Apparatus and method for acknowledging successful transmissions in a wireless communication system
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a data message from a wireless initiating device at a first responding device, the initiating device communicating the data message to at least two other responding devices;
determining a transmit time for communicating an acknowledgement message to the initiating device, wherein the transmit time is determined so as to not interfere with any communications of other acknowledgement messages by the at least two other responding devices; and
communicating the acknowledgement message to the initiating device at the determined transmit time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An initiating device in a wireless network transmits a data message to at least three responding devices. None, one, some, or all of the responding devices may successfully receive the data message. Any responding device that successfully receives the data message sends an acknowledgement to the initiating device, which may or may not receive the acknowledgement. The responding devices may use any suitable technique to determine an order in which the acknowledgements are communicated to the initiating device, such as by using an ordering of the network addresses of the responding devices. With adequate spatial and angular separation of the responding devices from the perspective of the initiating device, the likelihood of a lost (unsuccessfully received) data message in the wireless network can be reduced significantly. This may be useful, for example, in industrial process control systems used to control industrial processes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a data message from a wireless initiating device at a first responding device, the initiating device communicating the data message to at least two other responding devices; determining a transmit time for communicating an acknowledgement message to the initiating device, wherein the transmit time is determined so as to not interfere with any communications of other acknowledgement messages by the at least two other responding devices; and communicating the acknowledgement message to the initiating device at the determined transmit time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus comprising:
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a transceiver configured to receive a data message from an initiating device, the initiating device configured to communicate the data message to the apparatus and to at least two other responding devices; and a controller configured to determine a transmit time for communicating an acknowledgement message to the initiating device, the transmit time determined so as to not interfere with any communications of other acknowledgement messages by the at least two other responding devices; wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate the acknowledgement message to the initiating device at the determined transmit time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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transmitting a data message from an initiating device to at least three responding devices; determining whether any acknowledgement messages are received from any of the at least three responding devices; and re-transmitting the data message when no acknowledgement messages are received from any of the at least three responding devices. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification