Network communication system using a single reservation request over one or more assigned frequencies to identify a node

• US 7,209,748 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GPNE Corp.
• Original Assignee: GPNE Corp.
• Inventors: Tsui, Po S., Wong, Gabriel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan; Yuwen
• Application Number:
  US11/407,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/509, 455/510, 455/515, 455/516, 455/517, 370/330, 370/336, 370/350, 340/7.2, 340/7.21
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• 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 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A network communication system is provided for communication between network nodes, including individual nodes and a central control station node. In the network, signals are transmitted from the central control node to identify one or more frequencies that the node may transmit. When a first individual node has data to transmit, the first individual node transmits a request signal to the central control node over one or more of its assigned frequencies. In response to the request signal, the central control node transmits a grant signal assigning one or more frequencies to allow the first node to transmit its data.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data comprising:

receiving a first signal transmitted from a communication controller at a first node, said first signal including information allowing the first node to transmit a request signal to the communication controller;

transmitting the request signal from the first node to the communication controller, said request signal transmitted from the first node to the communication controller in response to the first node receiving the first signal;

receiving a second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the first node, said second signal from the communication controller being transmitted in response to the communication controller receiving the request signal from the first node, said second signal granting the first node permission to transmit data to the communication controller; and

transmitting the data from the first node to the communication controller,

wherein the communication controller transmits to the first node information relating to at least one frequency wherein the first node communicates with the communication controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one frequency used for transmission between the communication controller and the first node is timeslotted.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication controller transmits said first signal to the first node in at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said second signal transmitted to the first node includes information relating to at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency wherein to the first node transmits said data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one timeslot within at least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting said data is at least one timeslot within at least one data transmission frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting said data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication controller maintains radio resources allocated to the first node for sending transmissions to the communication controller, wherein said radio resources comprise the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node for the first node to further communicate with the communication controller, wherein the communication controller may remove the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node when the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node is unused by the first node for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one timeslot within the at least one data transmission frequency allocated by the communication controller to the first node in the second signal is assigned exclusively to the first node.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the data transmitted from the first node to the communication controller is transmitted on at least one dedicated channel, wherein said at least one dedicated channel is at least one timeslot within the at least one data transmission frequency assigned exclusively to a node for transmitting data to the communication controller.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node are varied.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the first node receives information from the communication controller assigning a new timeslot for transmitting.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the first node randomly chooses at least one timeslot wherein the first node transmits.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first signal to the first node is transmitted within the at least one frequency.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first signal transmitted from the communication controller to the first node is transmitted within at least one predetermined frequency.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said information relating to at least one frequency wherein the first node communicates with the communication controller comprises information relating to at least one frequency wherein the first node may transmit a request signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said information relating to at least one frequency wherein the first node communicates with the communication controller is transmitted from the communication controller to the first node prior to the first node transmitting said request signal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said information allowing the first node to transmit a request signal to the communication controller comprises information relating to at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency wherein the first node may transmit said request signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said request signal from the first node is transmitted within the at least one timeslot within said at least one frequency wherein the first node may transmit said request signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one timeslot in which the first node may transmit the request signal is one of a series of timeslots where the network codes can transmit requests, the series of timeslots occurring repeatedly after transmission of the first signal from the communication controller and continuing after receipt of the request signal transmitted to the communication controller.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency allocated by the communication controller to the first node in the first signal is assigned exclusively to the first node.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the series of timeslots where the network nodes can transmit requests occurs repeatedly without being disabled during operation of the communication controller.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication controller maintains radio resources allocated to the first node for sending transmissions to the communication controller, wherein said radio resources comprise the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node for the first node to further communicate with the communication controller, wherein the communication controller may remove the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node when the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node is unused by the first node for a predetermined period of time.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said information allowing the first node to transmit a request signal to the communication controller comprises information relating to a set of frequencies wherein the first node transmits and receives information from the communication controller, and

wherein at least one frequency from the set of frequencies is allocated to the first node for transmitting the request signal from the first node to the communication controller.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said information allowing the first node to transmit a request signal to the communication controller comprises information relating to at least one timeslot wherein the first node may transmit a first request signal from the first node.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said request signal transmitted from the first node is transmitted within the at least one timeslot identified in the first signal from the communication controller.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the first node by the communication controller.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said request signal from the first node is transmitted within at least one predetermined frequency.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said request signal transmitted from the first node to the communication controller is transmitted within at least one predetermined frequency.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein said request signal from the first node includes a request for transmitting a specified amount of data from the first node to the communication controller.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication controller transmits said second signal to the first node within the at least one frequency.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the first node is transmitted within at least one timeslot.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein said second signal transmitted from the communication controller is transmitted within at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the first node is transmitted within at least one predetermined frequency.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the first node is transmitted within at least one timeslot within at least one predetermined frequency.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein said information relating to at least one frequency wherein the first node communicates with the communication controller comprises information relating to at least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting data.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said at least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting data is transmitted from the communication controller to the first node prior to the first node transmitting the data.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said at least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting data is transmitted from the communication controller to the first node after the first node has transmitted the request signal.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said at least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting data is transmitting from the communication controller to the first node while the first node is in the process of transmitting data.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said at least frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting data is at least one data transmission frequency allocated to the first node.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the at least one frequency wherein the first node can transmit a request signal is a different frequency from the least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting said data.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein said data is transmitted from the first node in the at least one frequency allocated to the first node for transmitting data.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein said second signal transmitted to the first node includes information relating to at least one timeslot allocated to the first node for transmitting data.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node transmits within the at least one frequency which is timeslotted, wherein the first node is at least in part identified by the at least one frequency the first node is transmitting over and at least in part identified by the at least one timeslot the first node is transmitting in.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein randomly generated information is transmitted between the communication controller and the first node.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said randomly generated information may be generated by the first node.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said randomly generated information is randomly generated identified information.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein said randomly generated identification information is at least temporarily associated with the first node.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein said randomly generated information is time derived identifying information which is at least temporarily associated with the first node.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein said second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the first node includes randomly generated information generated by the first node, said randomly generated information by the first node having been previously transmitted from the first node to the communication controller.

49. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

transmitting node identification information from the first node to the communication controller subsequent to the first node receiving said randomly generated information from the communication controller.

50. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transmitted by the first node comprises an amount of data comprising at least one data packet, wherein said at least one data packet comprises information relating to a number of related data packets making up the data transmitted by the first node.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the information relating to the number of related packets is a countdown value.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the last data packet of the amount of data transmitted by the first node contains information indicating that the last data packet is the final data packet.

53. The method of claim 1, wherein a communication controller comprises a data communication device capable of receiving and transmitting signals to at least one other data communication device over a variable number of frequencies.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said at least one other data communication device comprises at least one node.

55. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal transmitted from the communication controller to the at least one network node including the first node is transmitted on a common control channel, wherein said common control channel is at least one timeslot within at the least one frequency wherein the communication controller transmits information to at one network node including the first node regarding random access timeslot request opportunities.

56. The method of claim 1, wherein the request signal transmitted from the first node to the communication controller is transmitted on a common control channel, wherein said common control channel is at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency wherein at least one network node including the first node may transmit a random access request signal.

57. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal is transmitted from the communication controller to the first node on a common control channel, wherein said common control channel is at least one timeslot within at least one frequency wherein the communication controller transmits timeslot assignment information.

58. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is a recurring signal transmitted from the communication controller to at least one network node,

wherein transmissions between the communication controller and a plurality of network nodes may occur simultaneously,

wherein the state of operation for each relative node of the plurality of nodes comprises at least a first state for monitoring for a first signal from the communication controller, at least a second state for transmitting a request signal from the relative node to the communication controller, at least a third state for monitoring for a second signal from the communication controller and at least a fourth state for transmitting data, and

wherein the relative state for each relative node from the plurality of nodes is determined by the associated state of operation for each relative node.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein each relative node from the plurality of nodes may operate at a different relative state of operation for each relative node in relation to other nodes from the plurality of nodes.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the state of operation for each relative node comprises at least one other state for receiving incoming data transmissions from the communication controller.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein a node may operate in more than one state at any given period.

62. The method of claim 58, wherein the state of operation also comprises at least one other state for receiving data transmissions from the communication controller.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein a node may simultaneously send and receive transmissions.

64. The method of claim 58, further comprising:

receiving an additional first signal transmitted from a communication controller at a second node, said additional first signal including information relating to the at least one frequency within which the second node may transmit an additional request signal to the communication controller,

transmitting the additional request signal from the second node to the communication controller within the at least one frequency, said additional request signal transmitted from the second node to the communication controller in response to the second node receiving the additional first signal;

receiving an additional second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the second node, said additional second signal from the communication controller being transmitted in response to the communication controller receiving the additional request signal from the second node, said second signal granting the second node permission to transmit additional data to the communication controller; and

transmitting the additional data from the second node to the communication controller.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the transmissions from and subsequent signal receptions by the second node may occur at any time after the communication controller has transmitted the first signal to the first node, including at least any time prior to the communication controller receiving all the data transmitted from the first node.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the at least one frequency used for transmission between the communication controller and the second node is timeslotted.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein at least one timeslot is assigned to the second node by the communication controller.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency allocated by the communication controller to the second node is assigned within the additional second signal, said at least one timeslot is assigned exclusively to the second node.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein the communication controller transmits said additional first signal to the second node within the at least one frequency;

and;

wherein said additional first signal to the second node is transmitted within at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency.

70. The method of claim 66, wherein said additional first signal to the second node includes information relating to at least one timeslot within the at least one frequency wherein the second node may transmit said additional request signal.

71. The method of claim 66, wherein the at least one frequency wherein the second node transmits said additional request signal is timeslotted;

and

wherein said additional request signal from the second node is transmitted within at least one timeslot within at least one frequency.

72. The method of claim 64, wherein said additional first signal transmitted from the communication controller to the second node is transmitted in at least one timeslot assignment frequency.

