Creation of environments to detect wireless devices

• US 20070080800A1
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Staccato Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Kumar, Nishant, Carbone, Nicholas, Gallagher, Timothy, Taylor, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,589,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Detecting a wireless device is disclosed. A situation in a wireless medium is created for the wireless device to transmit. A transmission of the wireless device is received. The wireless device is detected based at least in part on information associated with the received transmission of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a wireless device comprising:

creating a situation in a wireless medium for the wireless device to transmit;

receiving a transmission of the wireless device; and

detecting the wireless device based at least in part on information associated with the received transmission of the wireless device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further including identifying a band associated with the wireless device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further including communicating detection of the wireless device to a wireless device other than the wireless device being detected.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further including communicating detection of the wireless device to a wireless device other than the wireless device being detected using a beacon.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further including deciding to perform an action to avoid the wireless device in the wireless medium.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes a narrowband wireless device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by an ultrawideband (UWB) wireless device.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation is performed by (1) a device performing the method and (2) a wireless device other than the wireless device being detected and the device performing the method.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation occurs periodically.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes transmitting in the wireless medium such that the wireless device transmits in response to the transmission.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes transmitting a frame in the wireless medium such that the wireless device transmits in response to the transmitted frame.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is associated with an environment in time.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is associated with an environment in frequency.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is associated with an environment in frequency that is a band dedicated for detection.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is associated with an environment in frequency that, with respect to the wireless device, is a band dedicated for detection.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is associated with an environment in frequency that, with respect to a device performing the method, is a band is dedicated for detection.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is associated with a guard band.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless device does not transmit prior to transmission in the created situation.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment using a reservation.

21. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment using a reservation respected by a wireless device other than the wireless device being detected.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment defined by a beginning time and an end time in the context of a superframe.

23. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a situation includes:

creating a low energy environment in a first band, wherein the first band includes a portion of the wireless medium the transmission of the wireless device is received in; and

creating a low energy environment in a second band, wherein the low energy environment in the first band and the low energy environment in the second band overlap in time.

24. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment using a reservation; and

the reservation is used in a first superframe to transmit data and is used in a second superframe for detection.

25. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment using a reservation; and

the reservation is used in a first superframe by a first detecting device and is used in a second superframe by a second detecting device.

26. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

creating a situation includes creating a low energy environment using a reservation; and

during the reservation (1) a detecting device receives the transmission of the wireless device and (2) a device other than the detecting device and the wireless device powers down.

27. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting the wireless device includes detecting energy on a band used by the wireless device.

28. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting the wireless device includes processing a received packet.

29. A system for detecting a wireless device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a transmission of the wireless device; and

a processor configured to;

create a situation in a wireless medium for the wireless device to transmit; and

detect the wireless device based at least in part on information associated with the received transmission of the wireless device.

30. A system as recited in claim 29 further comprising:

a first radio device associated with a first set of bands; and

a second radio device associated with a second set of bands.

31. A system as recited in claim 29 further comprising:

a first radio device associated with a first set of bands used for detecting; and

a second radio device associated with a second set of bands.

32. A computer program product for detecting a wireless device, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

creating a situation in a wireless medium for the wireless device to transmit;

receiving a transmission of the wireless device; and

detecting the wireless device based at least in part on information associated with the received transmission of the wireless device.