Enhanced Network Allocation Vector Mechanism for Optimal Reuse of the Spectrum in a Wireless Communication System

• US 20080232335A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Del Prado Pavon, Javier, Nandagopalan, Sai Shankar
• Application Number:
  US10/597,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20080232335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

Wireless networks and methods of use includes a source that transmits a signal to at least one destination during a scheduled time period. The network also includes at least one node, which is hidden from the destination, and which transmits a signal during the scheduled time period. The networks and their methods of use provide for efficient use of the medium.

Claims

1. A wireless network, comprising:

a source (101) that transmits a signal to at least one destination during a scheduled time period; and

at least one node (106, 109), which is hidden from the destination, and which transmits a signal during the scheduled time period.

2. A wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the source transmits a request to send (RTS) (202) to the at least one destination and the RTS includes a transmission duration and recipient information.

3. A wireless network as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one node (106) does not receive the RTS.

4. A wireless network as recited in claim 3, wherein the destination sends a clear to send (CTS) (207) transmission to the source after receiving the RTS, and at least one node that receives the RTS does not receive the CTS.

5. A wireless network as recited in claim 4, wherein the network includes at least one node (107) that receives the CTS.

6. A wireless network as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one node in the network receives the RTS and sets at least one network allocation vector (208, 216) during which the at least one node does not transmit.

7. A wireless network as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one node that receives the RTS transmits during at least a portion of the scheduled time period.

8. A wireless network as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one node that receives the CTS does not transmit during the scheduled time period.

9. A wireless network as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one node that receives the CTS transmits during a transmission of an acknowledgement (ACK) by the at least one destination.

10. A wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission during the scheduled time period includes at least one data frame.

11. A wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the source transmits a frame to at least one destination and the frame includes transmission duration and recipient information.

12. A wireless network as recited in claim 11, wherein the destination sends a response transmission to the source after receiving the frame and at least one node that receives the frame does not receive the response.

25. A wireless network as recited in claim 2, wherein a header of the RTS 202 may include an offset in addition to a duration value and an identification of the destination, and the offset specifies a time between the end of the reception of the RTS and the time that a network allocation vector (NAV) is set.

26. A wireless network as recited in claim 4, further comprising at least one node (110), which receives both the RTS and the CTS.

13. A method of wireless communication in a wireless network, the method comprising:

providing a source (101) that transmits a signal to at least one destination (102) during a scheduled time period; and

providing at least one node (106), which is hidden from the destination, and which transmits a signal during the scheduled time period.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the source transmits a request to send (RTS) (202) to the at least one destination and the RTS includes a duration value and recipient information.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one node in the network does not receive the RTS.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the destination sends a clear to send (CTS) (207) transmission to the source after receiving the RTS, and the least one node (106) does not receive the CTS.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the network includes at least one node (107) that receives the CTS.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein at least one node in the network receives the RTS and sets at least one network allocation vector (NAV) (208) during which the at least one node does not transmit.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one node that receives the RTS transmits during at least a portion of the scheduled time period.

20. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the at least one node that receives the CTS does not transmit during the scheduled time period.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one node that receives the CTS transmits during a transmission of an acknowledgement (ACK) (215) by the at least one destination.

22. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the transmission during the scheduled time period includes at least one data frame.

23. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the source transmits a frame to at least one destination and the frame includes a duration value and recipient information.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the destination sends a response transmission to the source after receiving the frame and at least one node that receives the frame does not receive the response.

27. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the network includes at least one node (110), which receives both the RTS and the CTS.