Extendable Frequency Hopping Timeslots in Wireless Networks
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- determining, based on a length of a packet to transmit from a wireless node in a frequency hopping wireless network, whether transmission of the packet can be completed within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence; and
in response to determining that the packet transmission cannot be completed within the particular timeslot;
extending the particular timeslot into at least one subsequent timeslot sufficient to allow transmission of the packet to be completed within a combination of the particular timeslot and the extended timeslot;
transmitting at least some of the packet in the extended timeslot at a first frequency associated with the particular timeslot; and
changing from the first frequency to one or more second frequencies at some point after expiration of the extended timeslot.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a wireless transmitting node in a frequency hopping wireless network may determine whether a packet can be transmitted within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence based on a length of the packet. If unable to transmit the packet within the particular timeslot, the transmitting node extends the particular timeslot into a subsequent timeslot to allow transmission of the packet within the extended timeslot at a frequency associated with the particular timeslot. Once the extended timeslot ends, the transmitting node and receiving node hop frequencies into the subsequent timeslot to synchronize with the rest of the network that already hopped at the conventional rate. In another embodiment, a wireless receiving node may also extend the particular timeslot into a subsequent timeslot to allow reception of a packet that would extend beyond the particular timeslot, and may hop frequencies upon expiration of the extended timeslot.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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determining, based on a length of a packet to transmit from a wireless node in a frequency hopping wireless network, whether transmission of the packet can be completed within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence; and in response to determining that the packet transmission cannot be completed within the particular timeslot; extending the particular timeslot into at least one subsequent timeslot sufficient to allow transmission of the packet to be completed within a combination of the particular timeslot and the extended timeslot; transmitting at least some of the packet in the extended timeslot at a first frequency associated with the particular timeslot; and changing from the first frequency to one or more second frequencies at some point after expiration of the extended timeslot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus, comprising:
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one or more wireless network interfaces configured to communicate in a frequency hopping wireless network; a processor coupled to the wireless network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and a media access control (MAC) module coupled to the processor and the wireless network interfaces, the MAC module configured to; determine, based on a length of a packet to transmit from a wireless node in a frequency hopping wireless network, whether transmission of the packet can be completed within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence; and in response to determining that the packet transmission cannot be completed within the particular timeslot; extend the particular timeslot into at least one subsequent timeslot sufficient to allow transmission of the packet to be completed within a combination of the particular timeslot and the extended timeslot; transmit at least some of the packet in the extended timeslot at a first frequency associated with the particular timeslot; and change from the first frequency to one or more second frequencies at some point after expiration of the extended timeslot. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20)
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13. A method, comprising:
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receiving a header of a wireless packet at a wireless node in a frequency hopping wireless network, the header indicating a destination address and a length of the packet; in response to the destination address not corresponding to the wireless node, ignoring a remainder of the packet; and in response to the destination address corresponding to the wireless node; determining whether receipt of the packet can be completed within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence; and in response to determining that receipt of the packet cannot be completed within the particular timeslot; extending the particular timeslot into at least one subsequent timeslot sufficient to allow receipt of the packet to be completed within a combination of the particular timeslot and the extended timeslot; receiving at least some of the packet in the extended timeslot at a first frequency associated with the particular timeslot; and changing from the first frequency to one or more second frequencies at some point after expiration of the extended timeslot. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus, comprising:
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one or more wireless network interfaces configured to receive a header of a wireless packet in a frequency hopping wireless network, the header indicating a destination address and a length of the packet; a processor coupled to the wireless network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and a media access control (MAC) module coupled to the processor and the wireless network interfaces, the MAC module configured to; ignore a remainder of the packet in response to the destination address not corresponding to the wireless node; and in response to the destination address corresponding to the wireless node; determining whether receipt of the packet can be completed within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence; and in response to determining that receipt of the packet cannot be completed within the particular timeslot; extending the particular timeslot into at least one subsequent timeslot sufficient to allow receipt of the packet to be completed within a combination of the particular timeslot and the extended timeslot; receiving at least some of the packet in the extended timeslot at a first frequency associated with the particular timeslot; and changing from the first frequency to one or more second frequencies at some point after expiration of the extended timeslot. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification