Wireless communication apparatus and method, and cable communication apparatus

• US 6,694,139 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2000
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugaya, Shigeru, Yoshida, Hidemasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU X
• Application Number:
  US09/679,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/66, 455/74, 455/57, 455/450, 455/464, 455/557, 455/3.06, 370/329, 370/330, 370/345, 370/348, 370/350
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

A cable communication apparatus includes a wireless reception unit for establishing a predetermined wireless communication data structure and receiving wireless communication band acquiring request information transmitted from a wireless communication apparatus, a first wireless transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting wireless communication band assignment information based on the wireless communication band acquiring request information, a cable reception unit for receiving isochronous communication information transmitted from various devices connected thereto via a high-speed serial bus, an information converting unit for converting the isochronous communication information into data information arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format established in accordance with the wireless communication band assignment information, and a second wireless transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting the data information.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method for a control station controlling a wireless network including the control station and at least one communication station including a terminal having an operating device, the wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving by wireless communication a communication band reservation request from a communication station that desires to perform isochronous communication, wherein the communication station is connected by a cable to a terminal having an operating device;

assigning a wireless communication band for the communication station and notifying the communication station by wireless communication of a communication band assignment when the band can be reserved; and

allowing the communication station to perform isochronous communication over to cable to the operating device using information received by wireless communication in the assigned wireless communication band when the band can be reserved.

2. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein the control station transmits by wireless communication a notification of the communication band assignment to a source communication station of the network that desires to perform isochronous communication and by wireless communication to a destination communication station of the network.

3. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of releasing the assigned wireless communication band when the isochronous communication terminates.

4. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein, in the step of allowing the isochronous communication to be performed, said control station establishes a frame period for a wireless environment and transmits data arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format obtained by assigning a fixed region to the data in units of wireless-environment frame periods.

5. A wireless communication method for a communication station including a terminal connected thereto by a high speed bus and used in a wireless network including a control station and at least one other communication station, the wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

transmitting by wireless communication to the control station a band reservation transmission request to make an isochronous transmission from one terminal communication station of the network to another terminal communication station that is connected to an operating device via a high-speed bus;

receiving by wireless communication a communication band assignment notification from said control station; and

performing isochronous transmission in the communication band assigned in accordance with said communication band assignment notification, so that information transmitted by isochronous transmission is supplied to the operating device.

6. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

wireless reception means for receiving a wireless communication establishing a predetermined wireless communication data structure and for receiving by wireless communication wireless communication band assignment information;

cable reception means for receiving over a cable isochronous communication information transmitted from devices connected thereto via a high-speed bus on the cable;

information converting means for converting said isochronous communication information into data information arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format established in accordance with said wireless communication band assignment information received by said wireless reception means; and

wireless transmission means for performing a wireless transmission of said data information.

7. A cable communication apparatus comprising:

first wireless reception means located at a control station for receiving a wireless communication establishing a predetermined wireless communication data structure and for receiving by wireless communication wireless communication band assignment information;

second wireless reception means located at a terminal for receiving by wireless communication data information transmitted via a predetermined wireless communication channel;

information converting means for converting wireless communication data information arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format established in accordance with said wireless communication band assignment information received by said first wireless reception means at the control station into periodic isochronous communication information for a cable communication environment; and

cable transmission means for transmitting the isochronous communication information to devices connected to the terminal via a high-speed bus connected to the terminal.

8. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

information detecting means located at a terminal for detecting isochronous communication band reservation information transmitted from devices connected to the terminal via a high-speed bus;

first wireless transmission means located at a terminal for performing wireless transmission to a wireless communication apparatus serving as a control station of a request for acquiring a wireless communication band required for wireless communication based on the detected isochronous communication band reservation information;

wireless reception means for receiving a wireless communication establishing a predetermined wireless communication data structure and for receiving by wireless communication wireless communication band assignment information;

cable reception means located at another terminal for receiving isochronous communication information transmitted from devices connected to the terminal via the high-speed bus;

information converting means for converting said isochronous communication information into data information arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format established in accordance with said wireless communication band assignment information received by said wireless reception means; and

second wireless transmission means for performing wireless transmission of said data information.

9. A cable communication apparatus comprising:

wireless reception means for receiving a wireless communication establishing a predetermined wireless communication data structure and for receiving wireless communication band acquiring request information transmitted by wireless communication from a wireless communication apparatus;

first wireless transmission means located at a control center for performing wireless transmission of wireless communication band assignment information based on said wireless communication band acquiring request information received by said wireless reception means;

cable reception means located at a terminal for receiving isochronous communication information transmitted from devices connected to the terminal via a high-speed bus;

information converting means for converting said isochronous communication information into data information arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format established in accordance with said wireless communication band assignment information from said first wireless transmission means; and

second wireless transmission means located at the terminal for performing wireless transmission of said data information.

10. A cable communication apparatus comprising:

first wireless reception means located at a control station for establishing a predetermined wireless communication data structure and receiving wireless communication band acquiring request information transmitted from a wireless communication apparatus located at a terminal;

wireless transmission means for performing wireless transmission of wireless communication band assignment information based on said wireless communication band acquiring request information received by said first wireless reception means;

second wireless reception means located at another terminal for receiving data information transmitted via a predetermined wireless communication channel;

information converting means located at the other terminal for converting the data information arranged in units of blocks based on a predetermined format established in accordance with said wireless communication band assignment information into periodical cable-environment isochronous communication information; and

cable transmission means located at the other for transmitting the cable-environment isochronous communication information to devices connected to the other terminal via a high-speed bus.