Wideband wireless communications architecture

• US 6,845,087 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Wood, Daniel J., Holdrege, Ward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, LANA N
• Application Number:
  US09/400,527
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 375/145, 375/134, 375/131, 375/137, 375/149, 375/141, 370/335, 370/342, 370/441, 370/337
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2618 using hybrid code-time division multiple access [CDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/00 Code division multiplex systems for frequency hopping H04B1/713
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A wireless communication network that generally establishes a source node transmit window (during which a type A node transmits signals) and a source node receive window (during which the type A node receives signals). The node may then transmit over a CDMA link during the source node transmit window to a destination node. Similarly, the source node receives over the CDMA link from the destination node during the source node receive window. The duration of the source node transmit and source node receive windows may be of any duration. Type B nodes adopt the opposite transmit and receive timing as a type A node after assimilation. The network provides a technique for assimilating new nodes, in which new nodes transmit their own reservation channels in a handshaking sequence, and CDMA spreading codes are assigned until all available spreading codes are in use.

Claims

1. A method for providing an expandable wireless communication network including users capable of supporting a link to a hub, and hubs capable of supporting multiple links between users, the method comprising:

establishing a source node transmit window and a source node receive window;

selecting a first assignable CDMA spreading code for use in a first communication link;

transmitting from a source node during the source node transmit window a reservation channel carrying the first assignable CDMA spreading code;

detecting a handshaking response at the source node during the source node receive window;

in response to a successful handshake, selecting a second assignable CDMA spreading code for use in a second communication link; and

transmitting from the source node during the source node transmit window the reservation channel carrying the second assignable CDMA spreading code,

wherein the establishing step comprises establishing source node transmit and source node receive windows unequal in duration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the handshaking response;

transmitting to a destination node during the source node transmit window using the assignable CDMA spreading code; and

receiving from the determined destination node during the source node receive window using the assignable CDMA spreading code.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of establishing a virtual circuit for the destination node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said establishing step includes assigning a Quality of Service to the determined destination node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the first assignable CDMA reservation code comprises transmitting from a hub source node to a user destination node and the detecting step includes receiving from the user destination node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the first assignable CDMA reservation code comprises transmitting from a hub source node to a hub destination node and the detecting step includes receiving from the hub destination node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the first assignable CDMA reservation code comprises transmitting from a user source node to a user destination node and the detecting step includes receiving from the user destination node.

8. A method for providing an expandable wireless communication network including users capable of supporting a link to a hub, and hubs capable of supporting multiple links between users, the method comprising:

establishing a source node transmit window and a source node receive window;

selecting a first assignable CDMA spreading code for use in a first communication link;

transmitting from a source node A during the source node transmit window a reservation channel carrying the first assignable CDMA spreading code;

scanning for the reservation channel at a destination node B and extracting the first assignable CDMA spreading code;

transmitting from the destination node B a handshaking response on the reservation channel;

detecting the handshaking response at the source node A during the source node receive window;

transmitting from the source node A during the source node transmit window to the destination node B over the first communication link determined by said first assignable CDMA spreading code;

receiving from the destination node B during the source node receive window over the first communication link determined by said first assignable CDMA spreading code;

transmitting during the source node receive window from the destination node B a second reservation channel carrying an additional assignable CDMA spreading code for use in an additional communication link;

detecting an additional handshaking response at the destination node B during the source node transmit window,

transmitting from the destination node B during the source node receive window to a destination node C over the additional communication link determined by the additional assignable CDMA spreading code; and

receiving from the destination node C during the source node receive window over the additional communication link determined by the additional assignable CDMA spreading code.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to a successful handshake, selecting a second assignable CDMA spreading code for use in a second communication link; and

transmitting from the source node A during the source node transmit window the reservation channel carrying the second assignable CDMA spreading code.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of establishing a virtual circuit for the destination node B.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said establishing step includes assigning a Quality of Service.

12. A communication node adapted to provide an expandable wireless communication network over a time division, code division access layer, the communication node comprising:

an antenna for radiating an outgoing spread spectrum signal and receiving a spread spectrum incoming signal;

a first RF section coupled to the antenna;

a spread spectrum speader coupled to the first RF section;

a spreading code generator coupled to the spreader;

a controller including a transmit control output coupled to the first RF section and the code generator for transmittng data in the outgoing signal during a transmit window and receiving data in the incoming signal during a receive window; and

at least one additional RF section supporting at least one additional outgoing spread spectrum signal, and wherein the additional RF section and the first RF section are coupled together to transmit simultaneously during the transmit window and receive simultaneously during the receive window.

13. The communication node of claim 12, wherein the first RF section comprises an RF filter, low noise amplifier, power amplifier, and an upconverter/downconverter.

14. The communication node of claim 12, further comprising a data buffer coupled to the spreader.

15. The communication node of claim 14, further comprising at least one connection to a data source.

16. The communication node of claim 12, wherein the antenna is an omnidirectional antenna.

17. The communication node of claim 12, wherein the antenna is a sectorized antenna system.

18. The communication node of claim 12, wherein the code generator comprises an assignable spreading code and a reservation spreading code for generating a reservation channel carrying the assignable spreading code, and wherein the RF section couples a reservation channel signal carrying the assignable spreading code to the antenna.