Integrated infrastructure for coexistence of WI-FI networks with other networks

• US 20070268884A1
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kolavennu, Soumitri N., Yi, Yunjung
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A wireless communications method and system includes an industrial sensor network that comprises a plurality of industrial sensors, which communicates with the industrial sensor network at a particular operating frequency band through one or more infrastructure nodes associated with the industrial sensor network. A wireless communications network is established, which includes a plurality of wireless communications stations that communicates with one or more of the infrastructure nodes. The infrastructure node(s) can be modified to additionally function as a wireless access point for the wireless communications network utilizing Time Division Multiplexing Algorithm (TDMA), thereby permitting the industrial sensor network to coexist and accommodate the wireless communications network.

Claims

1. A wireless communications method, comprising:

providing a wireless network comprising a plurality of sensors that communicates with said wireless network at a particular operating frequency hopping spectrum through at least one infrastructure node associated with said wireless network;

establishing an integrated wireless communications network comprising a plurality of wireless communications stations that communicates with said at least one infrastructure node; and

modifying said at least one infrastructure node to additionally function as a wireless access point for said auxiliary wireless communications network, permitting said wireless network to coexist and accommodate said auxiliary wireless communications network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a TDMA protocol to support said wireless network and said auxiliary wireless communications network.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting an unsolicited CTS signal at an end of a time period from said at least one infrastructure node.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising varying a power level of a transmission from said at least one infrastructure node.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said time period comprises a predefined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless network comprises an industrial sensor network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary wireless communications network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said wireless access point comprises a Wi-Fi access point.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

permitting said industrial sensor network to communicate with said at least one infrastructure node utilizing a Frequency Hopping Spectrum mechanism.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

permitting said industrial sensor network to communicate with said at least one infrastructure node utilizing an IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee communications protocol.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

permitting said wireless access point to communicate with said auxiliary wireless communications network utilizing an IEEE 802.11 communications protocol.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

synchronizing a clock on said auxiliary wireless communications network side with said wireless network and said at least one infrastructure node to orchestrate communications in a TDMA manner.

13. An integrated wireless communications system, comprising:

a wireless network comprising a plurality of sensors that communicates with said wireless network at a particular operating frequency band through at least one infrastructure node associated with said wireless network; and

an auxiliary wireless communications network comprising a plurality of wireless communications stations that communicates with said at least one infrastructure node at another operating frequency, wherein said at least one infrastructure node is modified to additionally function as a wireless access point for said auxiliary wireless communications network, thereby permitting said wireless network to coexist and seamlessly accommodate auxiliary said wireless communications network.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a transmission mechanism for transmitting an unsolicited CTS signal at an end of a predefined time period from said at least one infrastructure node.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising a power mechanism for varying a power of transmission in aid at least one infrastructure node.

16. The system of claim 13 further comprising a TDMA protocol to support said wireless network and said auxiliary wireless communications network.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a transmission mechanism for transmitting an unsolicited CTS signal at an end of a predefined period said at least one infrastructure node; and

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a mechanism for varying a transmission power at said at least one infrastructure node.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising a synchronization mechanism for synchronizing a clock on said auxiliary Wi-Fi network with said industrial sensor network at said infrastructure node to orchestrate communications in a TDMA manner.

17. A wireless communications system, comprising:

an industrial sensor network comprising a plurality of industrial sensors that communicates with said industrial sensor network at a particular operating frequency band through at least one infrastructure node associated with said industrial sensor network;

an auxiliary Wi-Fi network comprising a plurality of wireless communications stations that communicates with said at least one infrastructure node at another operating frequency; and

TDMA data structure to support said industrial sensor network and said auxiliary Wi-Fi network, wherein said at least one infrastructure node is modified to additionally function as a Wi-Fi access point for said auxiliary Wi-Fi network, thereby permitting said industrial sensor network to coexist and accommodate said auxiliary Wi-Fi network.