Network channel access protocol—slot scheduling

• US 7,113,519 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SkyPilot Networks Incorporated (Trilliant Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bradley, Kirk Alton, Rich, Mark J., Hammel, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H.
• Application Number:
  US10/122,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 370/376, 370/386, 370/389, 370/458, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.3, 370/395.4, 370/395.42, 370/395.41, 370/400, 370/444, 370/395.43, 370/314, 370/321, 370/337, 370/347
• US Class Current: 370/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Network channel access protocol is disclosed. More particularly, a distributed, locally determined, channel access protocol that adapts to load, avoids interference and controls access by a group of nodes to a set of shared channels is disclosed. Shared channel space is divided into a number of communication slots that are repeated at a predetermined interval. Permission to use a slot to communicate between any two nodes is dynamically adjusted by the channel access protocol, which locally: (i) estimates load to neighboring nodes; (ii) allocates or deallocates slot usage to adapt to load and avoid interference; and (iii) asserts and advertises slot usage within an interference area about itself.

Claims

1. A method for communication slot allocation and assertion for a planned transmission, comprising:

providing a node;

obtaining an array of communication slots;

locating at least one available communication slot within the array;

allocating the at least one communication slot;

determining if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override;

if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override,

canceling a prior allocation of the at least one communication slot;

informing neighboring nodes of the node of cancellation of the prior allocation;

asserting usage of the at least one communication slot;

informing the neighboring nodes of assertion of the at least one communication slot;

determining whether the at least one communication slot is configured to receive or transmit; and

if the at least one communication slot is configured to receive, scheduling use of the at least one communication slot.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

checking for another allocated communication slot to process.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the array of communication slots is frequencies by times.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is only by point-to-point communication.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is only by point-to-multipoint communication.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is only by broadcast communication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of informing the neighboring nodes is by one or more of point-to-point communication, point-to-multipoint communication and broadcast communication.

8. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor in response to a command to allocate at least one communication slot, causes execution of a method comprising:

allocating the at least one communication slot;

determining if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override;

if the at least one communication slot was made available by priority override,

canceling a prior allocation of the at least one communication slot;

informing neighboring nodes of the node of cancellation of the prior allocation;

asserting usage of the at least one communication slot;

informing the neighboring nodes of assertion of the at least on communication slot;

determining whether the at least one communication slot is configured to receive or transmit; and

if the at least on communication slot is configured to receive, scheduling use of the at least on communication slot.