Method and apparatus for establishing spread spectrum communication

• US 5,737,324 A
• Filed: 12/16/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omnipoint Corp. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Dixon, Robert C., Vanderpool, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/767,152
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 370/18, 370/95.1, 370/95.2, 370/95.3, 370/320, 370/321, 370/335, 370/336, 370/337, 370/342, 370/345, 370/347, 370/349, 370/441, 370/442, 370/458, 379/58, 379/59, 379/63, 455/33.1, 455/34.1, 455/34.2, 455/53.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 375/200, 375/205
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2628 using code-division multiple access [CDMA] or spread spectrum multiple access [SSMA] H04B7/2618 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for establishing communications between a master unit and a plurality of node units. Of the plurality of node units, K node units are assumed to have established communications with a master unit. A first (K+1) node unit of the plurality of node units, desires to establish communications with the master unit. The method includes transmitting from the master unit, a base-station spread spectrum signal having a common signalling chip code, transmitting from the first node unit a second spread spectrum signal with a first identification code using the common-signalling chip code, transmitting from the master unit a third spread spectrum signal with a master unit identification code, using the common-signalling chip code. The method further includes generating at the first node unit using the master unit identification signal, a master unit chip code for transmitting spread spectrum signals to the master unit. Additionally, the method includes generating, at the master unit using the first identification code, a first node unit chip code for transmitting spread spectrum signals to the first node unit.

Claims

1. A method for establishing wireless communications between a master unit and a node unit using time division multiple access, wherein a plurality of time slots comprise a time frame, and wherein a first time slot is used for establishing communication between said master unit and said node unit, comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said master unit a master initialization signal in said first time slot,

transmitting, from a node unit desiring to establish communication with said master unit, subsequent to receiving said master initialization signal at said node unit, a first node initialization signal in said first time slot,

transmitting from said master unit, subsequent to receiving said first node initialization signal at said master unit, a master identification signal in said first time slot, said master identification signal comprising information data identifying one or more available time slots for communicating between said master unit and said node unit,

transmitting from said node unit, subsequent to receiving said master identification signal at said node unit, a second node initialization signal in said first time slot, and

communicating between said master unit and said node unit in said one or more available time slots.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said master initialization signal, said first node initialization signal, said second node initialization signal, and said master identification signal comprises a spread spectrum signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said second node initialization signal comprises information data identifying said node unit.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said first node initialization signal comprises information data identifying said node unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first node initialization signal comprises information data comprising an acknowledgement signal.

6. A method for establishing wireless communication using spread spectrum signals to communicate between a first unit and a second unit using time division multiple access, wherein a plurality of time slots comprise a time frame, said time frame being periodic, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first spread spectrum signal from said first unit in a first available time slot in a first time frame;

receiving said first spread spectrum signal at said second unit in said first time slot in said first time frame;

transmitting a second spread spectrum signal from said second unit in said first time slot in said first time frame, subsequent to receiving said first spread spectrum signal at said second unit,

receiving said second spread spectrum signal at said first unit in said first time slot in said first time frame;

transmitting a third spread spectrum signal from said first unit in any available time slot in a second time frame, subsequent to receiving said second spread spectrum signal at said first unit;

receiving said third spread spectrum signal at said second unit in the same time slot in which said third spread spectrum signal was transmitted, in said second time frame;

transmitting a fourth spread spectrum signal from said second unit in said same time slot in which said third spread spectrum signal was transmitted, in said second time frame, subsequent to receiving said third spread spectrum signal at said second unit; and

receiving said fourth spread spectrum signal at said first unit in said same time slot in which said third spread spectrum signal was transmitted, in said second time frame.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said third and fourth spread spectrum signals are transmitted in said first time slot in said second time frame, and wherein said third and fourth spread spectrum signals are received in said first time slot in said second time frame.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of communicating between said first unit and said second unit in said first time slot.

9. A method for initialization between a master unit and a node unit, comprising the steps of:

in response to the transmission of an initialization signal, transmitting from said node unit a node initialization signal;

transmitting from said master unit a master identification signal, in response to receiving the node initialization signal; and

transmitting from said node unit a node identification signal, in response to receiving the node initialization signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of initiating communication by said master unit by transmitting a master communication signal from said master unit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a step of transmitting from said node unit a node communication signal in a designated time slot.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said master initialization signal comprises a spread spectrum signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a time frame comprises a plurality of time slots and wherein said node initiation signal is transmitted in a time slot of said plurality of time slots that is designated by said master initialization signal.