Hierarchical data collection network supporting packetized voice communications among wireless terminals and telephones

• US 7,580,384 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Michael D., Kubler, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore; Ian N
• Application Number:
  US10/760,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20040151151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370241-252, 370310-3102, 370328-329, 370/331, 370/338, 370351-353, 370/389, 370400-406, 370/463, 370/516, 455422-4262, 455/561, 455/556, 455/67.1, 455/67.3, 455/556.1, 455 6711- 6713
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/0908 using a phase locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 : by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 : by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 : Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0032 : Without explicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 : the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 : the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/14 : Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/156 : with demodulation using temporal properties of the received signal, e.g. detecting pulse width
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 : Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 : Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 : Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 : In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 : Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 : Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 : Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 : adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 : including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 : using intermediate storage
• 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 40/00 : Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 : managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 : TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 : TPC being performed in particular situations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 : in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 : Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 : Manipulation of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 : Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A packet-based, hierarchical communication system, arranged in a spanning tree configuration, is described in which wired and wireless communication networks exhibiting substantially different characteristics are employed in an overall scheme to link portable or mobile computing devices. The network accommodates real time voice transmission both through dedicated, scheduled bandwidth and through a packet-based routing within the confines and constraints of a data network. Conversion and call processing circuitry is also disclosed which enables access devices and personal computers to adapt voice information between analog voice stream and digital voice packet formats as proves necessary. Routing pathways include wireless spanning tree networks, wide area networks, telephone switching networks, internet, etc., in a manner virtually transparent to the user. A voice session and associate call setup simulates that of conventional telephone switching network, providing well-understood functionality common to any mobile, remote or stationary terminal, phone, computer, etc.

Claims

1. A communication network supporting the communication of voice and data, the network comprising:

at least one portable terminal having a wireless transceiver that communicates using a packet protocol, wherein a packet is a unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another over the communication network;

the at least one portable terminal, during a voice call, converting sound into digital voice packets for transmission via the wireless transceiver, and receiving digital voice packets via the wireless transceiver, the contents of the digital voice packet used for conversion into sound;

the at least one portable terminal, during operation, capturing digital data into data packets for transmission via the wireless transceiver, and receiving data packets via the wireless transceiver, the contents of the data packets used for reproducing digital data;

at least one access device having a wireless transceiver for communicating digital voice packets and digital data packets with the at least one portable terminal, the at least one access device comprising a network interface for communicating information via a wired network;

the at least one access device selectively transferring to its wireless transceiver for transmission at least a portion of the information received from its network interface, and selectively transferring to its network interface for transmission at least a portion of the information received by its wireless transceiver;

wherein digital voice packets wirelessly communicated by the at least one portable terminal comprise destination information used for routing the digital voice packets through the communication network;

wherein the at least one portable terminal evaluates a message wirelessly received from the at least one access device and sends to the at least one access device an indication of a data rate based on the evaluation; and

wherein the at least one access device selects a data rate for transmitting digital voice packets and digital data packets to the at least one portable terminal, based upon the indication of a data rate.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceivers communicate at a frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

3. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceivers communicate using a frequency hopping spread spectrum technique.

4. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceivers communicate using a direct sequence spread spectrum technique.

5. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the packet protocol comprises an Internet protocol (IP).

6. The communication network of claim 5 wherein the Internet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

7. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the packets communicated by the at least one portable terminal comprise digital voice packets and data packets.

8. The communication network of claim 1 wherein packets are transported wirelessly without regard to content.

9. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the wired network comprises a packet network.

10. The communication network of claim 9 wherein the packet network uses an Internet protocol (IP).

11. The communication network of claim 9 wherein the Internet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

12. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the wired network comprises an Ethernet compliant network.

13. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the wired network comprises a conventional switched telephone network.

14. The communication network of claim 12 wherein the network interface communicates via the wired network in digital form.

15. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the communication network supports the establishment of voice calls by the at least one portable terminal via the wired network.

16. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the communication network supports the receipt of voice calls by the at least one portable terminal from the wired network.

17. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the communication network supports the concurrent communication of data unrelated to a voice call.

72. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the indication of a data rate is a data rate.

73. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the evaluated message is received periodically from the at least one access device.

74. The communication network of claim 73 wherein the message received periodically is a polling message.

75. The communication network of claim 1 wherein evaluating a message evaluates reception of a message preamble.

84. The network of claim 1, wherein the at least one portable terminal communicates with the at least one access device in each of a series of regular time intervals using bandwidth of a shared channel allocated by the at least one access device in response to requests received from a plurality of portable terminals for each time interval.

