SUPER-FRAME STRUCTURE FOR DYNAMIC SPECTRUM SHARING IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20100142559A1
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Hu, Wendong
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A coexistence communications method for use between wireless networks includes adopting a super-frame structure for use in a wireless network having a plurality of frames, wherein a first frame includes a super-frame preamble, a super-frame control header, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window, an intermediate frame includes an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window, and a last frame includes an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a joining self-coexistence window, using the self-coexistence windows to exchange inter-wireless network co-existence messages, and using a last reserved self-coexistence window to announce intra-wireless network negotiation decisions.

Claims

1. A super-frame structure for use in a wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of frames,

wherein a first frame includes a super-frame preamble, a super-frame control header, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window and wherein the super-frame control header is compatible with the IEEE 802.22 standard.

2. The super-frame structure of claim 1 wherein the super-frame preamble comprises a first OFDM symbol and a second OFDM symbol.

3. The super-frame structure of claim 1 wherein the super-frame control header comprises information common to other wireless networks.

4. The super-frame structure of claim 1 wherein the super-frame control header comprises a header check sequence.

5. The super-frame structure of claim 1 wherein the regular self-coexistence window comprises a reserved self-coexistence window.

6. The super-frame structure of claim 1 wherein the regular self-coexistence window comprises a coexistence beaconing protocol.

7. The super-frame structure of claim 6 wherein the coexistence beaconing protocol comprises a three-symbol protocol data unit.

8. The super-frame structure of claim 7 wherein a first symbol comprises a coexistence beaconing protocol preamble.

9. The super-frame structure of claim 7 wherein a second symbol of a protocol data unit comprises a coexistence beaconing protocol header and super-frame control information.

10. The super-frame structure of claim 7 wherein a third symbol of a protocol data unit comprises a coexistence beaconing protocol information element.

11. The super-frame structure of claim 9 wherein the super-frame control information comprises a system type.

12. The super-frame structure of claim 9 wherein the super-frame control information comprises a wireless network ID.

13. The super-frame structure of claim 9 wherein the super-frame control information comprises a data frame reservation map.

14. The super-frame structure of claim 9 wherein the super-frame control information comprises a self-coexistence window reservation map.

15. The super-frame structure of claim 9 wherein an intermediate frame includes an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window.

16. The super-frame structure of claim 9 wherein a last frame includes an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a joining self-coexistence window.

17. The super-frame structure of claim 16 wherein the joining self-coexistence window is accessed by all wireless networks on a particular RF channel through a contention-based access method.

18. A coexistence communications method for use between wireless networks comprising:

adopting a super-frame structure for use in a wireless network comprising a plurality of frames, wherein a first frame includes a super-frame preamble, a super-frame control header, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window, a plurality of intermediate frames include an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window, and a last frame includes an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a joining self-coexistence window;

using the self-coexistence windows to exchange inter-wireless network co-existence messages; and

using a last reserved self-coexistence window to announce intra-wireless network negotiation decisions.

19. A coexistence communications method for use between wireless networks comprising:

adopting a super-frame structure for use in a wireless network comprising a plurality of frames, wherein a first frame includes a super-frame preamble, a super-frame control header, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window, a plurality of intermediate frames include an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a regular self-coexistence window, and a last frame includes an OFDM symbol, a data portion, and a joining self-coexistence window;

discovering the self-coexistence reservation pattern on an out-of-band or in-band RF channel;

identifying the reserved self-coexistence windows of source wireless networks on the out-of band or in-band RF channel from the discovered self-coexistence window pattern; and

receiving coexistence beaconing protocol packets during the reserved self-coexistence windows of the source wireless networks on the out-of band RF channel.

20. A cross-channel coexistence communications method comprising:

a wireless system on a first channel discovers an SCW reservation pattern on an in-band or out-of-band second channel using the SCI information or through constant monitoring of the second channel;

the wireless system on the first channel identifies reserved SCWs of source wireless networks on the second channel from the discovered SCW pattern; and

the wireless system on the first channel receives CBP PDU packets during the reserved SCWs of the source wireless networks on the second channel, or during a J-SCW of the second channel in which the source wireless network could also transmit CBP packets.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising a two-way communication method wherein the wireless system on the first channel becomes the wireless system on the second channel, and vice versa.