Communicating schedule and network information in a powerline network

• US 20070025266A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atheros Powerline, LLC, Sharp Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Coppergate Communications Limited (Sigma Designs Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atheros Communications Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ayyagari, Deepak, Chan, Wai, Katar, Srinivas, Riedel, Neal, Peponides, Yiorgos, Gavette, Sherman, Petranovich, James, Yonge, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US11/492,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20070025266A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]

Abstract

There is provided a powerline network that includes a number of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of the stations. The central coordinator includes a system clock and a network timer and is configurable to transmit a number of network timer values. Each of the network timer values can be transmitted by the central coordinator in one of a number of beacons. Each of the other stations is configurable to utilize the network timer values and a corresponding number of local timer values to estimate a frequency error between the system clock and a local clock and an offset between the network timer and a local timer. Each of the other stations is further configurable to utilize the frequency error and the offset to synchronize the local timer to the network timer.

Claims

1. A powerline network comprising:

a plurality of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of said plurality of stations;

wherein said central coordinator includes a system clock and a network timer and is configurable to transmit a plurality of network timer values; and

wherein each other of said plurality of stations is configurable to utilize said plurality of network timer values and a corresponding plurality of local timer values to estimate a frequency error between said system clock and a local clock and an offset between said network timer and a local timer.

2. The powerline network of claim 1, wherein said each other of said plurality of stations is further configurable to utilize said frequency error and said offset to synchronize said local timer to said network timer.

3. The powerline network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of network timer values is transmitted by said central coordinator in one of a plurality of beacons.

4. The powerline network of claim 1, wherein said network timer and said local timer are controlled by said system clock and said local clock, respectively.

5. The powerline network of claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of beacons includes a frame control including a plurality of powerline network parameters.

6. The powerline network of claim 1, wherein said each other of said plurality of stations is further configurable to utilize said frequency error and said offset to adjust said local clock for synchronized signal processing.

7. The powerline network of claim 1, wherein said central coordinator is further configurable to transmit a schedule including resource allocations to said each other of said plurality of stations.

8. The powerline network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of network timer values comprises 32 bits.

9. A method for coordinating transmissions of a plurality of stations for communication via a powerline, a first station of said plurality of stations being designated as a central coordinator having a system clock and a network timer, said method comprising;

receiving a plurality of network timer values from said central coordinator by a second station of said plurality of stations; and

utilizing said plurality of network timer values and a corresponding plurality of local timer values by said second station to estimate a frequency error between said system clock and a local clock and an offset between said network timer and a local timer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said second station utilizes said frequency error and said offset to synchronize said local timer to said network timer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said second station receives each of said plurality of network timer values in one of a plurality of beacons from said central coordinator.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said network timer and said local timer are controlled by said system clock and said local clock, respectively.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of beacons includes a frame control including a plurality of powerline network parameters.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said second station utilizes said frequency error and said offset to adjust said local clock for synchronized signal processing.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said second station receives a schedule including resource allocations from said central coordinator.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of network timer values comprises 32 bits.

17. A device for communication via a powerline with a central coordinator having a system clock and a network timer, said device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of network timer values from said central coordinator; and

wherein said device is configured to utilize said plurality of network timer values and a corresponding plurality of local timer values to estimate a frequency error between said system clock and a local clock and an offset between said network timer and a local timer.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of network timer values is received by said device in one of a plurality of beacons from said central coordinator.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of beacons includes a frame control including a plurality of powerline network parameters.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein said network timer and said local timer are controlled by said system clock and said local clock, respectively.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein said device is further configured to utilize said frequency error and said offset to adjust said local clock for synchronized signal processing.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein said device is further configurable to transmit a schedule including resource allocations to said each of said one or more other devices.