Method and apparatus for a wireless local area network
First Claim
1. A method for wireless communication between a plurality of wireless terminals and a base station, said method comprising:
- transmitting periodically by said base station, at the start of a first period of time, a synchronization signal and a status signal, transmitted over an initial period of time measured from the commencement of said first period of time, wherein said synchronization signal is a clocking signal and wherein said status signal represents command signal controlling communication to or from said base station;
transmitting a request signal by one of said plurality of wireless terminals, in a second period of time after a predetermined period measured from the commencement of said second period of time, said request signal indicating the identity of the one of said plurality of wireless terminals requesting subsequent transmission, the identity of one or more wireless terminals to whom the subsequent transmission is intended, the number of periods of time required for the subsequent transmission, and the frequency of the subsequent transmission;
receiving by said base station said request signal and responding thereto by transmitting at the start of a third period of time, different from said first period of time, a synchronization signal, a busy status signal, and an authorization signal, indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal authorized to transmit, the identity of one or more wireless terminals authorized to receive, a starting period of time, and the number of periods of time;
transmitting by said base station at the start of said starting period of time, a synchronization signal and a first reserve status signal; and
transmitting a data signal by the one wireless terminal immediately after the transmission of said first reserve status signal by said base station.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A protocol for wireless local area network communication between a base stationary unit and a plurality of wireless terminals is disclosed. The main features of this protocol is based upon channel reservation requests by active wireless terminals. Contention is resolved and authorization is granted with data message signals transmitted by the authorized wireless terminal either immediately for asynchronous service or periodically for a time-based service. The system further provides for the base stationary unit to query the receipt of the data message signal by the wireless terminal authorized to receive the transmission. If no response signal is received, then the base stationary unit would authorize for itself transmission of the data message to relay it, either "over the air" or via wired connection to another base stationary unit in another data cell. The synchronous nature of the method provides for power saving by allowing the receiver and/or transmitter to be powered down during idle and other time slots.
-
Citations
45 Claims
-
1. A method for wireless communication between a plurality of wireless terminals and a base station, said method comprising:
-
transmitting periodically by said base station, at the start of a first period of time, a synchronization signal and a status signal, transmitted over an initial period of time measured from the commencement of said first period of time, wherein said synchronization signal is a clocking signal and wherein said status signal represents command signal controlling communication to or from said base station; transmitting a request signal by one of said plurality of wireless terminals, in a second period of time after a predetermined period measured from the commencement of said second period of time, said request signal indicating the identity of the one of said plurality of wireless terminals requesting subsequent transmission, the identity of one or more wireless terminals to whom the subsequent transmission is intended, the number of periods of time required for the subsequent transmission, and the frequency of the subsequent transmission; receiving by said base station said request signal and responding thereto by transmitting at the start of a third period of time, different from said first period of time, a synchronization signal, a busy status signal, and an authorization signal, indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal authorized to transmit, the identity of one or more wireless terminals authorized to receive, a starting period of time, and the number of periods of time; transmitting by said base station at the start of said starting period of time, a synchronization signal and a first reserve status signal; and transmitting a data signal by the one wireless terminal immediately after the transmission of said first reserve status signal by said base station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of operating a wireless terminal for communicating wirelessly with a base unit, said method comprising:
-
supplying power to said wireless terminal periodically at the commencement of a period of time; receiving a synchronization signal and a status signal transmitted from said base unit by said wireless terminal after the start of said period of time; decoding said status signal into one of three possible representations; maintaining power to the receiver of said wireless terminal for the remainder of said period of time, in the event said status signal is one representation; maintaining power to the receiver of said wireless terminal only if said terminal is the authorized recipient of the transmission, for the remainder of said period of time, and maintaining power to the transmitter of said wireless terminal only if said terminal is the authorized source of the transmission, for the remainder of said period of time, in the event said status signal is a second representation; and maintaining power only to the transmitter of said wireless terminal, if said terminal desires to transmit in the event said status signal is a third representation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A wireless communication system for communication between a plurality of wireless terminals and a base station, said system comprising:
-
