Apparatus, methods, and computer program products providing improved communication in decentralized wireless networks

• US 20090207894A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nefedov, Nikolai
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7183 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2662 Arrangements for Wireless System Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2678 Time synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2696 Over the air autonomous synchronisation, e.g. by monitoring network activity H04B7/2693 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

The exemplary embodiments of the invention enable self-organizing decentralized functionalities in wireless networks, such as ones having an arbitrary topology (e.g., cognitive radio networks), that utilize non-continuous communication, such as packet-based communication. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes: making at least one locally available decision or measurement by a first apparatus; and performing a local exchange of information between the first apparatus and at least one second apparatus within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication, wherein the local exchange of information enables cooperation between the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on at least one local decision or measurement.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configurable for local exchange of information with at least one other apparatus within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication; and

a control unit configurable for making at least one locally available decision or measurement, wherein the control unit is further configurable to cooperate with the at least one other apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on at least one local decision or measurement.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the at least one locally available decision or measurement made by the control unit.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the at least one locally available decision or measurement and to receive information from the at least one other apparatus in accordance with a procedure, wherein the procedure comprises a predefined protocol or random selection of one of transmitting or receiving.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein in response to receiving information from the at least one other apparatus, the apparatus is configured to update stored information indicative of a state of the at least one other apparatus.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the measurement made by the control unit comprises a measurement of a control channel common to the apparatus and the at least one other apparatus.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the measurement made by the control unit comprises a measurement of interference temperature.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the collective decision is indicative of at least one of distributed estimation for the decentralized wireless communication network, distributed control for the decentralized wireless communication network, or substantial time synchronization for the apparatus and the at least one other apparatus.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the collective decision enables the apparatus and the at least one other apparatus to substantially operate in synchronization and further enables the apparatus to participate in distributed estimation or control for packet transmissions within the decentralized wireless communication network.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the decentralized wireless communication network comprises a cognitive radio network.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile terminal.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for local exchange of information with at least one other apparatus within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication;

means for making at least one locally available decision or measurement; and

means for cooperating with the at least one other apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on at least one local decision or measurement.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the means for local exchange is further configured to transmit the at least one locally available decision or measurement made by the means for making, wherein the means for local exchange is configured to transmit the at least one locally available decision or measurement and to receive information from the at least one other apparatus in accordance with a procedure, wherein the procedure comprises a predefined protocol or random selection of one of transmitting or receiving.

13. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the means for local exchange comprises a transceiver and wherein the means for making and the means for cooperating comprise a processor.

14. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the decentralized wireless communication network comprises a cognitive radio network.

15. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile terminal.

16. A method comprising:

making at least one locally available decision or measurement by- a first apparatus; and

performing a local exchange of information between the first apparatus and at least one second apparatus within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication, wherein the local exchange of information enables cooperation between the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on at least one local decision or measurement.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein performing a local exchange of information comprises transmitting the at least one locally available decision or measurement made by the first apparatus.

18. A method as in claim 16, wherein performing a local exchange of information comprises transmitting, by the first apparatus, the at least one locally available decision or measurement made by the first apparatus and receiving, by the first apparatus, information from the at least one second apparatus in accordance with a procedure, wherein the procedure comprises a predefined protocol or random selection of one of transmitting or receiving.

19. A method as in claim 16, further comprising:

updating, by the first apparatus and in response to receiving information from the at least one second apparatus, stored information indicative of a state of the at least one second apparatus.

20. A method as in claim 16, wherein the measurement comprises a measurement of a control channel common to the apparatus and the at least one second apparatus.

21. A method as in claim 16, wherein the measurement comprises a measurement of interference temperature.

22. A method as in claim 16, wherein the collective decision is indicative of at least one of distributed estimation for the decentralized wireless communication network, distributed control for the decentralized wireless communication network, or substantial time synchronization for the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus.

23. A method as in claim 16, wherein the collective decision enables the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus to substantially operate in synchronization and further enables the first apparatus to participate in distributed estimation or control for packet transmissions within the decentralized wireless communication network.

24. A method as in claim 16, wherein the decentralized wireless communication network comprises a cognitive radio network.

25. A method as in claim 16, wherein the first apparatus comprises a mobile terminal.

26. A program storage device readable by a first apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the first apparatus for performing operations, said operations comprising:

making at least one locally available decision or measurement; and

performing a local exchange of information between the first apparatus and at least one second apparatus within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication, wherein the local exchange of information enables cooperation between the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on at least one local decision or measurement.

27. A program storage device as in claim 26, wherein performing a local exchange of information comprises transmitting, by the first apparatus, the at least one locally available decision or measurement made by the first apparatus and receiving, by the first apparatus, information from the at least one second apparatus in accordance with a procedure, wherein the procedure comprises a predefined protocol or random selection of one of transmitting or receiving.

28. A program storage device as in claim 26, wherein the collective decision is indicative of at least one of distributed estimation for the decentralized wireless communication network, distributed control for the decentralized wireless communication network, or substantial time synchronization for the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus.

29. A program storage device as in claim 26, wherein the collective decision enables the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus to substantially operate in synchronization and further enables the first apparatus to participate in distributed estimation or control for packet transmissions within the decentralized wireless communication network.

30. A program storage device as in claim 26, wherein the first apparatus comprises a mobile terminal.