Wireless network for wideband indoor communications
First Claim
1. A wideband packet communication network comprising:
- a plurality of transmitters (10-19), each transmitter being associated with a separate user or group of users of the network for transmitting packets of information between an active user or group of users and the network via either one of a hard-wired or wireless connection during a frame period; and
a central node (30) for communicating with each of the plurality of transmitters via the hard-wired or wireless connection, the central node comprising,processor means (35) for (a) determining packet transmission requirements associated with each transmitter communicating with the central node via a wireless connection during a first subperiod of each frame period, (b) causing each wireless transmitter determined to have a packet transmission requirement, to transmit its packets of information during a separate second subperiod of time of each frame period, (c) detecting during the first and/or second subperiods of each frame period, transmission impairments associated with each wireless transmitter, and (d) causing packets of information transmitted from each transmitter determined to have a transmission impairment to be transmitted at a transmission rate sufficient to lessen the determined transmission impairment, andmeans (32-34) for (a) receiving packets of information from the plurality of transmitters of the network, and (b) retransmitting the packets to receivers associated with the destined users of the packets of information via an appropriate hard-wired or wireless connection.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a wideband communication network using wireless radio transmissions either on a stand-alone basis or to supplement a hard-wired network. The exemplary network comprises (a) a plurality of transceivers associated with separate users of the network; (b) optionally at least one concentrator associated with certain separate subgroups of wireless and possibly hard-wired transceivers for providing duplex operation; and (c) a central node (i) capable of providing both duplex communications directly via a radio channel using radio links with certain subgroups of the transceivers and via a hard-wired connection with each optional concentrator, and (ii) for polling the needs of all transceivers and directing all packets of information from active transceivers through the central node and to the destined transceivers during each frame period. The network also preferably includes diversity and resource sharing techniques to provide added protection against channel impairments on an as-needed basis.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A wideband packet communication network comprising:
-
a plurality of transmitters (10-19), each transmitter being associated with a separate user or group of users of the network for transmitting packets of information between an active user or group of users and the network via either one of a hard-wired or wireless connection during a frame period; and a central node (30) for communicating with each of the plurality of transmitters via the hard-wired or wireless connection, the central node comprising, processor means (35) for (a) determining packet transmission requirements associated with each transmitter communicating with the central node via a wireless connection during a first subperiod of each frame period, (b) causing each wireless transmitter determined to have a packet transmission requirement, to transmit its packets of information during a separate second subperiod of time of each frame period, (c) detecting during the first and/or second subperiods of each frame period, transmission impairments associated with each wireless transmitter, and (d) causing packets of information transmitted from each transmitter determined to have a transmission impairment to be transmitted at a transmission rate sufficient to lessen the determined transmission impairment, and means (32-34) for (a) receiving packets of information from the plurality of transmitters of the network, and (b) retransmitting the packets to receivers associated with the destined users of the packets of information via an appropriate hard-wired or wireless connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method of transmitting information between a plurality of transmitters and a central node, including a processor means, via either one of a hard-wired or wireless connection during a frame period in a wideband packet communication network, each transmitter being associated with a separate user or group of users of the network, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) the processor means in the central node determining the packet transmission requirements of each transmitter communicating with the central node during a first subperiod of time of each frame period; (b) causing a wireless transmitter determined in step (a) to have packet transmission requirements, to transmit its packets of information during a separate second subperiod of time of each frame period; (c) the processor means detecting, during the first and/or second subperiods of time of each frame period, transmission impairments associated with each wireless transmitter; and (d) the processor means causing packets of information transmitted from each transmitter determined to have a transmission impairment in step (c) to be transmitted at a transmission rate sufficient to lessen the determined transmission impairment. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
Specification