73. The method of claim 64, wherein said additional request signal from the second node includes a request for transmitting a specified amount of data from the second node to the communication controller.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the communication controller transmits said additional second signal on the at least one timeslot assignment frequency which is timeslotted;

and

wherein said additional second signal transmitted from the communication controller is transmitted within at least one timeslot within the at least one timeslot assignment frequency.

75. The method of claim 64, wherein the second node is at least in part identified by the at least one frequency the second node is transmitting over and at least in part identified by the at least one timeslot the second node is transmitting in.

76. The method of claim 64, wherein randomly generated information is transmitted between the communication controller and the second node;

and

wherein said randomly generated information is randomly generated identification information.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein said randomly generated information is time derived identifying information which is at least temporarily associated with the second node.

78. The method of claim 76, wherein said additional second signal transmitted from the communication controller to the second node includes randomly generated information generated by the second node, said randomly generated information by the second node have been previously transmitted from the second node to the communication controller.

79. The method of claim 76, further comprising the step of:

transmitting node identification information from the second node to the communication controller subsequent to the second node receiving said randomly generated information from the communication controller.

80. The method of claim 64, wherein the second node receives information transmitted from the communication controller relating to the at least one data transmission frequency the second node must utilize in transmitting additional data to and receiving data from the communication controller.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the second node receives information from the communication controller relating to the at least one data transmission frequency wherein the second node is assigned to transmit the additional data.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the second node receives information from the communication controller relating to an assignment of at least one timeslot within the at least one data transmission frequency wherein the second node is assigned to transmit the additional data.

83. The method of claim 64, wherein any number of frequencies may be used for transmissions between the communication controller and the second node.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein the number of frequencies used for transmissions between the communication controller and the second node are varied.

85. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node includes a writing pad for entering the data into the node.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the writing pad is pressure sensitive.

87. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node receives information transmitted from the communication controller relating to at least one data transmission frequency the first node must utilize in transmitting data to and receiving data from the communication controller.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein the first node transmits within at least one timeslot within at least one frequency.

89. The method of claim 87, wherein the first node receives information relating to at least one monitor frequency wherein the first node must monitor for transmissions from the communication controller.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein the at least one data transmission frequency wherein the first node transmits and the at least one monitor frequency wherein the first node receives transmissions from the communication controller comprises at least one range of frequencies utilized by the first node in transmitting data to and receiving transmissions from the communication controller.

91. The method of claim 89, wherein the first node transmits data to and receives data from the communication controller via at least one antenna.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the at least one antenna comprises multiple antennas.

93. The method of claim 87, wherein the at least one frequency comprises a list of frequencies the first node must utilized in transmitting data to and receiving data from the communication controller.

94. The method of claim 87, wherein the at least one frequency comprises a range of frequencies wherein the first node must utilize in transmitting data to and receiving data from the communication controller.

95. The method of claim 87, wherein the at least one data transmission frequency utilized in transmitting data from the first node to the communication controller can be changed.

96. The method of claim 87, wherein the first node determines which of the at least one data transmission frequencies the first node will utilize in communicating with the communication controller.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein the first node determines whether switching of the at least one data transmission frequency is required based upon signal quality.

98. The method of claim 87, wherein the communication controller controls whether switching of the at least one data transmission frequency is required based upon signal quality.

99. The method of claim 87, wherein the communication controller assigns the at least one data transmission frequency for the first node to utilize in communicating with the communication controller.

100. The method of claim 99, wherein the communication controller assigns the at least one data transmission frequency to the first node for frequency switching.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein the first node is assigned at least one timeslot within the at least one data transmission frequency by the communication controller to transmit.

102. The method of claim 1, wherein any number of frequencies may be used for transmissions between the communication controller and the first node.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein a number of frequencies used for transmissions between the communication controller and the first node are varied.

104. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication controller maintains radio resources allocated to the first node after the data from the first node has been received, wherein said radio resources comprise at least one timeslot assigned to the first node for the first node to further communication with the communication controller, wherein said at least one timeslot is assigned to the first node at any time, wherein the communication controller may remove the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node when the at least one timeslot assigned to the first node is unused by the first node for a predetermined period of time.

105. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node communicates with at least one data communication device via at least one antenna via at least one frequency.

106. The method of claim 105, wherein the at least one antenna comprises multiple antennas and wherein the at least one frequency comprises multiple frequencies.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein said multiple antennas comprises multiple antennas for transmitting signals from the first node to at least one data communication device and at least one antenna for receiving signals from the at least one data communication device.

108. The method of claim 106, wherein said multiple antennas comprises at least one antenna for transmitting signals from the first node to at least one data communication device and multiple antennas for receiving signals from the at least one data communication device.

109. The method of claim 105, wherein said at least one data communication device comprises multiple data communication devices, and wherein said at least one frequency comprises multiple frequencies.

110. The method of claim 106, wherein the first node may transmit signals and receive signals simultaneously.

111. The method of claim 110, wherein the first node may simultaneously transmit signals on multiple frequencies, and

wherein the first node may simultaneously receive transmissions on multiple frequencies.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the first node may transmit the request signal to at least one data communication device while transmitting the data.