PEER TO PEER WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100303014A1
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Canada Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Canada Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: McMullin, Roderick, Lewis, Niclas
• Granted Patent: US 8,964,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A wireless communication system includes a plurality of headsets, each embodying a wireless transceiver, and wherein communication can be established between the headsets via the wireless transceivers over a network in which the headsets act as nodes.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising a plurality of headsets, each incorporating a wireless communications module comprising a power supply, a microphone, a speaker, a wireless transceiver, a memory, and a processor responsive to instructions stored in the memory to control operation of the wireless communications module to establish a communication network with the wireless communications modules incorporated in the headsets acting as nodes in the network.

2. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network is a peer-to-peer packet network.

3. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said packet network is a mesh network with links established between all headsets within range of each other.

4. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said packet network is an IP network.

5. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said network is based on an IEEE 802.15 air interface.

6. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the wireless communication module of each said headset is configured to serve as a repeater to forward a signal received from the wireless communication module of one headset to the wireless communication module of another headset, thereby extending the effective range of the wireless communication modules.

7. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an interface module for connection to an external radio communication system, and wherein said interface module includes a transceiver for establishing wireless communication with said headsets, wherein said interface module can be incorporated as part of a network including said headsets.

8. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic components of each wireless communication module are mounted on a printed circuit board conforming to the shape of an earpiece of the headset.

9. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a management interface for connection to, and for controlling operation of, said wireless communication modules.

10. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one stand-alone wireless controller including at least a push-to-talk button for remotely controlling operation of a wireless communications module.

11. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the stand-alone wireless controller comprises a wireless transceiver, a memory, and a processor responsive to instructions stored in the memory to control operation of the wireless controller so that it acts as a node in the network.

12. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the wireless controller module includes a data interface.

13. A headset as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an active noise cancelation subsystem to reduce ambient noise.

14. A headset for incorporation into a wireless communication system enabling communication among a group of users, incorporating a wireless communications module comprising a power source, a microphone, a speaker, a wireless transceiver, a memory, and a processor responsive to instructions stored in the memory to control operation of the wireless communications module to establish a communication network with another like wireless communication module wherein the wireless communication modules acting as nodes in the network.

15. A headset as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wireless communications module is configured to form a peer-to-peer packet network with other wireless communication modules.

16. A headset as claimed in claim 15, wherein said packet network is a mesh network.

17. A headset as claimed in claim 16, wherein said packet network is an IP network.

18. A headset as claimed in claim 17, wherein said network is based on an IEEE 802.15 air interface.

19. A headset as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to serve as a repeater to forward a received signal to the wireless communication module of another headset, thereby extending the effective range of other wireless communication modules in the network.

20. A headset as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronic components of each wireless communication module are mounted on a printed circuit board conforming to the shape of an earpiece of the headset.

21. A headset as claimed in claim 15, further comprising at least one stand-alone wireless controller including at least a push-to-talk button for remotely controlling operation of a wireless communications module.

22. A headset as claimed in claim 14, comprising a user interface residing on the headset itself.

23. A headset as claimed in claim 21, comprising a user interface residing on a linked wireless controller.

24. A headset as claimed in 14, further comprising user interface controls on the headset, and user interface controls on a linked wireless controller configurable to be mirrored to those on the headset.

25. A headset as claimed in 14, further comprising user interface controls on the headset, and there is a linked wireless controller with user interface controls on a linked wireless controller that are configurable to be different to allow for extended functionality for the operator.

26. A stand-alone wireless controller, comprising a wireless transceiver, a memory, and a processor responsive to instructions stored in the memory to control operation of the wireless controller, and a push-to-talk button for remotely controlling operation of the a wireless communications module, and wherein the wireless controller is configured to acts as a node in a network such that the wireless controller communicates with a wireless communications module incorporated into a headset over the network.