Radio transmission control method and radio transmission device

• US 6,714,801 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Redwood Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugaya, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US09/650,714
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/500, 455/502, 455/507, 455/509, 455/510, 455/515, 455/517, 455/208, 455/14, 455/15, 455/575, 455/522, 455/523, 455/282, 370/235, 370/346
• US Class Current: 370/310.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and device whereby it is possible to transmit necessary information by using a minimum of radio transmission channels in a radio transmission network. In order that a network system using radio waves can coexist with other communication systems, the network system usually operates in a dormant state. If the network system has detected a possibility of information transmission on a radio transmission channel based on behavior of a connected device or on a transmission channel for the device, then the network system constructs a radio network in advance prior to radio transmission and comes in an operational state. In asynchronous radio transmission channels, a polling operation from a control station to each of peripheral terminal stations on a network is not executed and information transmission is not conducted, in a steady state. If a transmission demand has occurred in any peripheral terminal station, then the peripheral terminal station transmits a polling request signal to a control station and causes a polling operation from the central control station to be started.

Claims

1. A radio transmission control method for conducting communication on a predetermined radio transmission channel using asynchronous transmission under control of a control station in a wireless radio network including one control station and a plurality of wireless communication stations capable of radio communicating with the control station, said radio transmission control method comprising the steps of:

inhibiting a polling operation conducted from said control station to each communication station on the network by bringing each communication station on the network into a dormant state so as to reduce power consumption of each communication station in the dormant state;

transmitting a request signal to said control station when a transmission demand has occurred in each of said plurality of communication stations and bringing said plurality of communication stations into an operation state from the dormant state upon the occurrence of the transmission demand; and

starting to conduct the polling operation conducted from the control station when the control station has received the polling request signal, wherein

each of said communication stations judges a transmission demand based on a state of a device connected to one of said plurality of communication stations or a state of a wire transmission line for connection to the device, and transmits the request signal.

2. A radio transmission control method for conducting communication on a predetermined radio transmission channel using asynchronous transmission under control of a control station in a radio network including one control station and a plurality of communication stations capable of radio communicating with the control station, said radio transmission control method comprising the steps of:

inhibiting a polling operation conducted from said control station to each communication station on the network, in a steady state;

transmitting a request signal to said control station when a transmission demand has occurred in each of said plurality of communication stations;

starting to conduct the polling operation conducted from the control station when the control station has received the request signal;

time dividing said radio transmission channel into an asynchronous information transmission region and a management information transmission region, and

transmitting the request signal in said management information transmission region.

3. A radio transmission device comprising:

radio communication means for conducting transmission and reception of radio signals with a device in a wireless radio network based on a polling signal;

input means for inputting information to be transmitted by said radio communication means;

detection means for detecting a state of information supply to said input means or a state of a device connected to said input means; and

control means for determining whether a communication demand is occurring based on said detecting of said detection means, and for causing said radio communication means to transmit a request signal to a transmission source of said polling signal in response to a determination that a communication demand has occurred, wherein said radio communication means is brought from a dormant state of reduced power consumption to an operative state upon the determination that the communication demand has occurred, wherein

a radio transmission channel whereby said radio communication means conducts communication is divided into an asynchronous information transmission region and a management information transmission region, and

said request signal from said radio communication means is transmitted in said management information transmission region.