Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a wireless local area network mesh communication system

• US 20060268803A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Taori, Rakesh, Lee, Sung-Won, Lee, Jun-Seo
• Granted Patent: US 7,929,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for receiving data in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system, where a first control signal to check if it is possible to receive data is received, and, when it is possible to receive data, waiting for data and when it is impossible to receive data, transmitting a second control signal representing data reception impossibility. Herein, the second control signal comprises information that enables data transmission when a second control signal is not received during a time interval.

Claims

1. A method for receiving data in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a first control signal to determine if it is possible to receive data;

waiting for data when it is possible to receive data; and

transmitting a second control signal representing that data reception is not possible when it is not possible to receive data;

wherein the second control signal comprises information that enables data transmission.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first control signal comprises a Request To Send (RTS).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining if it is possible to receive data through a channel when the first control signal comprises information about the channel.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

selecting a channel to receive data;

wherein the transmitting of the second control signal comprises transmitting information about the selected channel.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the time interval is substantially identical to a transmission interval for one Clear To Send (CTS).

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising re-transmitting the first control information when the second control information is received during the time interval.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising, when the second control information is received, changing a data channel for data transmission;

and

transmitting information representing a change of the data channel with the first control information.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising transmitting the first control information, when the second control information includes information representing a change of the data channel, by adding the information representing the change of the data channel to the first control information.

23. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein data transmission is enabled when a second control signal is not received during a time interval.

6. An apparatus for receiving data in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving a first control signal to determine if it is possible to receive data;

a controller for waiting for data when it is possible to receive data, and for creating a second control signal representing that data reception is not possible when it is not possible to receive data, based on the first control signal; and

a transmission unit for transmitting the second control signal,

wherein the second control signal comprises information that enables data transmission.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first control signal comprises a Request To Send (RTS).

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller determines if it is possible to receive data through a channel when the first control signal comprises information about the channel.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a channel to receive data is selected, and the second control signal comprises information about the selected channel.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the time interval is substantially identical to a transmission interval for one Clear to Send (CTS).

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein data transmission is enabled when a second control signal is not received during a time interval

11. A method for transmitting data in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting first control information to determine if it is possible to transmit data; and

transmitting data when second control information representing that data reception is not possible is not received during a time interval in response to the first control information.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first control information comprises a Request To Send (RTS).

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the time period is substantially identical to a transmission interval for one Clear To Send (CTS).

17. An apparatus for transmitting data in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a controller for creating first control information to determine if it is possible to transmit data, and transmitting data when second control information representing that data reception is not possible is not received during a time interval in response to the first control information;

a transmission unit for transmitting the first control information; and

a reception unit for receiving the second control information.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the controller re-transmits the first control information when receiving the second control information during the time interval.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller changes a data channel for data transmission and creates the first control information comprising information representing a change of the data channel, when receiving the second control information during the time interval.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller creates a first control information comprising information representing a change of the data channel, when the second control information comprises information representing a change of the data channel.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first control information comprises a Request To Send (RTS).

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the time interval is substantially identical to a transmission interval for one Clear To Send (CTS).