NETWORK COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH CONNECTION PROCEDURE TO ALLOW A CONTROLLER TO PROVIDE MESSAGES TO NODES AND TO IDENTIFY TERMINATION OF RECEIPT OF THE MESSAGES

• US 20070210897A1
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPNE Corp.
• Original Assignee: GPNE Corp.
• Inventors: Wong, Gabriel, Tsui, Po
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.210
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication system with at least one controller and a plurality of nodes provides a procedure to enable the controller to connect and send messages to individual nodes to establish and maintain a communication link. The controller further receives an indication from the node when termination of receipt of a message from the controller by the node has occurred. The controller transmits connection information to a node to establish a communication path over which the controller can transmit a message to the node when the controller has information to send. A communication message can be sent by the controller, for example, when a node wanders into its control area to enable a communication link to be established.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data communication system, the data communication system including at least one communication controller and at least one communication node, the method comprising:

transmitting a connection request signal from a first communication node to a first communication controller, said connection request signal including a request for at least one time slot over which the first node can receive messages transmitted from the first communication controller;

receiving a communication request signal from the first communication controller transmitted to the first node in response to the connection request signal, said communication request signal providing information indicating that the first node can receive a message transmitted from the first communication controller;

receiving the message data transmitted from the first communication controller according to the information provided with the communication request signal; and

transmitting a termination indication from the first node to the first communication controller indicating that termination of receipt of the message has occurred at the first node.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein prior to the step of transmitting a connection request signal from the first node, the first node receives a first controller message ready signal transmitted from the first communication controller when the first communication controller has at least one message to transmit to the first node, said first controller message ready signal specifying at least one time slot over which the first node may transmit a connection request signal to receive messages transmitted by the first communication controller, and

wherein the step of transmitting a connection request signal is performed by the first node in response to the first controller message ready signal.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein prior to the step of receipt of the message data, and after the step of receiving the communication request signal from the first communication controller, the first node receives a second signal from the first communication controller, said second signal specifying the at least one time slot over which the first communication controller will transmit the message to the first node.

4. The method of claim 2,

wherein prior to the step of receipt of the message data, and after the step of receiving the communication request signal from the first communication controller, the first node receives a second signal from the first communication controller, said second signal specifying the at least one time slot over which the first communication controller will transmit the message to the first node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request signal from the first node to the first communication controller includes information which is randomly generated by the first node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the message transmitted from the first communication controller includes said information that is randomly generated by the first node.

7. The method of claim 3,

wherein the connection request signal from the first node to the first communication controller includes information which is randomly generated by the first node, and

wherein the second signal transmitted from the first communication controller includes said information that is randomly generated by the first node.

8. The method of claim 1, where the connection request signal from the first node to the first communication controller is a random access transmission.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication system is a wide area network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node comprises a wireless alphanumeric writing tablet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request signal sent by the first node is transmitted over a common communication channel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication request signal sent by the first communication controller is transmitted over a common communication channel.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the message data sent by the first communication controller to the first node is transmitted over a dedicated communication channel.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises one or more data packets that comprise at least one of alphanumeric and voice data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication controller uses multiple radio frequencies employing multiple antennas.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node uses multiple radio frequencies employing multiple antennas.

17. The method of claim 4,

wherein said first controller message ready signal from the first communication controller is transmitted to the first node via a first channel over at least one frequency in a first group of frequencies;

wherein the connection request signal from the first node to the first communication controller is transmitted via a second channel over at least one frequency in a second group of frequencies;

wherein the second signal from the first communication controller is transmitted to the first node via a third channel over at least one frequency in a third group of frequencies; and

wherein the message data transmitted from the first communication controller to the first node is via a fourth channel over at least one frequency in a fourth group of frequencies.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the first group of frequencies is identical to the third group of frequencies;

and

wherein the third group of frequencies is identical to the fourth group of frequencies.

19. A method of operating a data communication system, the data communication system including at least one communication controller and at least one communication node, the method comprising:

receiving a communication request signal from the first communication controller transmitted to the first node in response to the connection request signal, said communication request signal providing information indicating that the first node can receive a message transmitted from the first communication controller;

receiving the message data transmitted from the first communication controller according to the information provided with the communication request signal; and

transmitting a termination indication from the first node to the first communication controller indicating that termination of receipt of the message has occurred at the first node.

20. A method of operating a data communication system, the data communication system including at least one communication controller and at least one communication node, the method comprising:

transmitting a connection request signal from a first communication node to a first communication controller, said connection request signal including a request for at least one time slot over which the first node can receive messages transmitted from the first communication controller;

receiving a communication request signal from the first communication controller transmitted to the first node in response to the connection request signal, said communication request signal providing information indicating that the first node can receive a message transmitted from the first communication controller; and

receiving the message data transmitted from the first communication controller according to the information provided with the communication request signal.