Wireless communication method and apparatus

• US 20070286140A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Chang-yeul
• Granted Patent: US 7,944,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A wireless communication method and apparatus are provided. The wireless communication method includes receiving a packet including information of a device connected to a wireless network, the wireless network uses a first channel and a second channel supporting different transmission capabilities, and storing the information of the device included in the packet.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method comprising:

generating a Media Access Control (MAC) packet comprising an MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) including information of a device connected to a wireless network, the wireless network uses a first channel and a second channel supporting different transmission capabilities; and

transmitting the MAC packet.

2. The wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the information of the device includes at least one of an MAC capability and a physical layer (PHY) capability of the device.

3. The wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether at least one of information about a request to recommend a communication mode to be used in a current link state from the device to other devices and information about recommendation of the communication mode from the device to other devices can be processed.

4. The wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the device can transmit data using the first channel.

5. The wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the device can receive data using the first channel.

6. The wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the device can request a coordinator of the wireless network for channel time allocation information.

7. The wireless communication method of claim 6, wherein the request of the channel time allocation information is performed if the device does not receive a beacon.

8. The wireless communication method of claim 7, wherein the packet requesting the channel time allocation information is transmitted in a contention based control period having a fixed time position.

9. The wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the device can request a coordinator of the wireless network for extension of a channel time allocated thereto.

10. The wireless communication method of claim 9, wherein the extension of the channel time is channel time allocation in which a part of an unreserved channel time or an entire unreserved time subsequent to the channel time allocated to the device is allocated for communication of the device.

11. The wireless communication method of claim 2, wherein the PHY capability includes a data processing mode.

12. The wireless communication method of claim 11, wherein the data processing mode includes at least one of a coding mode, a modulation method, and a coding rate.

13. The wireless communication method of claim 12, wherein the coding mode includes an Equal Error Protection mode that applies the same coding rates to bits constituting data to be transmitted and an Unequal Error Protection mode that applies, to at least one bit of the bits constituting data to be transmitted, a coding rate different from other bits.

14. A wireless communication apparatus that is connected to a wireless network which uses a first channel and a second channel supporting different data transmission capabilities, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a Media Access Control (MAC) processing unit which generates a packet including information of the wireless communication apparatus; and

a transmitting unit which transmits the packet.

15. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 14, wherein the information of the wireless communication apparatus includes at least one of an MAC capability and a PHY capability of the wireless communication apparatus.

16. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the MAC capability includes information about whether at least one of information about a request to recommend a communication mode to be used in a current link state from the wireless communication apparatus to other devices and information about recommendation of the communication mode from the wireless communication apparatus to other devices can be processed.

17. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the wireless communication apparatus can transmit data using the first channel.

18. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the wireless communication apparatus can receive data using the first channel.

19. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmitting/receiving unit transmits the packet through the second channel.

20. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the wireless communication apparatus can request a coordinator of the wireless network for channel time allocation information.

21. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 20, wherein the request of the channel time allocation information is performed if the wireless communication apparatus does not receive a beacon.

22. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 20, wherein a packet for requesting the channel time allocation information is transmitted in a contention based control period having a fixed time position.

23. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the MAC capability includes information representing whether the wireless communication apparatus can request a coordinator of the wireless network for extension of a channel time allocated thereto.

24. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 23, wherein the extension of the channel time is channel time allocation in which a part of an unreserved channel time or an entire unreserved time subsequent to the channel time allocated to the wireless communication apparatus is allocated for communication of the wireless communication apparatus.

25. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the PHY capability includes a data processing mode.

26. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 25, wherein the data processing mode includes at least one of a coding mode, a modulation method, and a coding rate.

27. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 26, wherein the coding mode includes an Equal Error Protection mode that applies the same coding rate to bits constituting data to be transmitted and an Unequal Error Protection mode that applies, to at least one bit of the bits constituting data to be transmitted, a coding rate different from other bits.

28. A wireless communication method comprising:

receiving a packet including information of a device connected to a wireless network which uses a first channel and a second channel supporting different transmission capabilities; and

storing the information of the device included in the packet.

29. The wireless communication method of claim 28, wherein the information of the device includes at least one of a Media Access Control (MAC) capability and a Physical layer (PHY) capability of the device.

30. The wireless communication method of claim 28, further comprising:

performing communication with the device based on the information of the device.

31. The wireless communication method of claim 28, wherein the first channel has a transmission capability which is higher than a transmission capability of the second channel.

32. The wireless communication method of claim 31, wherein the packet is received through the second channel.

33. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit which receives a packet including information of a device connected to a wireless network which uses a first channel and a second channel supporting different transmission capabilities; and

a storage unit which stores the information of the device included in the packet.

34. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 33, wherein the information of the device includes at least one of a Media Access Control (MAC) capability and a Physical layer (PHY) capability of the device.

35. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

a Media Access Control (MAC) processing unit which controls communication with the device based on the information of the device.

36. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 33, wherein the receiving unit receives the packet through the second channel.