Method of forming directional wireless networks using in-band channels
First Claim
1. A method of mutually discovering relative locations of a plurality of mobile nodes to form a data communications network, the method comprising:
- initializing a signal transmission power level at a minimum power level;
initializing an antenna scan direction in a first predetermined direction of a plurality of directions;
randomly selecting, for each mobile node of the plurality of mobile nodes, to transmit or to receive an announcement packet during one scan direction;
transmitting, by at least one node, an announcement packet via an antenna beam in response to randomly selecting to transmit an announcement packet, the antenna beam being directed in the predetermined direction in a first synchronized time interval;
focusing, by at least one node, an antenna receiving beam to receive an announcement packet transmitted from a transmitting node in response to randomly selecting to receive an announcement packet in the first synchronized time interval;
resetting the first predetermined direction of the plurality of directions and repeating the steps of transmitting an announcement packet and focusing a receiving beam in response to an announcement signal not being received by a receiving node; and
repeating the steps of resetting the direction for each scan, and repeating the steps of transmitting an announcement packet and focusing a receiving beam in response to an announcement signal not being received by a receiving node until all of the plurality of directions have been scanned.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of forming a mobile network using Phased Array Antennas. Mobile nodes search for nodes with which to form a network by either transmitting low level announcement signals on a wide spoiled beam directional antenna at progressively increasing power levels, or by receiving announcement signals using a high-gain, narrow directional beam. Low power announcements are compensated for by processing gain in the receive modem. Nodes randomly decide at each step of the scan whether to transmit or receive. Two control slots in an epoch are used for neighbor discovery. The first control slot is to announce or receive an announcement, and the second control slot is used to acknowledge the receipt of an announcement packet. The neighbor discovery process uses in-band communications. The directional communications permit simultaneous links in close proximity to other links without interference.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of mutually discovering relative locations of a plurality of mobile nodes to form a data communications network, the method comprising:
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initializing a signal transmission power level at a minimum power level;
initializing an antenna scan direction in a first predetermined direction of a plurality of directions;
randomly selecting, for each mobile node of the plurality of mobile nodes, to transmit or to receive an announcement packet during one scan direction;
transmitting, by at least one node, an announcement packet via an antenna beam in response to randomly selecting to transmit an announcement packet, the antenna beam being directed in the predetermined direction in a first synchronized time interval;
focusing, by at least one node, an antenna receiving beam to receive an announcement packet transmitted from a transmitting node in response to randomly selecting to receive an announcement packet in the first synchronized time interval;
resetting the first predetermined direction of the plurality of directions and repeating the steps of transmitting an announcement packet and focusing a receiving beam in response to an announcement signal not being received by a receiving node; and
repeating the steps of resetting the direction for each scan, and repeating the steps of transmitting an announcement packet and focusing a receiving beam in response to an announcement signal not being received by a receiving node until all of the plurality of directions have been scanned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of forming an ad hoc mobile network using a spatial time division multiple access protocol, comprising:
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synchronizing a plurality of mobile nodes to predefined epochs of time for communication scheduling;
dividing the epochs of time into a plurality of equal time slots;
designating at least two of the equal time slots as control signaling slots;
simultaneously transmitting or receiving an announcement packet in a first control signaling time slot by the plurality of mobile nodes;
transmitting a reservation signal by at least one mobile node in a second control signaling time slot in response to receiving a transmitted signal from at least one mobile node in the first control signaling time slot; and
establishing a data link between the transmitting node and the receiving node in response to the transmitting node receiving a reservation signal and communicating between the transmitting and the receiving mobile nodes via directional antenna high gain high rate data link using at least two additional time slots of the plurality of equal time slots.
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8. A method of forming a mobile ad hoc network of a plurality of mobile nodes using directional antennas comprising:
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randomly assigning each node of a plurality of nodes randomly between a transmitting node and a receiving node;
directionally scanning over a predetermined range associated with a first power level with a first beam carrying an announcement signal, for a transmitting node;
simultaneously with the scanning of the first beam, directionally scanning at a highest power level with a second beam, for a receiving node;
increasing the level of the first power level to extend the predetermined range being scanned by the transmitting node, for a plurality of successive power level increments, up to a maximum power level;
transmitting a reserve signal from the receiving node to the transmitting node the announcement signal; and
establishing a data link between the receiving node and the transmitting node for high speed high gain operational communications in response to the receiving node receiving a transmitted signal from the transmitting node. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mobile ad hoc communications network system comprising:
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a plurality of mobile nodes;
a communications protocol for communications between mobile nodes;
each mobile node comprising at least one directional antenna, the at least one directional antenna having a plurality of power levels for scanning; and
a control device for transmitting and receiving data packets, the control device being configured for adjusting a power level of the at least one directional antenna at a plurality of successively increasing power levels and directing the at least one directional antenna in a plurality of directions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification