WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK PROVIDING MULTI-HOP COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20110134845A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VenKee Communications LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pine Valley Investments, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martinez, Dennis Michael, Hengeveld, Thomas Andrew, Johnson, Reid Henry, Ericson, Daniel Wayne, Henderson, Gregory Newell
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless communication network is provided that includes a plurality of communication cells each defined by at least one communication coverage area and a plurality of access points each corresponding to a different one of the plurality of communication cells. Each access point is configured to communicate on a first frequency with at least one of (i) a subscriber in the at least one communication coverage area in a first communication cell and (ii) a subscriber in a second communication cell. Each access point is further configured to communicate on a second frequency with an access point in a third communication cell.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A wireless communications network using a common wireless communications protocol and comprising:

a plurality of communications cells configured to use the common wireless communications protocol and comprising at least first, second, and third communications cells;

the first, second, and third communications cells comprising first, second, and third access points, respectively;

the first access point being configured to communicate, using the common wireless communications protocol, on a first frequency with at least one of a mobile device within a respective wireless communication coverage area of the first communications cell and the second access point;

the third access point being configured to communicate, using the common wireless communications protocol, on a second frequency with the first access point and a mobile device within a respective wireless communications coverage area of the third communications cell.

22. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein the first access point communicates outbound communications on the first frequency;

and wherein the first access point receives inbound communications on the second frequency.

23. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein the first, second, and third access points are configured to dynamically configure the first and second frequencies based upon at least one of an access point failure, bandwidth usage, communication traffic flow, and communication priority.

24. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third access points is coupled to a wired network.

25. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 24, wherein other ones of the first, second, and third access points are configured to provide a multi-hop communication link between the mobile device and the access point coupled to the wired network.

26. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein the first and second communications cells are adjacent.

27. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein the first and third communications cells are adjacent.

28. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein the second and third communications cells are adjacent.

29. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 21, wherein each of the first, second, and third communications cells includes a plurality of communication coverage areas configured in a tessellated configuration.

30. A wireless communications network using a common wireless communications protocol and comprising:

a plurality of communications cells configured to use the common wireless communications protocol and comprising at least first, second, and third communications cells;

the first, second, and third communications cells comprising first, second, and third access points, respectively;

the first access point being configured to communicate, using the common wireless communications protocol, on a first frequency with at least one of a mobile device within a respective wireless communication coverage area of the first communications cell and the second access point;

the third access point being configured to communicate, using the common wireless communications protocol, on a second frequency with the first access point and a mobile device within a respective wireless communications coverage area of the third communications cell;

the first, second, and third access points being configured to dynamically configure the first and second frequencies based upon at least one of an access point failure and a communication priority.

31. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first access point communicates outbound communications on the first frequency;

and wherein the first access point receives inbound communications on the second frequency.

32. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 30, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third access points is coupled to a wired network.

33. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 32, wherein other ones of the first, second, and third access points are configured to provide a multi-hop communication link between the mobile device and the access point coupled to the wired network.

34. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first and second communications cells are adjacent.

35. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first and third communications cells are adjacent.

36. A wireless communication network in accordance with claim 30, wherein the second and third communications cells are adjacent.

37. A method of operating wireless communication network including a plurality of communications cells configured to use a common wireless communications protocol and comprising at least first, second, and third communications cells, the first, second, and third communications cells comprising first, second, and third access points, respectively, the method comprising:

configuring the first access point to communicate, using the common wireless communications protocol, on a first frequency with at least one of a mobile device within a respective wireless communication coverage area of the first communications cell and the second access point;

configuring the third access point to communicate, using the common wireless communications protocol, on a second frequency with the first access point and a mobile device within a respective wireless communications coverage area of the third communications cell.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the common wireless communications protocol includes a media access layer having a media access control (MAC) frame structure.

39. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the MAC frame structure comprises first and second MAC frame sections;

and wherein the first access point and the mobile device are configured to communicate on the first frequency during the first MAC frame section; and

wherein the first access point, third access point, and mobile device are configured to communicate on the second frequency during the second MAC frame section.

40. A method in accordance with claim 39, wherein the MAC frame structure comprises a time division duplexing (TDD) frame structure;

and wherein the first and second MAC frame sections comprise first and second half-frames of the TDD frame structure.

41. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the first access point is configured to communicate outbound communications on the first frequency;

and wherein the first access point is configured to receive inbound communications on the second frequency.