Wireless repeating subscriber units

• US 6,757,263 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olds, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/548,818
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/310.2, 370/313, 370/315-321, 370/325, 370/326, 370/332-334, 370/335-337, 370/354-356, 370/345, 370/346, 370/349, 370/254, 456/422.1, 456/426.2, 456/428, 456/25
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A connectionless, wireless network (20) includes any number of subscriber units (24) and gateways (22). The subscriber units (24) and gateways (22) are configured to engage in wireless communications with preferably more than one other node. The gateways (22) provide portals through which communications may flow to and from the PSTN (26). A repeating subscriber unit (24) includes a router (34) to aid in routing data conveyances to various communication links (25). A routing table (76) provides intelligence which is independent of other routing tables (76) in other subscriber units (24) and gateways (22) and which indicates a variety of routes for data conveyances. Each repeating subscriber unit (24) makes its own decisions about where to route data conveyances based upon the destinations of the data conveyances and feedback received from neighbors of the repeating subscriber unit (24). Communication links (25) previously selected for routing data conveyances may be altered when conditions warrant. More favorable routes are sought when previously selected routes encounter excessive congestion.

Claims

1. A repeating subscriber unit having independent routing intelligence for use in a wireless and connectionless communication network in which packets are routed among subscriber units under distributed control, said repeating subscriber unit comprising:

a multi-directional wireless interface which receives packets from any of a plurality of neighbor subscriber nodes and transmits packets to any of said plurality of neighbor subscriber nodes;

a router coupled to said interface;

a payload terminal device coupled to said router;

a controller coupled to said router and configured to identify to which of said neighbor subscriber units to route packets received at said router in response to feedback from said neighbor subscriber units;

said multi-directional wireless interface comprises an electronically steerable antenna;

said controller is configured to build a table identifying said neighbor subscriber units by causing said repeating subscriber unit, at each of a plurality of azimuthal directions, to transmit a neighbor update request message, to wait for receipt of a neighbor update reply, and to record data conveyed by said neighbor update reply if said neighbor update reply is received; and

communication links having repeating subscriber unit transmit paths and repeating subscriber unit receive paths are respectively formed between said repeating subscriber unit and each of said neighbor subscriber units.

2. A repeating subscriber unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said multi-directional wireless interface comprises at least one directional antenna having a gain of at least 10 dB.

3. A repeating subscriber unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein

said repeating subscriber unit receive paths comprise demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels controlled by said controller.

4. A repeating subscriber unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feedback from said neighbor subscriber units comprises demand assignment messages originating from said neighbor subscriber units, said demand assignment messages being configured to control demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels respectively received at said neighbor subscriber units.

5. A repeating subscriber unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feedback from said neighbor subscriber units comprises acknowledgment messages originating from said neighbor subscriber units in response to packets transmitted from said repeating subscriber unit to said neighbor subscriber units over demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels.

6. A method of operating a repeating subscriber unit having independent routing intelligence, said method comprising:

receiving packets which indicate intended destinations, said intended destinations including said repeating subscriber unit and other subscriber units;

identifying neighbor subscriber units of said repeating subscriber unit;

engaging in wireless communication with said neighbor subscriber units;

determining to which of said neighbor subscriber units to route packets received at said repeating subscriber unit and intended for said other subscriber units in response to said intended destinations indicated by said packets received at said repeating subscriber unit and to feedback from said neighbor subscriber units;

said repeating subscriber unit has a buffer associated therewith, said buffer having a capacity parameter which varies in response to an amount of data held therein, and said method additionally comprises the steps of;

receiving a request for a data conveyance to be transmitted from one of said neighbor subscriber units and received by said repeating subscriber unit;

originating and transmitting to said one of said neighbor subscriber units a demand assignment message formed in response to said request and said capacity parameter, said demand assignment message instructing said one neighbor subscriber unit when to transmit said data conveyance; and

communication links having repeating subscriber unit transmit paths and repeating subscriber unit receive paths are respectively formed between said repeating subscriber unit and each of said neighbor subscriber units.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 additionally comprising maintaining a stationary location for said repeating subscriber unit.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein

said method additionally comprises controlling said repeating subscriber unit receive paths to include demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said demand assignment message additionally instructs said one neighbor subscriber unit how much data to include in said data conveyance.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6 additionally comprising configuring said demand assignment message in response to commitments made by said repeating subscriber unit in connection with other data conveyances with others of said neighbor subscriber units.

11. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said feedback from said neighbor subscriber units comprises demand assignment messages originating from said neighbor subscriber units and configured to control demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels respectively received at said neighbor subscriber units.

12. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said feedback from said neighbor subscriber units comprises acknowledgment messages originating from said neighbor subscriber units in response to packets transmitted from said repeating subscriber unit to said neighbor subscriber units over demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels, said acknowledgement messages indicating quality at which said packets transmitted from said repeating subscriber unit are being received at said neighbor subscriber units.

13. A wireless and connectionless communication network in which packets are routed among subscriber units under distributed control, said network comprising:

a first subscriber unit having a router, a multi-directional wireless interface coupled to a router, and a payload terminal device coupled to said router;

a plurality of neighbor subscriber units in data communication with said first subscriber unit through said multi-directional wireless interface of said first subscriber unit;

wherein, said router is configured to identify to which of said neighbor subscriber units to route packets received at said router in response to feedback from said neighbor subscriber units;

said router of said first subscriber unit has a buffer associated therewith, said buffer having a capacity parameter which varies in response to an amount of data held therein;

said first subscriber unit is configured to receive a request for a data conveyance to be transmitted from one of said neighbor subscriber units and received by said first subscriber unit;

said first subscriber unit is further configured to originate and transmit to said one of said neighbor subscriber units a demand assignment message formed in response to said request and said capacity parameter, said demand assignment message instructing said one neighbor subscriber unit how much data to include in said data conveyance; and

communication links having first subscriber unit transmit paths and first subscriber unit receive paths are respectively formed between said first subscriber unit and said neighbor subscriber units.

14. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first subscriber unit and said plurality of neighbor subscriber units are stationary.

15. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said multi-directional wireless interface includes at least one directional antenna having a gain of at least 10 dB.

16. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 15 wherein said multi-directional wireless interface comprises an electronically steerable antenna.

17. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein

said first subscriber unit receive paths comprise demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels controlled by said first subscriber unit.

18. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first subscriber unit receive paths additionally comprise short message channels.

19. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first subscriber unit further configures said demand assignment message in response to prior commitments made by said first subscriber unit in connection with other data conveyances with others of said neighbor subscriber units.

20. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first subscriber unit is further configured to receive said data conveyance from said one neighbor subscriber unit and to transmit an acknowledgement message to said one neighbor subscriber unit in response to said data conveyance, said acknowledgement message indicating a quality at which said data conveyance was received at said first subscriber unit from said one neighbor subscriber unit.

21. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said feedback from said neighbor subscriber units comprises demand assignment messages originating from said neighbor subscriber units and configured to control demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) channels respectively received at said neighbor subscriber units.

22. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

some of said packets received at said router of said first subscriber unit have intended destinations reachable through a public switched telecommunication network (PSTN);

said network additionally comprises a plurality of gateways in wireless communication with said first subscriber unit and said neighbor subscriber units, said gateways each coupling to said public switched telecommunication network (PSTN); and

said first subscriber unit is configured to route said some of said packets toward more than one of said plurality of gateways.

23. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first subscriber unit is configured to build a routing table for use in determining how to route packets received at said router.

24. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said multi-directional wireless interface forms a plurality of wireless communication links between said first subscriber unit and said neighbor subscriber units;

each of said wireless communication links is characterized by link transmission parameters; and

said first subscriber unit is configured to control said link transmission parameters in response to said feedback from said neighbor subscriber units.

25. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 24 wherein said first subscriber unit is configured to attempt to route packets received at said router and intended for a destination to a first one of said neighbor subscriber units over a first one of said wireless communication links using a first setting of said link transmission parameters, then to alter said first setting of said link transmission parameters for said first one of said wireless communication links when a predetermined data transmission performance result is not achieved for said data intended for said destination, and then to attempt to route packets intended for said destination to a second one of said neighbor subscriber units over a second one of said wireless communication links when a predetermined data transmission performance result is still not achieved.

26. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 additionally comprising a local area network having a wireline connection to said router of said first subscriber unit.

27. A wireless and connectionless communication network as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

each of said neighbor subscriber units has a router coupled to a multi-directional wireless interface; and

said router of each neighbor subscriber unit is configured to operate substantially the same as said router of said first subscriber unit.