MESH NETWORK CONFIGURATION IN A WHITE SPACE BAND

• US 20130336277A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Eunsun, Seok, Yongho
• Granted Patent: US 10,470,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for efficiently configuring a mesh network in a white space band and to a device therefor. In order to configure a mesh network in a white space band, a first station, which is accessible to a geographical position database through direct Internet access, notifies at least one second station through a gate announcement frame, for which the first station itself serves as a mesh gate; at least one second station receives a first multi-hop management action frame including position information on each of at least one, mesh point that subscribes to a mesh network; and a second multi-hop management action frame including information on an available channel in the white space is transmitted to at least one mesh point. Therefore, a mesh network may be configured in a white space band.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a Mesh Network in a white space band, the method comprising:

informing, by a first station, one or more second stations that the first station capable of accessing a geo-location database through direct Internet access is capable of operating as a Mesh Gate through a Gate Announcement Frame;

receiving, by the first station, from one or more Mesh Points which intends to join the Mesh Network, among the one or more second stations, a first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising location information of each of the one or more Mesh Points; and

transmitting, by the first station, a second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising available channel information in the white space band to the one or more Mesh Points.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Mesh Point comprises a fixed device or a mode II device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Gate Announcement Frame comprises a frame enabling a field indicating that the first station has a geo-location database access capability.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprises:

a mesh control field comprising address information of the Mesh Gate;

an FCC identifier field comprising an FCC identifier of the Mesh Point;

a serial number field indicating a Serial Number allocated to a manufacturer of the Mesh Point; and

a location configuration information field indicating location information of the Mesh Point.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprises:

a mesh control field indicating an address of the Mesh Gate having transmitted the first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame; and

a White Space Map field indicating the available channel information.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the White Space Map indicates available channel information commonly applicable to Mesh Points of the Mesh Network.

2. A method of configuring a Mesh Network in a white space band, the method comprising:

receiving, by a second station, a Gate Announcement Frame indicating that the first station is capable of operating as a Mesh Gate from a first station capable of accessing a geo-location database through direct Internet access;

transmitting a first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising location information of the second station to the first station when the second station intends to join the Mesh Network as a Mesh Point; and

receiving a second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising available channel information in the white space band from the first station.

15. The method according to claim 2, wherein the Mesh Point comprises a fixed device or a mode II device.

16. The method according to claim 2, wherein the Gate Announcement Frame comprises a frame enabling a field indicating that the first station has a geo-location database access capability.

17. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprises:

a mesh control field comprising address information of the Mesh Gate;

an FCC identifier field comprising an FCC identifier of the Mesh Point;

a serial number field indicating a Serial Number allocated to a manufacturer of the Mesh Point; and

a location configuration information field indicating location information of the Mesh Point.

18. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprises:

a mesh control field indicating an address of the Mesh Gate having transmitted the first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame; and

a White Space Map field indicating the available channel information.

8. A station apparatus operating to configure a Mesh Network in a white space band, the station comprising:

a direct Internet access module for accessing a geo-location database; and

a wireless communication module for informing one or more second stations that a first station capable of accessing a geo-location database through direct Internet access is capable of operating as a Mesh Gate through a Gate Announcement Frame, receiving from one or more Mesh Points which intend to join the Mesh Network, among the one or more second stations, a first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising location information of each of the one or more Mesh Points, and transmitting a second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising available channel information in the white space band to the one or more Mesh Points.

10. The station apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the Mesh Point comprises a fixed device or a mode II device.

11. The station apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the Gate Announcement Frame comprises a frame enabling a field indicating that the first station has a geo-location database access capability.

12. The station apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprises:

a mesh control field comprising address information of the Mesh Gate;

an FCC identifier field comprising an FCC identifier of the Mesh Point;

a serial number field indicating a Serial Number allocated to a manufacturer of the Mesh Point; and

a location configuration information field indicating location information of the Mesh Point.

13. The station apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprises:

a mesh control field indicating an address of the Mesh Gate having transmitted the first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame; and

a White Space Map field indicating the available channel information.

14. The station apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the White Space Map indicates available channel information commonly applicable to Mesh Points of the Mesh Network.

9. A station apparatus for configuring a Mesh Network in a white space band, the station comprising:

a wireless communication module; and

a processor connected to the wireless communication module, wherein

the wireless communication module receives a Gate Announcement Frame indicating that the first station is capable of operating as a Mesh Gate from a first station capable of accessing a geo-location database through direct Internet access, transmits a first Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising location information of the second station to the first station when the processor determines that the second station intends to join the Mesh Network as a Mesh Point, and receives a second Multi-Hop Management Action Frame comprising available channel information in the white space band from the first station.

19. The station apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the Mesh Point comprises a fixed device or a mode II device.

20. The station apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the Gate Announcement Frame comprises a frame enabling a field indicating that the first station has a geo-location database access capability.