TRANSACTION SCHEDULING SYSTEM FOR A WIRELESS DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20160292469A1
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DD Sports, Inc., Shottracker, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shottracker, Inc.
• Inventors: Singer, Kyle D., VanVorst, Dirk B., Ianni, Bruce C., Ross, Davyeon D., Bennett, Justin E., Ciholas, Mike E., Hollinger, Herb A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10029 the collision being resolved in the time domain, e.g. using binary tree search or RFID responses allocated to a random time slot
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10207 parameter settings related to power consumption of the interrogator
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

System and method for scheduling and coordinating transmission signals in a wireless data communications network, comprising a master node and at least one tag node. In some embodiments, the network may also include a slave node. The master node divides time into repeating time division blocks comprising a configuration window and at least one transaction window. During the configuration window, the master node provides operating parameters to the tag or slave nodes, including a time slot within the transaction window that is reserved for the tag or slave nodes to broadcast data to the master node. The transaction window is subdivided into multiple reserved time slots, and each slot is assigned to a specific tag or slave node. When a reserved time slot arrives, the tag or slave node will broadcast data signals to the master node. The master periodically adjusts the transmission schedule for each tag or slave node, as needed, to ensure that every tag or slave node continues to broadcast only during its reserved time slot, thereby reducing communication data collisions and optimizing the overall performance and throughput of the data communications network.

Claims

1. In a data communications network comprising a tag and a master, a method for coordinating data communications between the tag and the master, the method comprising:

a) defining on the master a first time division block, the first time division block comprising a length of time subdivided into a first configuration window and a first transaction window;

b) during the first configuration window,

i) receiving on the master a configuration request packet broadcasted by the tag;

ii) in response to receiving the configuration request, establishing on the master a first reserved time slot within the first transaction window, the first reserved time slot comprising a slice of time during which the master will detect and accept a first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag,

iii) broadcasting a configuration response packet from the master, the configuration response packet comprising a first time delay for the tag, the first time delay comprising an amount of time that the tag should wait before attempting to broadcast the first set of transaction packets to the master, wherein the first time delay is calculated by the master to cause the first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag to be broadcasted during the first reserved time slot in the first transaction window; and

c) during the first reserved time slot of the first transaction window, detecting and accepting on the master the first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the first set of transaction packets on the master by:

a) parsing the first set of transaction packets on the master to identify a data payload in the set of transaction packets; and

b) copying the data payload into a computer memory associated with the master.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a) receiving the configuration response packet on the tag during the first configuration window of the first time division block; and

b) in response to the receiving the configuration response packet, broadcasting from the tag a configuration acknowledgment packet.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a) defining on the master a second time division block, which follows in time after the first time division block, the second time division block being subdivided into a second configuration window and a second transaction window;

b) establishing on the master a second reserved time slot, the second reserved time slot comprising a second slice of time within the second transaction window of the second time division block during which the master will accept a second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag;

c) determining on the master a tag period for the tag, the tag period comprising a fixed amount of time that the tag should wait between broadcasting the first set of transaction packets and broadcasting the second set of transaction packets, wherein the fixed amount of time is calculated so that the second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag will be broadcasted during the second reserved time slot in the second transaction window of the second time division block;

d) including the tag period in the configuration response broadcasted from the master; and

e) during the second reserved time slot of the second transaction window of the second time division block, detecting and accepting on the master the second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

a) determining on the master during the second transaction window that the elapsed time between the master detecting the first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag and the master detecting the second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag is not equal to the amount of time in the tag period calculated by the master; and

b) broadcasting a transaction response from the master, the transaction response including an adjusted tag period for the tag;

c) wherein the adjusted tag period is calculated by the master to change the amount of time that the tag should wait between broadcasting the second set of transaction packets and broadcasting a third set of transaction packets.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusted tag period for the tag is calculated by the master according to the formula:

t_adjust=mod(t_transaction,t_block)−

mod(t_rx,t_block),

where,

t_adjust is the adjusted tag period,

t_transaction is the expected time of receiving the transaction packet,

t_block is the duration of the time division block, and

t_rx is the time the packet was actually received.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the length of the second time division block is equal to the length of the first time division block.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the length of the second time division block is not equal to the length of the first time division block.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the second time division block begins immediately in time after the first time division block ends.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the second time division block does not begin immediately in time after the first time division block ends.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a) defining on the master a plurality of time division blocks, respectively;

b) defining on the master a plurality of transaction windows within the plurality of time division blocks, respectively;

