SYSTEM FOR ENABLING MOBILE COVERAGE EXTENSION AND PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS IN AN AD HOC NETWORK AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREFOR

• US 20090116430A1
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strong Force IoT Portfolio 2016, LLC (Strong Force Intellectual Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Calcev, George, Smith, Nathan J., Mangalvedhe, Nitin R., Bonta, Jeffrey D., Fonseca, Benedito J. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for enabling mobile coverage extension and peer-to-peer communications in an ad hoc network is provided. The method includes communicating at least one message among the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one message comprises: an ad hoc zone, wherein the ad hoc zone comprises at least one channel selected from a group of channels comprising: at least one synchronization channel for synchronizing out of coverage nodes, at least one access channel for peer-to-peer communications, and at least one ad hoc relay data/traffic channel for exchanging data during data sessions between one or more nodes.

Claims

1. A method for communication between a plurality of nodes in an ad hoc network, the method comprising:

communicating at least one message among the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one message comprises;

an ad hoc zone, wherein the ad hoc zone comprises at least one channel selected from a group of channels comprising;

at least one synchronization channel for synchronizing out of coverage nodes,

at least one access channel for peer-to-peer communications, and

at least one ad hoc relay data/traffic channel for exchanging data during data sessions between one or more nodes.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes include ad hoc capable peer nodes, the method further comprising:

permitting routing and resource negotiations between ad hoc capable peer nodes by enabling the access channel in the ad hoc zone.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

negotiating resources of the ad hoc relay traffic/data channel between peer nodes based on local measurements of the ad hoc relay traffic/data channel.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ad hoc network further comprises a base station, the method further comprising:

allocating resources of the ad hoc relay traffic/data channel based upon base station selection.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the synchronization channel, the access channel, and the ad hoc relay data/traffic channel are each allocated within a primary frequency band frame.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the synchronization channel and the access channel are each allocated within a primary frequency band frame; and

the ad hoc relay data/traffic channel is allocated within an alternate frequency band frame.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one message further comprises:

a control channel information element, wherein the control channel information element comprises a logical channel providing a redirection to utilize an alternate frequency band.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the alternate frequency band comprises a spectrum selected from a group comprising:

a licensed spectrum, an unlicensed spectrum, and an opportunistic spectrum.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the synchronization channel contains one or more parameters selected from a group comprising:

parameters to support network synchronization paging channel elements, a paging group identifier, a network identifier, state information, Ad Hoc Data Channel descriptors, a size of the Ad Hoc Zone, a periodicity of the Ad Hoc Zone, a size of Ad Hoc channels, and a periodicity of Ad Hoc channels.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access channel provides communications of one or messages selected from a group of messages comprising a broadcast message, a multicast message, and a unicast message.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing simultaneous access to the access channel.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access channel comprises:

a first portion access channel for communicating routing messages; and

a second portion access channel for communicating direct link resource negotiation messages.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a change in a pattern of the synchronization channel, access channel, and ad hoc relay data/traffic channel of an ad hoc zone in a synchronization channel of a message.

14. A method for providing communication service to a node operating within an ad hoc network, the method comprising:

determining by a node that it is an out of coverage node when it has not received an indication of a presence of infrastructure;

permitting the out of coverage node to communicate in an autonomous ad hoc networking mode without base station control;

transmitting at least one message by the out of coverage node, the message including;

a synchronization channel indicating absence of infrastructure, and

an allocation of access logical channels.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the node determines it is an out of coverage node when it has not received at least one of a group comprising:

a MAP of a base station, and a distributed synchronization channel from another node with an indication of the presence of infrastructure.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising prior to the permitting step:

determining whether a pre-determined period of time has expired; and

periodically checking for receipt of the indication of the presence of infrastructure when the pre-determined period of time has not expired.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at another node another synchronization channel with an indication of the presence of infrastructure;

receiving at the another node the synchronization channel from the out of coverage node with an indication of absence of infrastructure;

and transmitting from the other node to the out of coverage node a message with an indication of the presence of infrastructure.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

ceasing transmission of the synchronization channel indicating absence of infrastructure by the out of coverage node.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the message comprises and ad hoc zone, and further wherein the synchronization channel and the allocation of access logical channels are contained within the ad hoc zone.