Chime-In Protocol For Channel Access

• US 20070165664A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Investors Life Insurance Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dataflow Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Highsmith, William, Gerhardt, Edward, Bernett, William
• Application Number:
  US11/687,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20070165664A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/715 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/7154 with means for preventing interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access

Abstract

A network of stations uses bandwidth assigned to primary users on a secondary user basis. The stations having a status of needing to send information indicate a need for transmission access by transmitting, simultaneously with transmissions indicating a need for transmission access from other stations of the network, an indication of status to a master station. Each station indicating need for transmission access transmits that indication of status on a respectively different frequency. The master station then grants access to the transmission bandwidth to the requesting stations.

Claims

1. A method for allocating access to transmission bandwidth, comprising:

causing each station of a network, having a status of needing to send information, to indicate that status on a different respective frequency of a group of frequencies used by stations of said network.

2. The method of claim 1 in which each station indicates that status by transmitting an unmodulated carrier.

3. The method of claim 1 in which each station indicates that status substantially simultaneously with other stations.

4. The method of claim 3 in which each stations indicates that status by responding to a signal from a master station.

5. The method of claim 3 in which stations are arranged in groups and stations of a group respond substantially simultaneously.

6. The method of claim 5 in which stations of the network are arranged in plural groups and stations of one group respond substantially simultaneously in one time interval and stations of different groups respond in respectively different time intervals.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the group of frequencies is selected from frequencies used for frequency hopping transmissions by stations of said network.

8. The method of claim 7 in which frequencies used for frequency hopping are those identified as clear by all stations of said network.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the different respective frequency is selected from a group of frequencies using a unique station identification to access a list of frequencies.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the group of frequencies are selected from a group of clear channels.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the group of clear channels are used for frequency hopping.

12. Apparatus for allocating access to transmission bandwidth comprising:

a. a transmitter for sending a unique signal to all stations of a network; and

b. a receiver for receiving substantially simultaneously from each station of said network having information to send on said transmission channel a response signal.

13. Apparatus of claim 12 in which one or more stations with information to send are sent an authorization to transmit.

14. Apparatus of claim 13 in which said one or more stations to which an authorization to transmit was sent transmit information to said apparatus after receiving said authorization.

15. Apparatus of claim 14 in which the one or more stations receiving an authorization to transmit, transmit in respectively different time intervals.

16. Apparatus for obtaining access to a transmission channel comprising:

a. a receiver for receiving a unique signal from a master station;

b. a table storing a list of frequencies;

c. a selection mechanism for selecting a frequency from a list of frequencies using a unique network identification; and

d. a transmitter for transmitting a response signal to said master station on the frequency selected by said selection mechanism, if said apparatus has information to send.

17. A system for allocating access to transmission bandwidth, comprising:

a. a master stations for sending a unique signal;

b. a plurality of remote stations, each of which responds to said unique signal substantially simultaneously on a respective frequency only if that remote stations has information to transmit.

18. A computer program product comprising:

a. a computer readable medium; and

b. instructions stored on said computer readable medium for causing a station of a network, having a status of needing to send information, to indicate that status on a different respective frequency of a group of frequencies used by stations of said network substantially simultaneously with indications of status from other stations.