METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING MULTI-CHANNEL DIRECT LINK CONNECTION IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK, RELATED NETWORK AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20090310578A1
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Convertino, Gabriella, Scarpa, Vincenzo, Parata, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 9,232,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A wireless communication network includes an access point and a plurality of stations. The access point sends towards the stations periodic information arranged in time frames or beacon intervals. The stations in the network are configured to in a first mode through the access point, and in a second mode directly with each other. The time frames are partitioned into a first time interval wherein the stations communicate in the first mode over a first channel; a second time interval wherein the stations communicate in the second mode over a second channel, and a third time interval wherein the stations communicate in either of the first or the second mode.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method of operating a wireless communication network including an access point and a plurality of stations, the method comprising:

sending periodic information arranged in time frames to said plurality of stations by said access point;

communicating by said plurality of stations in a first mode through said access point, and in a second mode directly with each other; and

partitioning said time frames into a first time interval wherein said plurality of stations communicate in said first mode over a first channel, a second time interval wherein said plurality of stations communicate in said second mode over a second channel, and a third time interval wherein said plurality of stations communicate in either said first or second mode.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said first time interval has a fixed length.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

negotiating communication in said second mode between a transmitter station and a receiver station in said plurality of stations.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said negotiating communication in said second mode includes allocating direct link transmission opportunities in which said transmitter station is allowed to communicate in said second mode with said receiver station in said plurality of stations.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said transmission opportunities are in the form of time intervals.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said time intervals are defined by at least one of starting time and a maximum duration.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

defining said maximum duration on the basis of application quality of service requirements and channel conditions.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

negotiating said starting time between said transmitter station and said receiver station in said plurality of stations.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

said transmitter station and said receiver station in said plurality of stations negotiating said starting time to prevent overlapping of said transmission opportunities.

48. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

said plurality of stations selecting a transmission mode between said first mode and said second mode for a given traffic stream as a function of at least one of the quality of service requirements of said given traffic stream and the exploitation of the communication resources of said network.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

said plurality of stations selecting a transmission mode between said first mode and said second mode for a given traffic stream using a path metric defined on a path and a traffic stream in said network, wherein said metric is a product of a first component taking into account quality of service requirements of said given traffic stream and a second component indicative of a cost of the communication resources of said network.

50. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

said plurality of stations switching between said first mode and said second mode upon a variation in the operating conditions of said network.

51. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

at least one of said plurality of stations maintaining simultaneous communication in said first mode and said second mode over different channels in said network.

52. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

buffering data at least one of said plurality of stations as said at least one of said plurality of stations switches between said first mode and said second mode.

53. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

storing at said access point data sent to at least one of said plurality of stations in said first mode as said at least one of said plurality of stations is in said second mode; and

said access point sending said data stored therein to said at least one of said plurality of stations

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

said access point sending said data stored therein to said at least one of said plurality of stations as said at least one of said plurality of stations switches back to said first mode.

55. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

said access point considering any of said plurality of stations operating in said second mode as a station in power save mode.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

said Access Point sending said data stored therein to said at least one of said plurality of stations as said at least one of said plurality of stations periodically awakes from said in power save mode.

76. A computer program product, loadable in the memory of at least one computer and including software code portions for performing the method of claim 39.

57. A station of a wireless communication network, the network comprising an access point and a plurality of stations, with said access point operative to send towards said plurality of stations periodic information arranged in time frames, said station comprising:

a scheduler for scheduling communication of said station with at least one homologous station in said network in a first mode, through said access point, and in a second mode directly with said homologous station,

wherein said station is configured for communicating (a) in said first mode over a first channel in a first time interval of said time frames, (b) in said second mode over a second channel in a second time interval of said time frames; and

(c) in either of said first or second mode in a third time interval of said time frames.

58. The station of claim 57, wherein said first time interval has a fixed length.

59. The station of claim 57, further comprising:

a negotiator module for negotiating communication in said second mode with said at least one homologous station.

60. The station of claim 59, wherein said negotiator module is configured for negotiating the allocation of direct link transmission opportunities in which said station is allowed to communicate in said second mode with said at least one homologous station.

61. The station of claim 60, wherein said transmission opportunities are in the form of time intervals.

62. The station of claim 61, wherein said time intervals are defined by at least one of starting time and a maximum duration.

63. The station of claim 62, wherein said maximum duration is defined on the basis of application requirements and channel conditions.

64. The station of claim 62, wherein said negotiator module is configured for negotiating said starting time between said station and said homologous station.

65. The station of claim 64, wherein said negotiator module is configured for negotiating said starting time to prevent overlapping of said transmission opportunities.

66. The station of claim 57, further comprising:

a switch module to switch between said first mode and said second mode for a given traffic stream as a function of at least one of quality of service requirements of said given traffic stream and the exploitation of the communication resources of said network.

67. The station of claim 66, wherein said switch module is configured for switching between said first mode and said second mode for a given traffic stream on the basis of a path metric defined on a path and a traffic stream in said network, wherein said metric is a product of a first component taking into account quality of service requirements of said given traffic stream and a second component indicative of a cost of the communication resources of said network.

68. The station of claim 57, wherein said switch module is configured for switching between said first mode and said second mode upon a variation in the operating conditions of said network.

69. The station of claim 57, wherein said scheduler is configured for maintaining simultaneous communication in said first mode and said second mode over different channels in said network.

70. The station of claim 57, further comprising:

a buffer for buffering data as said station switches between said first mode and said second mode.

71. The station of claim 57, wherein the station is configured for receiving from said access point data stored therein which data are sent to said station in said first mode as said station is in said second mode.

72. The station of claim 71, wherein the station is configured for receiving from said access point said data stored therein as said station switches back to said first mode.

73. The station of claim 71, wherein said station is configured for presenting itself to said access point as a station in power save mode when said station operates in said second mode.

74. The station of claim 73, wherein said station is configured for receiving from said access point said data stored therein said station periodically awakes from said in power save mode.

75. A wireless communication network including a plurality of stations according to claim 57.