c) broadcasting from the master a plurality of reserved time slots, each reserved time slot falling within a transaction window in the plurality of transaction windows, respectively, the plurality of reserved time slots marking a plurality of time slices during which the master will accept a subsequently-broadcasted set of transaction packets from the tag; and

d) during at least one of the plurality of reserved time slots in at least one of the plurality of transaction windows in at least one of the plurality of time division blocks, detecting and accepting on the master the subsequently broadcasted set of transaction packets from the tag.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

a) defining on the master a plurality of transaction windows within the plurality of time division blocks, respectively;

b) determining on the master a tag period for the tag, the tag period comprising a fixed amount of time that the tag should wait between each broadcast of the subsequently-broadcasted sets of packets, wherein the fixed amount of time is calculated so that said each broadcast of the subsequently broadcasted set of transaction packets will be broadcasted only during one of the plurality of reserved time slots in the plurality of transaction windows in the plurality of time division blocks; and

c) broadcasting the tag period to the tag during at least one of the plurality of configuration windows within at least one of the plurality of time division blocks.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting from the master a network ID for the master, the network ID uniquely identifying the data communications network associated with the master.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

a) broadcasting a two-way ranging request packet from the tag during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window;

b) accepting the two-way ranging request packet on the master during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window;

c) broadcasting a two-way ranging response packet from the master during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window;

d) receiving the two-way ranging response packet on the tag during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window; and

e) broadcasting a two-way ranging acknowledgment packet from the tag during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

a) tracking the transmission and flight times for the two-way ranging request packet, the two-way ranging response packet and the two-way ranging acknowledgement packet;

b) based on the transmission time and flight times, determining the distance between the tag and the master; and

c) based on the distance between the tag and the master, determining the location of the tag in a three-dimensional space.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the configuration response packet broadcasted by the master further includes a network timeout for the tag, the network timeout indicating how many consecutive times that the tag should broadcast the two-way ranging request packet without receiving the two-way ranging response packet broadcasted by the master.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration window of the time division block is reserved by the master for exchanging configuration packets between the tag the master, and the transaction window of the time division block is reserved by the master for exchanging transaction packets between the tag and the master.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a) the data communications network further comprises a slave device; and

b) the time division block further comprises a slave window, the slave window being reserved for exchanging a set of slave transaction packets between the slave and the master.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

a) broadcasting a two-way ranging request packet from the slave during the reserved time slot of the slave window;

b) accepting the two-way ranging request packet on the master during the reserved time slot of the slave window;

c) broadcasting a two-way ranging response packet from the master during the reserved time slot of the slave window;

d) receiving the two-way ranging response packet on the slave during the reserved time slot of the slave window; and

e) broadcasting a two-way ranging acknowledgment packet from the slave during the reserved time slot of the slave window.

20. A data communications network, comprising:

a) a tag; and

b) a master configured to monitor and process broadcasts from the tag in accordance with a first time division block defined on the master, the first time division block including a first configuration window and a first transaction window;

c) wherein, during the first configuration window,

i) the tag broadcasts a configuration request packet over the data communications network,

ii) the master detects the configuration request and establishes a first reserved time slot within the first transaction window, the first reserved time slot comprising a slice of time during which the master will detect and accept a first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag, and

iii) the master determines and broadcasts a configuration response packet over the data communications network, the configuration response packet comprising a first time delay for the tag, the first time delay comprising an amount of time that the tag should wait before attempting to broadcast the first set of transaction packets to the master, wherein the first time delay is configured by the master to cause the first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag to be broadcasted during the first reserved time slot in the first transaction window; and

d) during the first reserved time slot of the first transaction window,

i) the tag broadcasts the first set of transaction packets, and

ii) the master detects and accepts the first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag.

21. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein:

a) the master parses the first set of transaction packets to identify a data payload in the set of transaction packets; and

b) the master copies the data payload into a computer memory associated with the master.

22. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein:

a) the tag receives the configuration response packet on the tag during the first configuration window of the first time division block; and

b) in response to the receiving the configuration response packet, the tag broadcasts a configuration acknowledgment packet.

23. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein:

a) the master monitors and processes broadcasts on the network during a second time division block, the second time division block comprising a second configuration window and a second transaction window;

b) the master establishes a second reserved time slot, the second reserved time slot comprising a second slice of time within the second transaction window of the second time division block during which the master will accept a second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag;

c) the master determines a tag period for the tag, the tag period comprising a fixed amount of time that the tag should wait between broadcasting the first set of transaction packets and broadcasting the second set of transaction packets, wherein the fixed amount of time is calculated so that the second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag will be broadcasted only during the second reserved time slot in the second transaction window of the second time division block;

d) the master includes the tag period in the configuration response broadcasted from the master; and

e) after the fixed amount of time in the tag period has elapsed and during the second reserved time slot of the second transaction window of the second time division block, the master detects and processes the second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag.

