METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UTILIZING OUT OF BAND SIGNALING FOR CALIBRATION AND CONFIGURATION OF A MESH NETWORK OF EHF TRANSCEIVERS/REPEATERS

• US 20090098824A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Maryam, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/13.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A plurality of repeater devices, each of which may enable forwarding extreme high frequency (EHF) communication between EHF-enabled wireless devices, may form a repeater mesh network. Some or all of the plurality of repeater devices may utilize non-extremely high frequency (non-EHF) control connection in communicating with other repeater devices in the repeater mesh network. The non-EHF control connections may be utilized in establishing, configuring, and/or managing the repeater mesh network. The non-EHF control connections may be also be utilized to enable sending, requesting, and/or receiving periodic and/or dynamic control information. The non-EHF control connections may also be utilized while forming, and/or managing forwarding routes of EHF communication via the repeater mesh network, to enable negotiating and/or setting different isolation techniques among the repeater devices, such as polarization isolation, spatial isolation, and/or use of different frequencies.

Claims

9. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for wireless communication, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

participation in a repeater mesh network among a plurality of repeater devices that extend a range of extremely high frequency (EHF) signals communicated between two or more wireless devices; and

managing said repeater mesh network utilizing control connections that are established between two or more of said plurality of repeater devices.

10. The machine-readable according to claim 9, wherein said extremely high frequency (EHF) signals comprise 60 GHz signals.

11. The machine-readable according to claim 9, wherein said control connections comprise non-extremely high frequency (non-EHF) connections.

12. The machine-readable according to claim 9, wherein said non-EHF connections comprise Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, and/or ultra-wideband (UWB) connections.

13. The machine-readable according to claim 9, comprising coordinating and/or managing, via said control connections, use of isolation techniques in one or more of said plurality of repeater devices to enable forwarding of extremely high frequency (EHF) Signals.

14. The machine-readable according to claim 13, wherein said isolation techniques comprise spatial isolation, polarization isolation, and/or use of different frequencies.

15. The machine-readable according to claim 9, comprising exchanging, via said control connections, control and/or configuration information among said plurality of repeater devices.

16. The machine-readable according to claim 15, comprising performing said exchange of control and/or configuration information among said plurality of repeater devices during initial configuration of said mesh network, periodically, and/or dynamically based on occurrence of events and/or conditions in said plurality of repeater devices.

17. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors in a repeater device that enable participation in a repeater mesh network comprising a plurality of repeater devices that includes said repeater device, to extend a range of extremely high frequency (EHF) signals communicated between a plurality of wireless devices; and

said one or more processors enable management of said repeater mesh network utilizing control connections that are established between said repeater devices and one or more of said plurality of repeater devices.

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

participating in a repeater mesh network comprising a plurality of repeater devices that extend a range of extremely high frequency (EHF) signals communicated between two or more wireless devices; and

managing said repeater mesh network utilizing control connections that are established between two or more of said plurality of repeater devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said extremely high frequency (EHF) signals comprise 60 GHz signals.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said control connections comprise non-extremely high frequency (non-EHF) connections.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said non-EHF connections comprise Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, and/or ultra-wideband (UWB) connections.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising coordinating and/or managing, via said control connections, use of isolation techniques in one or more of said plurality of repeater devices to enable forwarding of extremely high frequency (EHF) Signals.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said isolation techniques comprise spatial isolation, polarization isolation, and/or use of different frequencies.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising exchanging, via said control connections, control and/or configuration information among said plurality of repeater devices.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising performing said exchange of control and/or configuration information among said plurality of repeater devices during initial configuration of said mesh network, periodically, and/or dynamically based on occurrence of events and/or conditions in said plurality of repeater devices.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said extremely high frequency (EHF) signals comprise 60 GHz signals.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said control connections comprise non-extremely high frequency (non-EHF) connections.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said non-EHF connections comprise Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, and/or ultra-wideband (UWB) connections.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors enable coordination and/or management, via said control connections, of use of isolation techniques in one or more of said plurality of repeater devices to enable forwarding of extremely high frequency (EHF) Signals.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said isolation techniques comprise spatial isolation, polarization isolation, and/or use of different frequencies.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors enable exchange, via said control connections, of control and/or configuration information.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said one or more processors enable performance of said exchange of control and/or configuration information during initial configuration of said mesh network, periodically, and/or dynamically based on occurrence of events and/or conditions in one or more of said plurality of repeater devices.

24-1. The system according to claim 23, wherein said one or more processors enable performance of said exchange of control and/or configuration information during initial configuration of said mesh network, periodically, and/or dynamically based on occurrence of events and/or conditions in said plurality of repeater devices.

25. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors in a repeater device that enable management of a repeater mesh network utilizing control connections that are established between two or more of a plurality of repeater devices, wherein said repeater mesh network comprises said plurality of repeater devices and extends a range of extremely high frequency (EHF) signals communicated between a plurality of wireless devices, and wherein said plurality of repeater devices includes said repeater device.