COMMUNICATION AND DATA HANDLING IN A MESH NETWORK USING DUPLEX RADIOS

• US 20160164726A1
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominant Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dominant Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Fraser, Ronald H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,538,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Wireless-conferencing radios communicate directly with each other without a bases station using a multiple access protocol, such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). Wireless-conferencing radios can be formed into groups and larger mesh networks. Some groups of wireless-conferencing radios use frequencies in a cellular band to communicate.

Claims

1. A radio system for establishing a mesh network, the radio system comprising:

a first group of radios, wherein the first group of radios comprises one or more radios;

a first master, wherein;

the first master is a radio that is part of the first group;

the first master communicates with the first group of radios using a first time division multiple access based protocol;

the first time division multiple access based protocol includes a first set of transmission slots; and

the first set of transmission slots includes a first slot for transmitting data;

a second group of radios, wherein the second group of radios comprises one or more radios;

a second master, wherein;

the second master is a radio that is part of the second group;

the second master communicates with the second group of radios using a second time division multiple access based protocol;

the second time division multiple access based protocol includes a second set of transmission slots; and

the second set of transmission slots includes a second slot for transmitting data; and

the first slot overlaps the second slot in time and frequency forming an extra slot.

2. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein the first master and the second master alternate transmitting during the extra slot.

3. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first time division multiple access based protocol has a first jump sequence;

the second time division multiple access based protocol has a second jump sequence; and

the first jump sequence and the second jump sequence do not overlap in time and frequency except during the extra slot.

24. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first group comprises three radios, the first master, a first slave radio, and a second slave radio;

the first master is in direct communication with the first slave radio and the second slave radio; and

the first slave radio is in direct communication with the first master and the second slave radio.

25. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein a transmission during the extra slot does not include voice data.

26. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the extra slot is a first extra slot;

the first time division multiple access protocol comprises a third slot;

the second time division multiple access protocol comprises a fourth slot; and

the third slot and the fourth slot overlap in time and frequency forming a second extra slot.

27. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the extra slot is a first extra slot;

the first time division multiple access based protocol comprises multiple frames of time;

each frame of the multiple frames of time is subdivided into a plurality of slots;

the plurality of slots comprises a third slot, a fourth slot, and a fifth slot;

the first group of radios comprises the first master and a slave radio;

the first master is assigned to transmit during the third slot;

the slave radio is assigned to transmit during the fourth slot;

the first master and the slave radio alternate transmitting during the fifth slot; and

the fifth slot is a second extra slot; and

the second extra slot overlaps at times and frequencies with the first extra slot.

28. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 26, wherein the first master sets timing information for the first group, assigns a voice slot to a radio in the first group, assigns a non-voice transmission time to a radio of the first group;

responds to a request from another radio to join the first group, and/or reassigns a time slot for a radio in the first group.

29. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first slot overlaps the second slot in time and frequency to form the extra slot during a first frame of time; and

the first slot overlaps the second slot in time and frequency during a second frame of time.

30. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 29, wherein:

a third frame of time separates the first frame and the second frame; and

the third frame does not include a slot where the first slot and the second slot overlap in time and frequency.

31. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein the extra slot repeats periodically.

4. A method for communicating in a mesh network, the method comprising:

receiving, using a first radio, a first transmission, wherein

the first transmission is from a second radio;

the first radio and the second radio are part of a first group of radios;

a first master radio provides a master function for the first group; and

the first group uses a first time division multiple access based protocol; and

receiving a second transmission, wherein;

the second transmission is received from a third radio;

the third radio is part of a second group of radios, different from the first group;

a second master radio provides a master function for the second group;

the second group uses a second time division multiple access based protocol;

the second time division multiple access based protocol is different from the first multiple access based protocol; and

the second time division multiple access based protocol does not overlap, in time and frequency, the first time division multiple access based protocol during the first transmission;

the second time division multiple access based protocol overlaps, in time and frequency, the first time divisional multiple access based protocol during the second transmission, wherein the second transmission is transmitted during an extra slot of a frame of the second time division multiple access protocol.

5. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, wherein the second transmission is a non-voice data transmission.

6. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the first radio is the first master radio;

the second radio is slave radio in the first group; and

the third radio is the second master radio.

7. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, further comprising transmitting, using the first radio, directly to the second radio and the third radio simultaneously.

8. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the frame is a first frame;

transmitting directly to the second radio and the third radio is during an extra slot of a second frame of the second time division multiple access protocol.

9. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, wherein the second transmission is received after receiving the first transmission.

21. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the first group further comprises a fourth radio;

the method further comprises;

receiving, using the first radio, a third transmission from the fourth radio; and

receiving, using the second radio, a fourth transmission from the fourth radio;

the first transmission is received directly from the second radio;

the second transmission is received directly from the third radio;

the third transmission is received directly from the fourth radio; and

the fourth transmission is received directly from the fourth radio.

22. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the first transmission and the second transmission occur during a first frame of time of the second time division multiple access based protocol; and

the method further comprises transmitting, using the second master, during an extra slot of a second frame of time of the second time division multiple access based protocol.

23. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 4, wherein the master function for the first group is setting timing information for the first group, assigning a voice slot, assigning a non-voice transmission time;

responding to a request from another radio to join the first group, and/or reassigning a time slot for a radio of group one to transmit during.

10-20. -20. (canceled)