Wireless non-cellular network

• US 20080144564A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hamalianen, Jyri, Horneman, Kari, Hulkkonen, Jari
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A communication method includes monitoring a time division multiple access (TDMA) frame structure of a cellular system by a plurality of non-cellular nodes of a non-cellular network by using a common channel of the cellular system, and using the time division multiple access (TDMA) frame structure of the cellular system in the non-cellular network for exchanging data between at least some of the plurality of non-cellular nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a time division multiple access frame structure of a cellular system by a plurality of non-cellular nodes of a non-cellular network by using a common channel of the cellular system; and

using the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system in the non-cellular network for exchanging data between at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging control information of a medium access control protocol in a first frequency bandwidth by at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes of the non-cellular network; and

transmitting data in a second frequency bandwidth by using a time division multiple access frame structure.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging control messages between a source non-cellular node and a destination non-cellular node by using a distributed coordination function.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing with the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system via a synchronization channel by the at least part of the plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring occupied time division multiple access frames in the non-cellular network by the plurality of non-cellular nodes;

requesting approval of one or more time division multiple access frames by a control message from a source non-cellular node to a destination non-cellular node;

approving the requested one or more time division multiple access frames when the one or more time division multiple access frames are available within the coverage area of the destination non-cellular node; and

transmitting packet data to the destination non-cellular node in the approved one or more time division multiple access frames.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting one or more numbers of the requested time division multiple access frames within a request-to-send message from the source non-cellular node to the destination non-cellular node, and approving the requested one or more time division multiple access frames by transmitting a clear-to-send message from the destination non-cellular node to the source non-cellular node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the clear-to-send message includes the numbers of the time division multiple access frames included in the request-to-send message.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

suspending transmitting of the clear-to-send message when the requested time division multiple access frames are occupied within the coverage area of the destination non-cellular node.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

retransmitting the request-to-send message from the source non-cellular node to the destination non-cellular node when a clear-to-send message has not been received during a predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting a new request-to-send message with new time division multiple access frame numbers from the source non-cellular node to the destination non-cellular node when a clear-to-send message has not been received during a predetermined period of time.

11. A wireless non-cellular network comprising a plurality of non-cellular nodes, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes comprises:

a receiver for monitoring a time division multiple access frame structure of a cellular system by using a common channel of the cellular system; and

a processing unit for using the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system in the wireless non-cellular network for exchanging data with at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes further comprises:

a processing unit for exchanging control information of a medium access control protocol in a first frequency bandwidth with at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network; and

a transmission unit for transmitting data in a second frequency bandwidth by using a time division multiple access frame structure.

13. The network of claim 11, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes further comprises a processing unit for exchanging control messages between a source non-cellular node and a destination non-cellular node by using a distributed coordination function.

14. The network of claim 11, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes further comprises:

a processing unit for synchronizing with the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system via a synchronization channel.

15. The network of claim 11, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes further comprises:

a processing unit for monitoring occupied time division multiple access frames in the non-cellular network;

a processing unit for requesting approval of one or more time division multiple access frames by a control message from a source non-cellular node to a destination non-cellular node;

a processing unit for approving the requested one or more time division multiple access frames when the one or more time division multiple access frames are available within the coverage area of the destination non-cellular node; and

a transmission unit for transmitting packet data to the destination non-cellular node in the approved one or more time division multiple access frames.

16. The network of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit one or more numbers of the requested time division multiple access frames within a request-to-send message from the source non-cellular node to the destination non-cellular node, and the processing unit is configured to approve the requested one or more time division multiple access frames by transmitting a clear-to-send message from the destination non-cellular node to the source non-cellular node.

17. The network of claim 16, wherein the clear-to-send message includes the numbers of the time division multiple access frames included in the request-to-send message.

18. The network of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to suspend transmitting the clear-to-send message when the requested time division multiple access frames are occupied within the coverage area of the destination non-cellular node.

19. The network of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to retransmit the request-to-send message from the source non-cellular node to the destination non-cellular node when a clear-to-send message has not been received during a predetermined period of time.

20. The network of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit a new request-to-send message with new time division multiple access frame numbers from the source non-cellular node to the destination non-cellular node when a clear-to-send message has not been received during a predetermined period of time.

21. A non-cellular node for a wireless non-cellular network, the non-cellular node comprising:

a receiver configured to monitor a time division multiple access frame structure of a cellular system by using a common channel of the cellular system; and

a processing unit configured to use the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system in the wireless non-cellular network for exchanging data with one or more of a plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network.

