Apparatus, and associated method, for allocating channel capacity in a wireless communication system

• US 6,823,186 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Palin, Arto, Salokannel, Juha, Reunamäki, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/752,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452, 455/41.2, 455/450, 455/451, 455/509, 455/452.1, 455/443, 455/444, 370/321, 370/329, 370/330, 370/335, 370/341, 370/431, 370/468, 370/433, 370/437
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating inter-slave device communications in a radio communication system, such as a Bluetooth-compatible communication system. Channel allocations to permit the effectuation of the communications between the slave devices are controlled by a master device. Indications of the channel allocations are provided by the master device to the slave devices, and thereafter, a radio link is formed directly between the slave devices and communications therebetween are effectuated.

Claims

1. In a radio communication system having at least a first set of communication stations forming at least a first network set operable to communicate upon a common set of channels according to a selected frequency hopping scheme, the first set having a master-device station, a first slave-device station, a second slave-device station and at least a third slave-device station defined therein, an improvement of apparatus for facilitating communication between the first and at least second slave-device stations, respectively, said apparatus comprising:

a request detector coupled to receive indications of a request for allocation of channel capacity to permit the communications between the first and at least second slave-device stations; and

a channel allocator coupled to said request detector, said allocator for selectably allocating channel capacity for the communications between the first and second slave-device stations, allocations made by said channel allocator responsive, at least in part, upon other communications in the radio communication system, such that the other communications in the radio communication system are effectuable according to the selected frequency hopping scheme;

wherein the channel capacity allocated by said channel allocator providing for communications between the first and second slave-device stations includes an allocation of time periods that are nonoverlapping with time periods allocated for the other communications.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said request detector and said channel allocator are located at the master-device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio communication system comprises a Bluetooth-compatible communication system, wherein the at least the first network set comprises a first piconet, and wherein the request for the allocation of the channel capacity to which said request detector is coupled to receive comprises a request for at least one time slot of a time frame provided for communication within the first piconet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the master-device station is operable to communicate pursuant to a SCO (synchronous connection) link at least with the third slave-device station, and wherein said channel allocator allocates the channel capacity for the communications between the first and at least second slave-device stations responsive, at least in part, to the SCO link pursuant to which the master-device station is operable to communicate with the third slave-device station.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the channel capacity allocated by said channel allocator permits communications between the first and at least second slave-device stations only during the time periods free of communications by way of the SCO link.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the master-device station is operable to communicate pursuant to a SCO link with a selected communication station of the first set of communication stations and wherein allocations made by said channel allocator are made responsive, at least in part, upon communications by the master-device station pursuant to the SCO link.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the request for allocation of channel capacity, indications of which said request detector is coupled to receive is generated by a selected one of the first and at least second slave-device stations.

8. In a method for communicating in a radio communication system having at least a first set of communication stations forming at least a first network set operable to communicate upon a common set of channels according to a selected frequency-hopping scheme, the first set having a master-device station, a first slave-device station, a second slave-device station and at least a third slave-device station, an improvement of a method for facilitating communication between the first and at least second slave-device stations, respectively, said method comprising:

detecting a request for allocation of channel capacity to permit the communication between the first and at least second slave-device stations; and

selectably allocating channel capacity for the communication between the first and second slave-device stations, allocations made responsive, at least in part, upon other communications in the radio communication system, such that the other communications in the radio communication system are effectuable according to the selected frequency hopping scheme;

wherein the channel capacity selectably allocated providing for communications between the first and second slave-device stations includes an allocation of time periods that are nonoverlapping with time periods allocated for the other communications.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said operations of detecting and selectably allocating are performed at the master-device station.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the operation, prior to said operation of detecting, of requesting the allocation of the channel capacity, said operation of requesting performed by a selected one of the first and at least second slave-device stations.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the radio communication system comprises a Bluetooth-compatible communication system, wherein the at least the first network set comprises a first piconet, and wherein the request generated during said operation of requesting comprises a request for at least one time slot of time frame provided for communications within the first piconet.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the master-device station is operable to communicate pursuant to a SCO (synchronous connection) link with at least the third slave-device station, and wherein the allocations made during said operation of selectably allocating allocates channels responsive, in part, to the SCO link.