System and methods for polling for dynamic slot reservation

• US 20090232112A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Trainin, Solomon, Kasher, Assaf
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0682 using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling

Abstract

Embodiments include systems and methods for allocating time to a plurality of devices in the network of a piconet controller. Embodiments comprise selectively directing a steerable antenna beam of the piconet controller to a plurality of devices in succession during a polling process to receive time allocation requests from one or more of the devices. Subsequent to the polling process, a grant procedure is performed wherein a device is granted permission to transmit in a subsequent time interval. Also during the grant process, one or more devices are instructed to receive from the device granted permission to transmit. The polling process and the grant process occur in the same superframe.

Claims

1. A piconet controller for allocating time slots for wireless devices in a network of the piconet controller:

memory to store time duration allocation information and requests to transmit received from one or more of the devices in the network;

a processor to poll each of the devices in succession by changing the direction of an antenna of the piconet controller, to receive transmit requests from one or more of the devices, to grant permission to transmit to one of the devices and permission to receive by one or more other of the devices;

a transceiver with a selectively directive antenna to communicate polling messages and permission grants to the devices and to receive transmit requests from the devices.

2. The piconet controller of claim 1, wherein the processor further selects according to criteria which of a plurality of devices requesting permission to transmit will be granted permission to transmit next.

3. The piconet controller of claim 1, wherein the processor further processes a transmit request to determine which of the one or more other devices is to receive from the device to which permission to transmit is granted.

4. The piconet controller of claim 1, wherein the processor further specifies a transmit time duration allocated to a transmitting device.

5. The piconet controller of claim 1, wherein the selectively directive antenna of the transceiver comprises a steerable phased array antenna.

6. The piconet controller of claim 1, wherein a transmit request comprises a requested transmit time duration.

7. The piconet controller of claim 1, wherein a transmit request comprises addresses of devices to receive a transmission from the one device to which permission to transmit is granted.

8. A method implemented by a piconet controller for allocating time of a superframe to a plurality of devices in a network of the piconet controller, comprising:

polling the plurality of devices by directing a directive beam of an antenna of the piconet controller to the plurality of devices one by one in succession;

sending a polling message to the devices one by one in succession and receiving a transmit request from at least one of the devices, wherein a transmit request designates one or more devices to receive; and

directing a directive beam of the antenna of the piconet controller to one of the devices from which a transmit request was received and transmitting to that device a grant of permission to transmit, and transmitting grants to receive to the devices designated to receive by the transmit request.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining which of a plurality of devices submitting transmit requests during the polling process will transmit next.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining which of the plurality of devices will transmit next is done by a round robin process.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising evaluating addresses in a transmit request to determine which devices are designated to receive a transmission from the device from which the transmit request is received.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising broadcasting by the piconet controller time slot allocation information to devices in the network.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the polling process and the grant process occur in the same superframe.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein directing a beam of the antenna comprises electronically steering the antenna beam.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein a transmit request comprises a request for a duration of time to transmit.

16. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions for allocating time to devices in the network of a piconet controller, which, when the instructions are executed by a machine, cause said machine to perform operations, comprising:

polling the plurality of devices by directing a directive beam of an antenna of the piconet controller to the plurality of devices one by one in succession;

sending a polling message to the devices one by one in succession and receiving a transmit request from at least one of the devices, wherein a transmit request designates one or more devices to receive; and

directing a directive beam of the antenna of the piconet controller to one of the devices from which a transmit request was received and transmitting to that device a grant of permission to transmit, and transmitting grants to receive to the devices designated to receive by the transmit request.

17. The machine accessible medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining which of a plurality of devices submitting transmit requests during the polling process will transmit next.

18. The machine accessible medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise evaluating addresses in a transmit request to determine which devices are designated to receive a transmission from the device from which the transmit request is received.

19. The machine accessible medium of claim 16, wherein the polling process and the grant process occur in the same superframe.

20. The machine accessible medium of claim 16, wherein a transmit request comprises a request for a duration of time to transmit.

21. A method for allocating time in a piconet to a plurality of devices in a network of a piconet controller, comprising

pointing a directive antenna of each of the plurality of devices to the piconet controller;

polling the plurality of devices by directing a directive beam of an antenna of the piconet controller to the plurality of devices one by one in succession;

sending a polling message to the devices one by one in succession and receiving a transmit request from at least one of the devices, wherein a transmit request designates one or more devices to receive; and

directing a directive beam of the antenna of the piconet controller to one of the devices from which a transmit request was received and transmitting to that device a grant of permission to transmit, and transmitting grants to receive to the devices designated to receive by the transmit request.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining which of a plurality of devices submitting transmit requests during the polling process will transmit next.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising broadcasting by the piconet controller time slot allocation information to devices in the network.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the polling process and the grant process occur in the same superframe.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein directing a beam of an antenna comprises electronically steering the antenna beam.