Method to achieve diversity in a communication network

• US 7,113,745 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Khayrallah, Ali S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/790,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20020115409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/562.1, 455/63.4, 455/63.1, 455/215, 455/13.1, 455/13.3, 455/11.1, 455/522, 455/110, 370/208, 370/209, 370/335, 375/346, 375/347
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/06 at the transmitting station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC

Abstract

A method of wirelessly communicating between units comprises using at least two repeaters between a transmit unit and a receive unit. The repeaters enable a diversity scheme to be emulated.

Claims

1. A method of implementing communication diversity in an ad hoc communication network comprising:

determining between first and second member transceivers in the ad hoc network that communication diversity is desired;

negotiating by one or both the first and second member transceivers with one or more additional member transceivers in the ad hoc network to act as diversity repeaters for communications between the first and second member transceivers; and

communicating between the first and second member transceivers via the one or more diversity repeaters by configuring the one or more diversity repeaters to employ one or both time diversity and frequency diversity for transmissions relayed between the first and second member transceivers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc communication network comprises a short range wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the short range wireless communication network comprises a wireless Local Area Network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the short range wireless communication network comprises a Bluetooth network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, generating at the first member transceiver two distinct signals corresponding to a message to be conveyed from the first member transceiver to the second member transceiver, and transmitting a first one of the two distinct signals to a first diversity repeater for relay to the second member transceiver, and transmitting a second one of the two distinct signals to a second diversity repeater for relay to the second member transceiver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein generating at the first member transceiver two distinct signals corresponding to a message to be conveyed from the first member transceiver to the second member transceiver comprises generating the two distinct signals using one of an Alamouti coder, a code-division multiplex coder, or a Linskogg-Paulraj coder.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein generating at the first member transceiver two distinct signals corresponding to a message to be conveyed from the first member transceiver to the second member transceiver comprises generating the two distinct signals to reduce interference by one with the other.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising closing one or more transmit power control feedback loops between the first and second member transceivers through the one or more diversity repeaters.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising extending a communicative range between the first and second member transceivers based on recruiting additional member transceivers as diversity repeaters as needed to relay signals between the first and second member transceivers.

10. A mobile terminal configured for operation in an ad hoc network, said mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver for communicating with one or more other member terminals in the ad hoc network; and

processing logic configured to negotiate one or more additional member terminals in the ad hoc network to act as diversity repeaters for communications between the mobile terminal and a particular one of the other member terminals, and further configured to communicate with that particular mobile terminal via the one or more diversity repeaters;

wherein the processing logic is configured to generate two distinct signals corresponding to a message to be conveyed to the particular member terminal, and to transmit a first one of the two distinct signals to a first diversity repeater for relay to the particular member terminal, and transmit a second one of the two distinct signals to a second diversity repeater for relay to the particular member terminal.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the transceiver comprises a short-range wireless transceiver.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the processing logic is configured to generate the two distinct signals using one of an Alamouti coder, a code-division multiplex coder, or a Linskogg-Paulraj coder.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the processing logic is configured to generate the two distinct signals to reduce interference by one with the other.

15. A method of communicating between first and second member terminals in an ad hoc network, the method comprising:

recruiting by one or both the first and second member terminals one or more additional member terminals to act as diversity repeaters by recruiting one or more additional member terminals to extend a communication range between the first and second member terminals; and

communicating between the first and second member terminals based on relaying signals via the diversity repeaters.

16. A method of communicating between first and second member terminals in an ad hoc network, the method comprising:

recruiting by one or both the first and second member terminals one or more additional member terminals to act as diversity repeaters by notifying at least one additional member terminal, and negotiating with that at least one notified terminal to act as a diversity repeater for communications between the first and second member terminals; and

communicating between the first and second member terminals based on relaying signals via the diversity repeaters.