Physical layer repeater with selective use of higher layer functions based on network operating conditions

• US 7,230,935 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WiDeFi Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Proctor, James A. Jr., Otto, James C., Gainey, Kenneth M., LaMont, Lawrence W. Jr., Puig, Carlos M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US11/339,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20060183421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 370/315, 370/431, 370/445, 370/390, 370/392, 370/401, 370/427, 370/535, 370/473, 370/538, 370/436, 370/468, 370/215, 370/326, 370/394, 370/428, 370/385, 370/226, 370/243, 370/480, 370/311, 370/206, 370/335, 370/342, 370/482, 370/352, 370/389, 370/289, 370/290, 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/456, 455/13.1, 455/9, 455/458, 455/515, 455/464, 455/425, 709/238, 709/224, 709/200, 340/310.01, 340/539.19, 375/211, 375/127, 375/214, 375/261, 375/349, 375/144, 375/147, 375/316, 375/344, 375/150, 375/142, 398/167.5, 700/73, 725/131, 379/406
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15521 combining by calculations packets received from different stations before transmitting the combined packets as part of network coding network coding aspects for detection or prevention of errors in the information received H04L1/0076; network traffic management with optimizing of information sizing, e.g. header compression, by using assembly and disassembly of packets H04W28/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A physical layer frequency translating repeater (600, 700) for use in a wireless network includes signal processor (710-714) coupled with a signal processing bus (711), a processor (627) and a memory (650). The physical layer repeater conducts physical layer repeating and selectively conducts layer 2 and possibly layer 3 functions depending on network conditions and other factors. A demodulator (623) can extract address information such as media access control (MAC) addressing to enable packets to be redirected, terminated, stored and forwarded, if necessary, based on network conditions.

Claims

1. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:

a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block and a demodulator; and

a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to;

selectively conduct a higher layer function during operation in addition to the physical layer repeating operation, the higher layer function including;

processing first information from at least a demodulated portion of the packet; and

determining a manner in which the packet is handled during the repeating operation based on the first information.

2. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the physical layer repeating operation includes a frequency translating physical layer repeating operation.

3. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the processor, in selectively conducting the higher layer function, is further configured to assume responsibility for an acknowledgment (ACK) of the packet.

4. The physical layer repeater according to claim 3, the processor, in assuming responsibility for the ACK of the packet, is further configured to provide the ACK according to a media access control (MAC) protocol including an 802.11 MAC protocol.

5. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to begin packet retransmission prior to complete reception of the packet.

6. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the processor, in determining the manner in which the packet is handled during the repeating operation, is further configured to regenerate at least a portion of the packet.

7. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein:

the digital baseband section further includes a digital delay line, and

the digital delay line is set with a predetermined amount of delay so as to allow sufficient time to perform demodulation of one of the source address and the destination address associated with the packet.

8. The physical layer repeater according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to decide whether to retransmit the packet based on the demodulated one of the source address and the destination address.

9. The physical layer repeater according to claim 7, wherein the digital delay line is set with additional delay to allow sufficient time to perform a filtering function.

10. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the processor is further configured to build and maintain a table including one or more of a routing table and a filtering table in the memory, the table providing second information such that the processor can determine a retransmission procedure associated with the packet based on the second information.

11. The physical layer repeater according to claim 10, wherein the second information includes one or more of:

a media access control (MAC) address, an internet protocol (IP) address, a layer 3 address, a quality of service (QoS) level parameter, a payload type associated with a payload contained in the packet.

12. The physical layer repeater according to claim 11, wherein the retransmission procedure based on the second information includes one or more of:

a selection of one of a first and a second frequency channels;

a termination of the packet;

a termination of the packet; and

a use of data contained in a payload contained in the packet.

13. The physical layer repeater according to claim 10, wherein the retransmission procedure based on the second information includes one or more of:

a selection of one of a first and a second frequency channels;

a termination of the packet;

a termination of the packet and use of data contained in a payload contained in the packet.

14. The physical layer repeater according to claim 10, wherein, if a filtering table is included, an ACK is not generated for the packet if the packet is filtered.

15. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the processor is configured to demodulate the packet while performing a physical layer retransmission operation on the packet to allow at least an address and a payload of the packet to be stored in the memory.

16. The physical layer repeater according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured such that if an intended recipient of the packet fails to provide an acknowledgement (ACK) of the packet, the stored address and the stored payload are retransmitted.

17. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the processor is configured to sample the packet without demodulation while performing a physical layer retransmission operation on the packet to store the sampled packet in the memory.

18. The physical layer repeater according to claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

build and maintain a table in the memory, the table including one or more of a routing table and a filtering table, and

store and forward the sampled packet based on the table.

19. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is further configured to build and maintain a table in the memory, the table including one or more of a routing table and a filtering table, the processor configured to maintain the table based on a message exchange between the physical layer repeater and one or more other network elements.

20. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is further configured to build and maintain a filtering table, the processor configured to selectively break and merge collision domains based on the filtering table.

21. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the higher layer function includes one or more of a layer 2 function and a layer 3 function.

22. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the higher layer function includes a variable amount of higher layer function between a layer 2 function and a layer 3 function, the variable amount determined based on conditions associated with the wireless network.

23. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the higher layer function includes a variable amount of higher layer function between a layer 2 function and a layer 3 function, the variable amount determined based on instructions received from another node in the wireless network.

24. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the higher layer function includes operating the physical layer repeater as a client in the wireless network in addition to performing the physical layer repeating operation.

25. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a data port coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the higher layer function includes operating the physical layer repeater as a client device in the wireless network, the client device including one or more of an audio device, a video device, a data communication device, a multimedia device, in addition to performing the physical layer repeating operation.

26. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the processor in selectively conducting the higher layer function during operation is further configured to be independent of a timeout parameter.

27. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to operate so as to present the wireless network the appearance of operation under a protocol including an 802.11(s) MESH protocol in addition to the physical layer repeating operation.

28. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the processor is further configured to build and maintain a routing table, the routing table built and maintained by observing MAC addressing associated with transmissions on the wireless network.

29. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the processor is further configured to build and maintain a routing table, the routing table built by processing messages received from other nodes in the wireless network.

30. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, further comprising an interface unit coupled to the processor and the coupled to utility wiring in a structure, wherein the processor is further configured to build and maintain a routing table, the routing table built by processing messages received from other nodes in the wireless network.

31. The physical layer repeater according to claim 30, wherein the messages received from other nodes in the wireless network include routing update messages according to an 802.11(s) MESH protocol.

32. The physical layer repeater according to claim 1, wherein the processor in selectively conducting a higher layer function during operation is further configured to conduct a variable number of higher layer functions based on a condition of the network.

33. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the signal associated with the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:

a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block, and a demodulator; and

a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to;

process a first one of a plurality of symbols of the signal associated with the packet on a symbol-by-symbol basis to form a first processed symbol; and

regenerate and transmit the first processed symbol associated with the packet after at least a symbol interval to form a regenerated symbol prior to completing the processing of all of the plurality of symbols of the signal associated with the packet.

34. The physical layer repeater according to claim 33, wherein the processor is further configured to retransmit the regenerated symbol after a predetermined delay interval including a period not exceeding a time duration of the packet.

35. The physical layer repeater according to claim 33, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein the digital baseband section includes a media access control (MAC) block, and wherein processor is further configured to:

store a plurality of the processed symbols associated with the packet in the memory; and

regenerate and retransmit the plurality of processed symbols after a predetermined delay interval,

wherein the predetermined delay interval is generated in the MAC block, and

wherein the MAC block is configured to generate an acknowledgement within an acknowledgement timeout period upon completion of the regeneration and the retransmission of the plurality of processed symbols associated with the packet.

36. The physical layer repeater according to claim 33, wherein the processor is further configured to selectively conduct a higher layer function during operation in addition to the physical layer repeating operation, the higher layer function including:

processing a plurality of the processed signals associated with first information from at least a portion of the packet; and

determine the manner in which the packet is handled during the repeating operation based on the first information.

37. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the signal associated with the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:

a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block and a demodulator, and

a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to;

process the signal associated with the packet on a sample-by-sample basis to generate a signal sample; and

transmit the signal sample prior to completing the processing of the signal associated with the packet.

38. The physical layer repeater according to claim 37, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor and the digital baseband section, wherein processor is further configured to:

store a plurality of the signal samples associated with the packet in the memory; and

retransmit the plurality of signal samples after a predetermined delay interval.

39. A system for conducting repeater operations in a wireless network environment including a network client, the system comprising:

a first physical layer repeater for conducting a first physical layer repeating operation in the wireless network environment, the first physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet on a first wireless channel and transmitting the signal associated with the packet on a second wireless channel without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the first physical layer repeater performing higher layer operations in connection with the first physical layer repeating operation; and

a second physical layer repeater for conducting a second physical layer repeating operation in the wireless network environment, the second physical layer repeating operation including receiving the signal associated with the packet on the first wireless channel and transmitting the signal associated with the packet on the second wireless channel without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the second physical layer repeater performing higher layer operations in connection with the second physical layer repeating operation,

wherein the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater are configured to communicate using a inter-repeater protocol to establish one or more parameters for coordinating which of;

the first physical layer repeater, the second physical layer repeater, and the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater will conduct the receiving the signal associated with the packet on the first wireless channel and the transmitting the signal associated with the packet on the second channel.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater include a memory, and wherein one or more of the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater are configured to build and maintain a table in the memory, the table including one or more of a routing table and a filtering table, the table providing information such that the one or more of the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater can determine a procedure associated with the higher layer operations based on the information.

41. The system according to claim 39, further comprising:

a first multiple input multiple output (MIMO) device configured to transmit a plurality of signals and a second MIMO device configured to receive a plurality of signals,

wherein the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater are configured to simultaneously receive at least one of the plurality of signals transmitted from the first MIMO device and transmit the at least one of the plurality of signals to the second MIMO device.

42. The system according to claim 39, wherein the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel share a frequency.

43. The system according to claim 39, wherein the first wireless channel includes a first frequency and the second wireless channel includes a second frequency different from the first frequency.