24. The data communications network of claim 23, wherein:

a) the master determines during the second transaction window that the elapsed time between the master detecting the first set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag and the master detecting the second set of transaction packets broadcasted by the tag is not equal to the amount of time in the tag period calculated by the master; and

b) the master broadcasts a transaction response to the second set of transaction packets, the transaction response including an adjusted tag period for the tag;

c) wherein the adjusted tag period in the transaction response is calculated by the master to change the amount of time that the tag should wait between broadcasting the second set of transaction packets and broadcasting a third set of transaction packets.

25. The wireless data communication network of claim 24, wherein the adjusted tag period for the tag is calculated by the master according to the formula:

t_adjust=mod(t_transaction,t_block)−

mod(t_rx,t_block),

where,

t_adjust is the adjusted tag period,

t_transaction is the expected time of receiving the transaction packet,

t_block is the duration of the time division block, and

t_rx is the time the packet was actually received.

26. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein the length of the second time division block is equal to the length of the first time division block.

27. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein the length of the second time division block is not equal to the length of the first time division block.

28. The data communications network of claim 23, wherein the second time division block begins immediately in time after the first time division block ends.

29. The data communications network of claim 23, wherein the second time division block does not begin immediately in time after the first time division block ends.

30. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein:

a) the master monitors broadcasts on the network during a plurality of time division blocks comprising a plurality of transaction windows, respectively;

b) the master broadcasts a plurality of reserved time slots, each falling within a transaction window in the plurality of transaction windows, respectively, the plurality of reserved time slots marking a plurality of time slices during which the master will accept a subsequently-broadcasted set of transaction packets from the tag; and

c) during at least one of the plurality of reserved time slots in at least one of the plurality of transaction windows in at least one of the plurality of time division blocks, the master detects and processes the subsequently broadcasted set of transaction packets from the tag.

31. The data communications network of claim 30, wherein:

a) the plurality of time division blocks comprises a plurality of transaction windows, respectively;

b) the master determines a tag period for the tag, the tag period comprising a fixed amount of time that the tag should wait between each broadcast of the subsequently-broadcasted sets of packets, wherein the fixed amount of time is calculated so that said each broadcast of the subsequently broadcasted set of transaction packets will be broadcasted only during one of the plurality of reserved time slots in the plurality of transaction windows in the plurality of time division blocks; and

c) the master broadcasts the tag period to the tag during at least one of the plurality of configuration windows within at least one of the plurality of time division blocks.

32. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein the configuration response packet broadcasted by the master comprises a network ID for the master, the network ID uniquely identifying the data communications network associated with the master.

33. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein:

a) the tag is configured to broadcast a two-way ranging request packet during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window;

b) the master is configured to accept the two-way ranging request packet and broadcast a two-way ranging response packet during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window; and

c) the tag is configured to receive the two-way ranging response packet and broadcast a two-way ranging acknowledgment packet during the first reserved time slot of the transaction window.

34. The data communications network of claim 33, wherein the master is further configured to:

a) track the transmission and flight times for the two-way ranging request packet, the two-way ranging response packet and the two-way ranging acknowledgment packet;

b) based on the transmission time and flight times, determine the distance between the tag and the master; and

c) based on the distance between the tag and the master, determine the location of the tag in a three-dimensional space.

35. The data communications network of claim 33, wherein the configuration response packet broadcasted by the master further includes a network timeout for the tag, the network timeout indicating how many consecutive times that the tag should broadcast the two-way ranging request packet without receiving the two-way ranging response packet broadcasted by the master.

36. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein the configuration window of the time division block is reserved by the master for exchanging configuration packets between the tag the master, and the transaction window of the time division block is reserved by the master for exchanging transaction packets between the tag and the master.

37. The data communications network of claim 20, wherein:

a) the data communications network further comprises a slave device; and

b) the first time division block further comprises a slave window, the slave window being reserved for exchanging a set of slave transaction packets between the slave and the master.

38. The data communications network of claim 37, wherein:

a) the slave device is configured to broadcast a two-way ranging request packet during the reserved time slot of the slave window;

b) the master is configured to accept the two-way ranging request packet and broadcast a two-way ranging response packet from the master during the reserved time slot of the slave window;

c) the slave device is configured to receive the two-way ranging response packet and broadcast a two-way ranging acknowledgement packet from the slave during the reserved time slot of the slave window.