means for transmitting periodically by said base station, at the start of a first period of time, a synchronization signal and a status signal, transmitted over an initial period of time measured from the commencement of said first period of time, wherein said synchronization signal is a clocking signal and wherein said status signal represents command signal controlling communication to or from said base station; means for transmitting by one of said plurality of wireless terminals a request signal, in a second period of time after a predetermined period measured from the commencement of said second period of time, said request signal indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal requesting subsequent transmission, the identity of the wireless terminals to whom the subsequent transmission is intended, the number of periods of time required for the subsequent transmission, and the frequency of the subsequent transmission; means for responding by said base station to the receipt of the request signal by transmitting at the start of a third period of time, different from said first period of time, a synchronization signal, a busy status signal, and an authorization signal, indicating the identity of the wireless terminal authorized to transmit, the identity of one or more wireless terminals authorized to receive, a starting period of time, and the number of periods of time; means for transmitting by said base station at the start of said starting period of time, a synchronization signal and a first reserve status signal; and means for transmitting a data signal by the one wireless terminal immediately after the transmission of said first reserve status signal by said base station. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A wireless terminal for communicating wirelessly with a base unit, said terminal comprising:
-
means for supplying power to said wireless terminal periodically at the commencement of a period of time; means for receiving a synchronization signal and a status signal transmitted from the base unit by said wireless terminal after the start of said period of time; means for decoding said status signal into one of three possible representations; and means for maintaining power to the receiver of said wireless terminal for the remainder of said period of time, in the event said status signal is one representation; and for maintaining power to the receiver of said wireless terminal only if said terminal is the authorized recipient of the transmission, for the remainder of said period of time, and maintaining power to the transmitter of said wireless terminal only if said terminal is the authorized source of the transmission, for the remainder of said period of time, in the event said status signal is a second representation; and for maintaining power only to the transmitter of said wireless terminal, if said terminal desires to transmit in the event said status signal is a third representation.
-
-
27. A method of operating a wireless terminal in wireless communication with a stationary base unit to conserve power usage, said method comprising the steps of:
-
supplying cordless power to said wireless terminal periodically at the commencement of a period of time; receiving a synchronization signal and a status signal transmitted from the base unit by said wireless terminal after the start of said period of time; decoding said status signal into one of three possible representations; and maintaining cordless power to the receiver of said wireless terminal for the remainder of said period of time, in the event said status signal is one representation;
ormaintaining power to the receiver of said wireless terminal only if said terminal is the authorized recipient of the transmission, for the remainder of said period of time, and maintaining power to the transmitter of said wireless terminal only if said terminal is the authorized source of the transmission, for the remainder of said period of time, in the event said status signal is a second representation;
ormaintaining power only to the transmitter of said wireless terminal, if said terminal desires to transmit in the event said status signal is a third representation.
-
-
28. A base station for communicating wirelessly with a plurality of wireless terminals, said base station comprising:
-
means for transmitting periodically, at the start of a first period of time, a synchronization signal and a status signal, transmitted over an initial period of time measured from the commencement of said first period of time, wherein said synchronization signal is a clocking signal and wherein said status signal represents command signal controlling communication to or from said base station; means for receiving a request signal transmitted by one of said plurality of wireless terminals in a second period of time, subsequent to said first period of time, said request signal indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal requesting subsequent transmission, the identity of one or more wireless terminals to whom the subsequent transmission is intended, the number of periods of time required for the subsequent transmission, and the frequency of the subsequent transmission; means for responding to the receipt of the request signal by transmitting at the start of a third period of time, different from said first and second periods of time, a synchronization signal, a busy status signal, and an authorization signal, indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal authorized to transmit, the identity of one or more wireless terminals authorized to receive, a starting period of time, and the number of periods of time; and means for transmitting at the start of said starting period of time, a synchronization signal and a first reserve status signal, wherein said first reserve status signal is a control signal permitting the one wireless terminal to transmit a data signal immediately after the transmission of said first reserve status signal. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A method of operating a base station in wireless communication with a plurality of wireless terminals, said method comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting periodically, at the start of a first period of time, a synchronization signal and a status signal, transmitted over an initial period of time measured from the commencement of said first period of time, wherein said synchronization signal is a clocking signal and wherein said status signal represents command signal controlling communication to or from said base station; receiving a request signal transmitted by one of said plurality of wireless terminals in a second period of time, said request signal indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal requesting subsequent transmission, the identity of one or more wireless terminals to whom the subsequent transmission is intended, the number of periods of time required for the subsequent transmission, and the frequency of the subsequent transmission; responding to the receipt of the request signal by transmitting at the start of a third period of time, different from said first and second periods of time, a synchronization signal, a busy status signal, and an authorization signal, indicating the identity of the one wireless terminal authorized to transmit, the identity of one or more wireless terminals authorized to receive, a starting period of time, and the number of periods of time; and transmitting at the start of said starting period of time, a synchronization signal and a first reserve status signal, wherein said first reserve status signal is a control signal permitting the one wireless terminal to transmit a data signal immediately after the transmission of said first reserve status signal. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
Specification