METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC IDENTIFICATION (ID) ASSIGNMENT IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20110076991A1
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mueck, Markus, Schmidt, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,711,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0031 Multiple signaling transmission H04L1/1664, F15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0032 Without explicit signalling

Abstract

Methods and apparatus that reduce user identification overhead for communications. In one aspect of the invention, a reciprocal transmission channel characteristic (e.g., the channel impulse response) is used to derive shared and anonymous user identification between two wireless devices. In one embodiment, subscription-less data transmissions are broadcast from a base station to multiple user equipment, each user equipment receiving its correspondingly identified subscription-less data. The use of quantization levels and/or levels of tolerance for compensating for non-ideal differences in recipient and transmitter channel characteristics are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of providing a data service to a wireless device from a serving device, the method comprising:

receiving a first message from the wireless device;

determining a first element based at least in part on one or more first transmission channel path characteristics of the first message;

associating the data service to the first element; and

transmitting the associated data service and the first element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein responsive to receipt of the associated data service, performing the acts of:

determining a second element, the second element being determined based at least in part on one or more second transmission channel path characteristics of the transmitted associated data service;

comparing the first element with the second element; and

if the first element is substantially similar to the second element, decoding the associated data service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second element is not transmitted to the serving device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more second transmission channel path characteristics comprises a channel impulse response (CIR).

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second element comprises a temporary user ID determined by the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first transmission channel path characteristics comprises a channel impulse response (CIR).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first message comprises a request for the data service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a subscription-less data service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device and serving device comprise a mobile cellular device and a cellular base station, respectively.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first element comprises a temporary user ID determined by the serving device.

11. Serving apparatus for anonymously providing a data service to a wireless device, the serving apparatus comprising:

a radio transceiver;

a processing device in data communication with the radio transceiver; and

a computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program, the computer program which, when executed by the processing device;

generates a first element based on a radio channel characteristic specific to the wireless device;

associates the data service with the first element;

transmits the data service and the first element via the radio transceiver; and

does not identify the wireless device.

12. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer program is executed subsequent to the receipt of a request message.

13. The serving apparatus of claim 12, wherein the radio channel characteristic is derived from the received request message.

14. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the data service comprises a subscription-less data service.

15. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first element associated with the wireless device is discarded after the transmission of the data service.

16. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the radio channel characteristic is a channel impulse response (CIR).

17. The serving apparatus of claim 16, wherein the channel impulse response (CIR) is a time domain representation of the channel impulse response.

18. The serving apparatus of claim 16, wherein the channel impulse response. (CIR) is a frequency domain representation of the channel impulse response.

19. The serving apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first element is generated based on a differential representation of the channel impulse response (CIR).

20. The serving apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first element is generated based on a relative representation of the channel impulse response (CIR).

21. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the radio channel characteristic is an array of distances between time domain channel impulse response components.

22. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the radio channel characteristic comprises an array of phase differences between time domain channel impulse response components.

23. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first element associated with the wireless device is periodically updated.

24. The serving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the generated first element is based on a quantized radio channel characteristic.

25. The serving apparatus of claim 24, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processing device additionally transmits one or more parameters useful for quantization of the radio channel characteristic specific to the wireless device.

26. The serving apparatus of claim 25, wherein one or more parameters useful for quantization of the radio channel characteristic are broadcast.

27. A wireless apparatus for receiving a data service from a serving device, the wireless apparatus comprising:

a radio transceiver;

a processing device in data communication with the radio transceiver; and

a computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program, the computer program which, when executed by the processing device;

receives a data service and a first element via the radio transceiver;

generates a second element based on a radio channel characteristic specific to the serving device;

compares the first and second element; and

consumes the data service if the first and second element are substantially equivalent.

28. The wireless apparatus of claim 27, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to utilize a first quantization parameter to generate the second element.

29. The wireless apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first quantization parameter is pre-defined.

30. The wireless apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first quantization parameter is received from the serving device.

31. The wireless apparatus of claim 27, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processing device, additionally determines the radio channel characteristic based on the received data service.

32. The wireless apparatus of claim 31, wherein the second element is a quantized radio channel characteristic specific to the serving device.

33. The wireless apparatus of claim 32, wherein the quantized radio channel characteristic comprises one or more signal magnitudes.

34. The wireless apparatus of claim 32, wherein the quantized radio channel characteristic comprises one or more time values.

35. The wireless apparatus of claim 32, wherein the quantized radio channel characteristic comprises one or more frequency values.

36. The wireless apparatus of claim 32, wherein the quantized radio channel characteristic comprises one or more phase values.

37. The wireless apparatus of claim 27, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processing device, additionally transmits a first message.

38. The wireless apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first message comprises a request for the data service, and does not contain identifying information

39. A method of providing data services using a wireless network, the method comprising:

utilizing one or more channel characteristics of a wireless channel, the wireless channel having substantially reciprocal transmission properties, to generate a unique identification for a wireless device requesting a data service;

wherein the utilizing of the one or more channel characteristics does not require any information exchange between a serving device and a wireless device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the unique identification maintains the anonymity of the wireless device.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

the serving device transmitting one or more multicast or broadcast messages; and

responsive to receipt of the multicast or broadcast message, the wireless device identifying the serving device.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

the wireless device transmitting a request message; and

responsive to receipt of the request message, the serving device transmitting a data service.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

responsive to receipt of the data service, the wireless device utilizing one or more channel characteristics of the wireless channel, to derive a second unique identification.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising comparing the unique identification to the second unique identification derived by the mobile device based on the same wireless channel, to determine if the data service is intended for the mobile device.

45. A mobile device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving signals over a substantially reciprocal wireless channel; and

a processor in communication with the transceiver configured to process signals received via the wireless transceiver to determine a unique signature based on one or more channel path characteristics of the substantially reciprocal wireless channel, and utilize the unique signature or an approximation thereof, as a unique identification for accessing a wireless network.