Communications methods and apparatus using physical attachment point identifiers

• US 20070147377A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv, Tsirtsis, George, Anigstein, Pablo, Parizhsky, Vladimir, Srinivasan, Murari
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for routing messages between an end node and an access node via another access node are described. Physical layer identification information is used when identifying a remote, e.g., adjacent, access node as a message destination. Thus, when a connection identifier based on one or more physical layer identifiers is available to a wireless terminal, e.g., from one or more downlink signals received from a destination access node, the wireless terminal can use the connection identifier corresponding to the destination node to route a message via an access node with which it has an established uplink connection. Such connection identifier information can be used even when other addressing information, e.g., network layer address information, associated with the destination access node, may not be available to the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A communication method for use in a system including an end node, a first access node and a second access node, the method comprising:

operating said end node to receive broadcast information from said second access node;

operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier from said broadcast information; and

operating said end node to transmit a first signal including said physical attachment point identifier to said first access node.

2. The communications method of claim 1, wherein transmitting said first signal includes transmitting said signal over a wireless communication link.

3. The communications method of claim 2, wherein said end node is within a broadcast coverage area into which said first and second access nodes each broadcast signals.

4. The communications method of claim 2, wherein said end node has a bi-directional communications link with said first access node and at least an uplink with said second access node.

5. The communications method of claim 2, wherein said end node has a bi-directional communications link with said first access node and does not have an uplink with said second access node.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second access nodes are base stations;

and

wherein operating the end node to transmit includes operating the end node to

transmit OFDM signals.

6. The communications method 2, wherein said broadcast information includes a plurality of beacon signals.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier includes determining from said received beacon signals:

a first identifier which is a cell identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier further includes:

determining from said received beacon signals a second identifier, said second identifier being a carrier identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier further includes:

determining from said received beacon signals a third identifier, said third identifier being a sector identifier.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier includes determining from said received beacon signals at least two of the following three identifiers corresponding to said second access node:

, i) a cell identifier, ii) a carrier identifier and iii) a sector identifier; and

wherein said step of transmitting a first signal includes communicating a physical attachment point identifier including said at least two determined identifiers to said first access node.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

operating said end node to receive from said first access node a signal including a message source identifier, said message source identifier including at least said two determined identifiers corresponding to said second access node.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said physical attachment point identifier identifies a physical connection point at said second access node, said physical attachment point identifier being unique within overlapping end node reception areas.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

operating said first access node to receive said first signal;

operating said first access node to determine a network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said first signal; and

operating the first access node to transmit a packet including said determined network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said first signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said packet further includes an end node identifier identifying said end node which transmitted said first signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first signal is a first message which does not include an end node identifier, said first signal being communicated using uplink signaling resources dedicated to said end node, the method further comprising:

operating said first access node to determine said end node identifier corresponding to the first signal; and

wherein said first access node includes said determined end node identifier in said transmitted packet.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

operating the first access node to receive a packet from said second access node, said received packet including said end node identifier and said physical attachment point identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

operating said first access node to transmit a signal to said end node, said signal including said physical attachment point identifier and at least some information obtained from the packet received from said second access node.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said signal transmitted to said end node is transmitted using a communications resource dedicated to said end node and does not include an end node identifier.

20. A wireless terminal comprising:

a first receiver module for receiving broadcast information from a second access node;

a physical attachment point identifier determination module for determining a physical attachment point identifier from said broadcast information; and

a first transmitter module for transmitting a first signal including said physical attachment point identifier to a first access node.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 20, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter for transmitting said first signal as an OFDM signal over a wireless communication link.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 21, wherein said wireless terminal is within a broadcast coverage area into which first and second access nodes each broadcast signals;

and

wherein said end node has a bi-directional communications link with said first access node and does not have an uplink with said second access node.

23. The wireless terminal of claim 21, wherein said broadcast information includes a plurality of beacon signals, and

wherein said physical attachment point identifier determination module includes a cell identifier determination module for determining a first identifier from one or more of said received beacon signals, said first identifier being a cell identifier.

24. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein said physical attachment point identifier determination module further includes a carrier identifier determination module for determining a second identifier from one or more of said received beacon signals, said second identifier being a carrier identifier.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein said identifier determination module further includes a sector identifier module for determining a third identifier from one or more of said received beacon signals, said third identifier being a sector identifier.

26. A method of operating a first access node, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from an end node;

determining a network layer address corresponding to a physical attachment point identifier included in said first signal; and

transmitting a packet including said determined network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said first signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said packet further includes an end node identifier identifying said end node which transmitted said first signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said first signal is a first message which does not include an end node identifier, said first signal being communicated using uplink signaling resources dedicated to said end node, the method further comprising:

determining said end node identifier corresponding to the first signal; and

including said determined end node identifier in said transmitted packet.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a packet from a second access node, said received packet including said end node identifier and said physical attachment point identifier.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

transmitting a signal to said end node, said signal including said physical attachment point identifier and at least some information obtained from the packet received from said second access node.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said signal transmitted to said end node is transmitted using a communications resource dedicated to said end node and does not include an end node identifier.

32. A base station, comprising:

a receiver module for receiving from a wireless terminal a first signal including a physical attachment point identifier;

an address resolution table including information mapping at least one physical attachment point identifier to a network layer address;

a mapping module for determining from the address resolution table a network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said first signal; and

a network interface module for transmitting a packet including said determined network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said first signal.

33. The base station of claim 32, further including:

a signal generation module for generating said packet including said determined network layer address and for including in said packet an end node identifier identifying said wireless terminal which transmitted said first signal.

34. The base station of claim 33, wherein said first signal is a first message which does not include an end node identifier;

said base station further including;

a memory including stored resource allocation information identifying end nodes to which uplink resources have been allocated;

an end node identification module for determining an end node identifier corresponding to an end node to which an uplink resource used to communicate said received first signal was dedicated; and

wherein said signal generation module includes said determined end node identifier in said transmitted packet.

35. The base station of claim 34, further comprising:

a packet routing module for routing packets including said end node identifier and said physical attachment point identifier as a function of said physical attachment point identifier.

36. The base station of claim 35, further comprising:

a transmission module for transmitting signals to said end node which include said physical attachment point identifier and at least some information obtained from one or more packets received from another access node.

37. The base station of claim 36, wherein said memory further includes downlink resource allocation information;

and

wherein said signal transmitted to said end node is transmitted using a downlink communications resource dedicated to said end node and does not include an end node identifier.