Transit link coordination systems and methods for a distributed wireless communication network
First Claim
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1. A method in a wireless network node of coordinating a transit link between network nodes in a wireless communication network, comprising:
- monitoring a plurality of transit links between the network node and a respective plurality of neighbouring network nodes for a communications control signal from any of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes;
receiving the communications control signal from one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes;
selecting one of the plurality of transit links between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes;
exchanging data between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes via the one of the plurality of transit links; and
setting a rendezvous time between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes upon completion of the exchanging.
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Abstract
Systems and methods of coordinating transit links between network nodes in a wireless communication network are disclosed. Transit links between a network node and respective neighbouring network nodes are monitored for communications control signals from any of the neighbouring network nodes, and a particular transit link is selected for data exchange upon receipt of a communications control signal. Each transit radio link antenna beam at a network node is thereby aligned with a respective neighbouring network node when the neighbouring node sends a communications control signal.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method in a wireless network node of coordinating a transit link between network nodes in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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monitoring a plurality of transit links between the network node and a respective plurality of neighbouring network nodes for a communications control signal from any of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes; receiving the communications control signal from one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes; selecting one of the plurality of transit links between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes; exchanging data between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes via the one of the plurality of transit links; and setting a rendezvous time between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes upon completion of the exchanging. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A network node for an asynchronous communication network, comprising:
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a transit link antenna system; a transit radio connected to the transit link antenna system and configured to communicate with neighbouring network nodes over transit links using the transit link antenna system; and a communications controller configured to operate the network node in a plurality of operating modes, comprising; a neighbourhood mode to listen for communications control signals from any of the neighbouring network nodes, a traffic mode to select one of the transit links and to exchange data with one of the neighbouring network nodes over the one of the transit links in response to a communications control signal from the one of the neighbouring network nodes; and a rendezvous mode to exchange data with the neighbouring network nodes at respective predetermined rendezvous times. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A system for coordinating a transit link between network nodes in an asynchronous communication network, comprising:
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means for monitoring a plurality of transit links between a network node and a respective plurality of neighbouring network nodes for a communications control signal from any of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes; means for receiving the communications control signal from one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes; means for selecting the one of the plurality of transit links between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes; means for exchanging data between the network node and the one of the plurality of neighbouring network nodes via the one of the plurality of transit links; and means for establishing contact between the network node and the plurality of neighbouring network nodes at respective scheduled contact times. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. In a network node of a wireless communication network, a method of coordinating a transit link between the network node and a neighbouring network node in the wireless communication network, comprising:
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assigning the network node as either a master network node or a slave network node for the transit link; where the network node is the master network node; scheduling a rendezvous time for the transit link; transmitting the rendezvous time to the slave network node for the transit link; and transmitting a rendezvous signal to the slave network node at the rendezvous time; and where the network node is the slave network node; receiving the rendezvous time from the master network node for the transit link; listening to receive the rendezvous signal at the rendezvous time; and transmitting a rendezvous response signal to the master network node upon receiving the rendezvous signal. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A wireless network comprising a plurality of wireless network nodes, each wireless network node comprising:
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a respective access radio and omni-directional access antenna providing communications services to mobile terminals; a respective transit radio and transit antenna system providing communications with other wireless network nodes, the transit antenna system having a plurality of antenna segments each producing a respective beam such that a 360 degree coverage is provided; a respective communications controller controlling communications between pairs of mobile terminals through the access radio and the access antenna system, controlling communications between a mobile station and another wireless network node through the access radio, the access antenna system, the transit radio, and a segment of the transit antenna system, and controlling communications from a first other wireless network node to a second other wireless network node through the transit radio and pairs of the segments of the transit antenna system, wherein each wireless network node further comprises an auxiliary antenna port and an antenna detector adapted to automatically detect whether or not an auxiliary antenna is coupled to the auxiliary antenna port, wherein the auxiliary antenna, when detected, is treated by the communications controller as a transit antenna segment, and wherein the auxiliary antenna has a greater gain than the transit antenna system segments.
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Specification