. The beacon map may provide information relating to one or more of the received beacons, such as a time stamp or other time information for the beacon and the originating wireless node for the beacon, such as an address of the originating wireless node. In an example embodiment, the beacon map may be transmitted upon request or within a beacon, or within another message. In another example embodiment, a beacon map may be received at a receiving wireless node, including information relating to beacons from one or more other wireless nodes. A status of at least one of the beacons may be determined based upon the beacon map.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a beacon from one or more wireless nodes;

generating a beacon map; and

transmitting the beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing information relating to one or more of the received beacons.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting a beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing information relating to one or more received beacons, the information including a time stamp or other time information for the beacon and the originating wireless node for the beacon.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting a beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing a time stamp or other time information for the beacon and a MAC address of the originating wireless node for one or more of the received beacons.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting a beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing a time stamp or other time information for the beacon, an address of the originating wireless node, and a beacon status for one or more of the received beacons.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the beacon status comprises one of idle, receive or collision.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving comprises receiving a beacon from one or more mesh points in a wireless meshed network;

and

said transmitting comprises transmitting the beacon map to one or more of the mesh points, the beacon map providing information relating to one or more of the received beacons.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises:

receiving a request message from a wireless node requesting the beacon map; and

transmitting the beacon map in response to receiving the request message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the beacon map within a beacon.

9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

receiving the transmitted beacon map; and

relocating a beacon based on the beacon map.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the relocating comprises changing a target beacon transmission time for a beacon based on the beacon map.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a beacon map at a receiving wireless node, the beacon map providing information relating to beacons from one or more other wireless nodes; and

determining a status of at least one of the beacons from the one or more other wireless nodes based on the beacon map.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the determining a status comprises determining a transmission time of at least one of the beacons from the one or more other wireless nodes.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the receiving a beacon map comprises:

receiving a beacon map at a receiving wireless node, the beacon map including a time stamp or other time information for a beacon and an address of an originating wireless node for each of the beacons.

14. The method of claim 11 and further comprising relocating a beacon based on the beacon map.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the relocating comprises changing a target beacon transmission time for a beacon based on the beacon map.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the relocating comprises:

determining, based on the beacon map, that a beacon from one of the other wireless nodes has collided or will likely collide with a beacon transmitted from the receiving wireless node; and

relocating the beacon transmitted from the receiving wireless node based on the determining.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the apparatus comprises a mesh point in a wireless meshed network.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the beacon map providing information relating to one or more of the received beacons, the information including a time stamp or other time information for the beacon and the originating wireless node for the beacon.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a controller;

a memory coupled to the controller; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the controller;

the apparatus configured to;

receive a beacon from one or more wireless nodes;

generate a beacon map; and

transmit the beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing information relating to one or more of the received beacons.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a controller;

a memory coupled to the controller; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the controller;

the apparatus configured to;

receive a beacon map at a receiving wireless node, the beacon map providing information relating to beacons from one or more other wireless nodes; and

determine a status of at least one of the beacons from the one or more other wireless nodes based on the beacon map.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the apparatus comprises a mesh point in a wireless meshed network.

22. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium including stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, result in;

receiving a beacon from one or more wireless nodes;

generating a beacon map; and

transmitting the beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing information relating to one or more of the received beacons.

23. The article of claim 22 wherein the instructions resulting in transmitting the beacon map comprise instructions that, when executed by a processor result in:

transmitting a beacon map to one or more wireless nodes, the beacon map providing information relating to one or more received beacons, the information including a time stamp or other time information for the beacon and a MAC address of the originating wireless node for the beacon.