Adaptive transmission channel allocation method and system for ISM and unlicensed frequency bands

• US 6,760,317 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Palin, Arto, Honkanen, Mauri, Lappetelainen, Antti
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): NG, CHRISTINE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/610,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/335, 370/342, 370/465, 375/132, 375/133, 375/135, 375/136
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/715 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system for establishing a connection link between a master device and a plurality of slave devices in a communications network having a plurality of frequency channels within a radio frequency band known as the unlicensed ISM band, wherein the connection links between the master device and the slave devices are capable of being carried out in a frequency-hopping fashion. The method comprises the steps of sending a link request to the master device requesting establishment of a non-frequency-hopping connection link between the master device and a slave device; establishing the non-frequency-hopping connection link as requested if the master device is able to select a communication channel for such a connection link; and establishing or maintaining the connection link in the frequency-hopping fashion if the master device is unable to select such a communication channel. In order to establish the non-frequency-hopping connection link, channel conditions including the carrier power of the channel and the interference and noise levels adversely affecting the connection link are measured.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a connection link between a master device and a plurality of slave devices in a communications network having a plurality of frequency channels within a radio frequency band, wherein the connection links between the master device and the slave devices are capable of being carried out in a frequency-hopping fashion, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a link request to the master device requesting establishment of a non-frequency-hopping connection link between the master device and at least one of the slave devices;

establishing the non-frequency-hopping connection link as requested if the master device is able to select a communication channel for said non-frequency-hopping connection link; and

establishing or maintaining the connection link in the frequency-hopping fashion if the master device is unable to select the communication channel for said non-frequency-hopping connection link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of measuring channel conditions in order for the master device to select the communication channel for the non-frequency-hopping connection link.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the channel conditions include carrier power of the channel and the interference and noise levels affecting the connection link.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the measurement of channel conditions is carried out by the master device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the measurement of channel conditions is carried out by said at least one of the slave devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of sending to said at least one of the slave devices a plurality of measurement parameters including measurement time and frequencies to be measured so as to allow said one of the slave devices to measure the channel conditions based on the measurement parameters.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of sending a measurement report to the master device reporting results of the channel condition measurements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending to said at least one of the slave devices a plurality of channel parameters including the frequency to be used for the non-frequency-hopping connection link.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the channel parameters further include a modulation code rate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the channel parameters further include a quality of service requirement.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the master device gives up its master device role in the frequency-hopping fashion if the master device is able to select the communication channel for said non-frequency-hopping connection link.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the master device is not required to give up its master device role in the frequency-hopping fashion if the master is able to select the communication channel for said non-frequency-hopping connection link.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the link request is sent out by said at least one of the slave devices as a Link Management Protocol Protocol Data Unit.

14. A system for the adaptive allocation of transmission channels in order to establishing a connection link between a master device and at least one slave device in a communications network having a plurality of frequency channels within a radio frequency band, wherein the connection link between the master device and the slave device is capable of being carried out in a frequency-hopping fashion, said system comprising:

a mechanism for the slave device to request the master device to allocate a channel for a connection link in a non-frequency-hopping fashion;

a mechanism for the master to determine whether it is able to allocate the requested channel;

a mechanism to establish the non-frequency-hopping connection link between the master device and the requesting slave device on the allocated channel if the master is able to allocate the requested channel; and

a mechanism to establish or maintain a frequency-hopping connection link between the master device and the requesting slave device if the master is unable to allocate the requested channel.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a mechanism for the slave device to maintain the frequency-hopping connection link if the slave device fails to receive a response from the master device responding to the request sent to the master device indicating whether the master device is able to allocate said requested channel.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the master device allocates said requested channel based on channel conditions including carrier power of the frequency channels and interference and noise levels which may affect said requested channel, said system further comprising a mechanism to measure the channel conditions.

17. A communication device in a communications network having a further communication device and a plurality of frequency channels with a radio frequency band for establishing a connection link between the communication device and a further communication device, wherein the connection link between the communication device and the further communication device is capable of being carried out in a frequency-hopping fashion, said communication device comprising:

a mechanism for the communication device to request the further communication device to allocate a channel for a connection link in a non-frequency-hopping fashion;

a mechanism to establish the non-frequency-hopping connection link between the communication device and the further communication device on the allocated channel if the further communication device is able to allocate the requested channel; and

a mechanism to establish or maintain a frequency-hopping connection link between the communication device and the further communication device if the further communication device is unable to allocate the requested channel.

18. The communication device of claim 17, further comprising a mechanism for maintaining the frequency-hopping connection link if the communication device fails to receive a response from the further communication device responding to the request sent to the further communication device indicating whether the further communication device is able to allocate said requested channel.

19. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the further communication device allocates said requested channel based on channel conditions including carrier power of the frequency channels and interference and noise levels which may affect said requested channel, said system further comprising a mechanism to measure the channel conditions.