22. The non-cellular node of claim 21, the non-cellular node further comprising:

a processing unit configured to exchange control information of a medium access control protocol in a first frequency bandwidth with at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit data in a second frequency bandwidth by using a time division multiple access frame structure.

23. The non-cellular node of claim 21, the non-cellular node further comprising:

a processing unit configured to exchange control messages with a destination non-cellular node by using a distributed coordination function.

24. The non-cellular node of claim 21, the non-cellular node further comprising:

a processing unit configured to synchronize to the time division multiple access time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system via a synchronization channel.

25. The non-cellular node of claim 21, the non-cellular node further comprising:

a processing unit configured to monitor occupied time division multiple access frames in the non-cellular network;

a processing unit configured to request approval of one or more time division multiple access frames by a control message to a destination non-cellular node;

a receiving unit configured to receive an approval of the requested one or more time division multiple access frames from the destination non-cellular node; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit packet data to the destination non-cellular node in the approved one or more time division multiple access frames.

26. The non-cellular node of claim 25, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit one or more numbers of the requested time division multiple access frames within a request-to-send message to the destination non-cellular node, and the receiving unit is configured to receive the approval of the requested one or more time division multiple access frames by receiving a clear-to-send message from the destination non-cellular node.

27. The non-cellular node of claim 26, wherein the processing unit is configured to retransmit the request-to-send message to the destination non-cellular node when a clear-to-send message has not been received during a predetermined period of time.

28. The non-cellular node of claim 26, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit a new request-to-send message with new time division multiple access frame numbers to the destination non-cellular node when a clear-to-send message has not been received during a predetermined period of time.

29. The non-cellular node of claim 21, the non-cellular node further comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a control message from a source non-cellular node for requesting approval of one or more time division multiple access frames;

a processing unit configured to transmit an approval of the requested one or more TDMA frames to the source non-cellular node when the one or more time division multiple access frames are available within the coverage area of the non-cellular node; and

a receiving unit configured to receive packet data from the source non-cellular node in the approved one or more time division multiple access frames.

30. The non-cellular node of claim 29, wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive one or more numbers of the requested time division multiple access frames within a request-to-send message from the source non-cellular node, and the processing unit is configured to approve the requested one or more time division multiple access frames by transmitting a clear-to-send message to the source non-cellular node.

31. The non-cellular node of claim 30, wherein the processing unit is configured to suspend transmitting the clear-to-send message when the requested time division multiple access frames are occupied within the coverage area of the non-cellular node.

32. A computer-readable program distribution medium encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process in a wireless non-cellular network, the process comprising:

monitoring a time division multiple access frame structure of a cellular system by a plurality of non-cellular nodes of a wireless non-cellular network by using a common channel of the cellular system; and

using the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system in the wireless non-cellular network for exchanging data between at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes.

33. The computer-readable program distribution medium of claim 32, the distribution medium including at least one of the following media:

a computer readable medium, a program storage medium, a record medium, a computer readable memory, a computer readable software distribution package, a computer readable signal, a computer readable telecommunications signal, and a computer readable compressed software package.

34. A wireless non-cellular network comprising a plurality of non-cellular nodes, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes comprises:

receiving means for monitoring a time division multiple access frame structure of a cellular system by using a common channel of the cellular system; and

processing means for using the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system in the wireless non-cellular network for exchanging data with at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes.

35. The network of claim 34, wherein at least one of the non-cellular nodes further comprises:

processing means for exchanging control information of a medium access control protocol in a first frequency bandwidth with at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network; and

transmitting means for transmitting data in a second frequency bandwidth by using a time division multiple access frame structure.

36. A non-cellular node for a wireless non-cellular network, the non-cellular node comprising:

receiving means for monitoring a time division multiple access frame structure of a cellular system by using a common channel of the cellular system; and

processing means for using the time division multiple access frame structure of the cellular system in the wireless non-cellular network for exchanging data with one or more of a plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network.

37. The non-cellular node of claim 36, the non-cellular node further comprising:

processing means for exchanging control information of a medium access control protocol in a first frequency bandwidth with at least one of the plurality of non-cellular nodes of the wireless non-cellular network; and

transmitting means for transmitting data in a second frequency bandwidth by using the time division multiple access frame structure.