Process for keeping and/or restoring communication links in a planned network with mobile components

• US 7,224,667 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Lete, Ghislain
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTS, BRIAN S
• Application Number:
  US09/961,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 370/235, 370/236, 370225-228, 370/337, 370/329, 370/336, 370/315, 370/254, 370/319, 370/236.1, 370/321, 455/8, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A process for keeping and/or restoring communications within a network with planned resources, the network includes stations arranged in at least one group, wherein each group is composed of at least two stations that are linked together, and the links between the at least two stations can change with a time. The process includes the following steps: associating a dummy station to one of the groups, the dummy station includes different resources, wherein the different resources are allocated to the stations in the groups; setting-up a relay station configured to keep and/or to restore communications between the stations of the groups, based on information about how a group structure evolves; and reallocating resources of the dummy station to the relay station after setting-up the relay station, based on information about how a group structure evolves.

Claims

1. A process for keeping and/or restoring communications within a network with planned resources, said network comprising stations arranged in at least one group, wherein each group includes at least two stations linked together, and links between the at least two stations can change with time, the process comprising:

associating a dummy station to one of said at least one group, the dummy station comprising resources keeping an image of the communications existing in the at least one group, the dummy station not participating in the communications itself and configured to materialize into a real station, wherein the resources are allocated to the at least two stations in the at least one group;

setting-up at least one relay station to keep and/or to restore communications between the at least two stations of the at least one group, based on information about how a group structure evolves; and

reallocating resources of the dummy station to the at least one relay station after said setting-up, based on the information about how the group structure evolves;

wherein said network comprises a L16 multifunctional information distribution system (MIDS) land network.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said reallocating resources is performed with a main station configured to design the network and to allocate resources.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein said main station is a NCS station (network control station).

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the relay station is configured to restore communications for a first and second group of the at least one group, wherein a first resource is associated with the first group and a second resource is associated with the second group, and the first and second resources are separate from each other.

5. The process according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the second resource by a station associated with the first resource, wherein the station associated with the first resource is not belonging to the first group.

6. The process according to claim 1, further comprising

providing at least one communication plan for each group by the at least one relay station;

and

allocating resources of the dummy station to the at least one relay station, by a local activation of the allocating in the dummy station.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reallocating resources comprises at least one of a time reallocation dedicated to communications of the groups, PG numbers (participation group), or route numbers.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process is performed within the at least one group.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the stations are mobile terminals.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dummy station further includes:

a memory storing resources initially assigned at the network design stage of the network with planned resources.

11. A system to keep and/or restore communications within a network with planned resources, said network comprising stations arranged in at least one group, wherein each group includes at least two stations linked together, and links between the at least two stations can change with time, the system comprising:

a dummy station in connection with a group, comprising resources keeping an image of the communications existing in the at least one group, the resources allocated to stations in the group, the dummy station not participating in the communications itself and configured to materialize into a real station;

a device configured to determine how a structure of the group changes;

at least one relay station configured to keep and/or restore communications between the at least two stations of the group; and

a device configured to reallocate resources of the dummy station to the at least one relay station;

wherein said network comprises a L16 multifunctional information distribution system (MIDS) land network.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the device configured to reallocate resources is a station configured for network design and for allocation of resources.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the station is a NCS station (network control station).

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one relay station includes at least one communication plan for each group.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one group is organized in at least one sub-network and the system is located in each of the at least one sub-network.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the dummy station further includes:

a memory storing resources initially assigned at the network design stage of the network with planned resources.