ULTRA WIDEBAND ASSISTED INITIAL ACQUISITION

• US 20100035629A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Soliman, Samir S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is provided for reducing the search space of an acquiring ultra wideband (UWB) device seeking to join an UWB communication system, such as a Multi-band orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) UWB system, by providing wireless network information, such as the hopping pattern or Time-Frequency Code (TFC), timing and frequency information to the acquiring UWB device. The wireless network information is provided using a short range wireless module such as Bluetooth that may coexist with a UWB device. For example, an assisting UWB device, via a short range Bluetooth device module, may convey initial synchronization information, to the acquiring UWB device that also may have a coexisting UWB module. By knowing the TFC, timing and frequency information the acquiring UWB device may know the approximate beginning of the superframes of the UWB devices in the UWB communication system which may help reduce power consumption and probability of false alarm.

Claims

1. A method operational on an access terminal for assisted initial network acquisition of a first wireless network, comprising:

broadcasting a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

receiving the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network;

detecting a first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information; and

acquiring communication service over the first wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network is detected and the communication service is acquired via a first communication interface, and the request is broadcasted and the first wireless network information is received via a second communication interface, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown personal area network when it broadcasts the request for the first wireless network information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the received first wireless network information includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code and phase for the first wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving clock timing information from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network; and

aligning a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the access terminal uses the received clock timing information to adjust the first wireless network information by compensating for drift of a common oscillator of the assisting access terminal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information includes

tuning a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information;

and

awaking the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

13. An access terminal comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating over a first wireless network;

a second communication interface for communicating over a second wireless network, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

a processing circuit coupled to the first and second communication interfaces, the processing circuit configured to;

broadcast a request for first wireless network information over the second wireless network;

receive the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network;

detect the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information; and

acquire communication service over the first wireless network.

14. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

15. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

16. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

17. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

18. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown personal area network when it broadcasts the request for the first wireless network information.

19. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the received first wireless network information includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code and phase for the first wireless network.

20. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

receive clock timing information from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network; and

align a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

21. The access terminal of claim 20, wherein access terminal uses the received clock timing information to adjust the first wireless network information by compensating for drift of a common oscillator of the assisting access terminal.

22. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein detecting the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information includes

tuning a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information;

and

awaking the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble.

23. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

24. An access terminal comprising:

means for broadcasting a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

means for receiving the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network;

means for detecting a first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information; and

means for acquiring communication service over the first wireless network.

25. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

26. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network is detected and the communication service is acquired via a first communication interface, and the request is broadcasted and the first wireless network information is received via a second communication interface, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network.

27. The access terminal of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

28. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

29. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

30. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown personal area network when it broadcasts the request for the first wireless network information.

31. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the received first wireless network information includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code and phase for the first wireless network.

32. The access terminal of claim 24, further comprising:

means for receiving clock timing information from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network; and

means for aligning a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

33. The access terminal of claim 32, wherein access terminal uses the received clock timing information to adjust the first wireless network information by compensating for drift of a common oscillator of the assisting access terminal.

34. The access terminal of claim 24, further comprising:

means for tuning a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information; and

means for awaking the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

35. A circuit for wireless network communications, wherein the circuit is adapted to:

broadcast a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

receive the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network;

detect a first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information; and

acquire communication service over the first wireless network.

36. The circuit of claim 35, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

receive clock timing information from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network; and

align a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

37. The circuit of claim 35, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

tune a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information; and

awake the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

38. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for initial network acquisition, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

broadcast a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

receive the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network;

detect a first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information; and

acquire communication service over the first wireless network.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive clock timing information from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network; and

align a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

tune a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information; and

awake the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

41. A method operational on an access terminal for assisting an acquiring access terminal in initial network acquisition, comprising:

maintaining first wireless network information for a first wireless network associated with a first communication interface;

receiving a request for the first wireless network information from the acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with a second wireless network; and

sending the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the first wireless network information sent includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code and phase for the first wireless network.

47. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

sending clock timing information to the acquiring access terminal via the second wireless network to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

48. An access terminal comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating over a first wireless network;

a second communication interface for communicating over a second wireless network, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

a processing circuit coupled to the first and second communication interfaces, the processing circuit configured to;

maintain first wireless network information for the first wireless network;

receive a request for the first wireless network information from an acquiring access terminal over the second communication interface; and

send the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface.

49. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

50. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

51. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

52. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

53. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein the first wireless network information sent includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code and phase for the first wireless network.

54. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

send clock timing information to the acquiring access terminal via the second wireless network to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

56. The access terminal of claim 48, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

55. An access terminal comprising:

means for maintaining first wireless network information for a first wireless network associated with a first communication interface;

means for receiving a request for the first wireless network information from an acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with a second wireless network; and

means for sending the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface.

57. The access terminal of claim 55, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

58. The access terminal of claim 55, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

59. The access terminal of claim 55, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

60. The access terminal of claim 55, wherein the first wireless network information sent includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code and phase for the first wireless network.

61. The access terminal of claim 55, further comprising:

means for sending clock timing information to the acquiring access terminal via the second wireless network to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

62. A circuit for wireless network communications, wherein the circuit operates in an access terminal to assist initial network acquisition by an acquiring access terminal and is adapted to:

maintain first wireless network information for a first wireless network associated with a first communication interface;

receive a request for the first wireless network information from the acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with a second wireless network; and

send the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface.

63. The circuit of claim 62, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

send clock timing information to the acquiring access terminal via the second wireless network to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

64. The circuit of claim 62, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network, and at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

65. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for an access terminal to assist an acquiring access terminal in initial network acquisition of a first wireless network, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

maintain first wireless network information for the first wireless network associated with a first communication interface;

receive a request for the first wireless network information from the acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with a second wireless network; and

send the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

send clock timing information to the acquiring access terminal via the second wireless network to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network, and at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.