85. The network of claim 1, wherein the at least one portable terminal transmits a call setup request identifying a voice call destination to the at least one access device, and wherein in response, the at least one access device establishes a voice call by routing digital voice packets of the voice call between the at least one portable terminal and a packet-based network, or by transferring voice signals representing digital voice packets received from the at least one portable terminal to a circuit switched network and transferring digital voice packets representing voice signals received from the circuit switched network to the at least one portable terminal, based upon the call setup request.

18. A communication network supporting the communication of voice and data, the network comprising:

at least one portable terminal having a wireless transceiver that communicates using a packet protocol, wherein a packet is a unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another over the communication network;

the at least one portable terminal arranged to communicate via the wireless transceiver packets comprising digital representations of sound;

the at least one portable terminal communicating via the wireless transceiver packets comprising digital data;

at least one access device having a wireless transceiver for communicating one or both of packets comprising digital representations of sound and packets comprising digital data with the at least one portable terminal and comprising at least one network interface for communicating information via a wired network;

the at least one access device adapting one or both of packets comprising digital representations of sound and packets comprising digital data from its wireless transceiver for transmission via a designated one of the at least one network interface, and for adapting information from the designated one of the at least one network interface for transmission as one or both of packets comprising digital representations of sound and packets comprising digital data via its wireless transceiver;

wherein the packets comprising digital representations of sound also comprise destination information used for routing the packets through the communication network;

wherein the at least one portable terminal evaluates a message wirelessly received from the at least one access device and sends to the at least one access device an indication of a data rate based on the evaluation; and

wherein the at least one access device selects a data rate for transmitting one or both of packets comprising digital representations of sound and packets comprising digital data to the at least one portable terminal, based upon the indication of a data rate.

19. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the wireless transceivers communicate at a frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

20. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the wireless transceivers communicate using a frequency hopping spread spectrum technique.

21. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the wireless transceivers communicate using a direct sequence spread spectrum technique.

22. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the packet protocol comprises an Internet protocol (IP).

23. The communication network of claim 22 wherein the Internet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

24. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the packets communicated by the at least one portable terminal comprise digital voice packets and data packets.

25. The communication network of claim 18 wherein packets are transported wirelessly without regard to content.

26. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the wired network comprises a packet network.

27. The communication network of claim 26 wherein the packet network uses an Internet protocol (IP).

28. The communication network of claim 26 wherein the Internet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

29. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the wired network comprises an Ethernet compliant network.

30. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the wired network comprises a conventional switched telephone network.

31. The communication network of claim 30 wherein the network interface communicates via the wired network using digital information.

32. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the communication network supports the establishment of voice calls by the at least one portable terminal via the wired network.

33. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the communication network supports the receipt of voice calls by the at least one portable terminal from the wired network.

34. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the communication network supports the concurrent communication of data unrelated to a voice call.

35. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the designated one of the at least one network interface is designated based upon information received via the wireless transceiver.

36. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the designated one of the at least one network interface is designated based upon information received via the network interface.

76. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the indication of a data rate is a data rate.

77. The communication network of claim 18 wherein the evaluated message is received periodically from the at least one access device.

78. The communication network of claim 77 wherein the message received periodically is a polling message.

79. The communication network of claim 18 wherein evaluating a message evaluates reception of a message preamble.

86. The network of claim 18, wherein the at least one portable terminal communicates with the at least one access device in each of a series of regular time intervals using bandwidth of a shared channel allocated by the at least one access device in response to requests received from a plurality of portable terminals for each time interval.

87. The network of claim 18, wherein the at least one portable terminal transmits a call setup request identifying a voice call destination to the at least one access device, and wherein in response, the at least one access device establishes a voice call by routing digital voice packets of the voice call between the at least one portable terminal and a packet-based network, or by transferring voice signals representing digital voice packets received from the at least one portable terminal to a circuit switched network and transferring digital voice packets representing voice signals received from the circuit switched network to the at least one portable terminal, based upon the call setup request.

37. A communication device supporting the communication of voice and data, the device comprising:

wireless communication circuitry for communicating using a packet protocol, wherein a packet is a unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another over a communication network;

circuitry for converting an electrical signal representative of sound into digital voice packets for transmission via the wireless communication circuitry, and for receiving digital voice packets via the wireless communication circuitry, the contents of the received digital voice packets used for conversion into sound;

circuitry for capturing digital data into data packets for transmission via the wireless communication circuitry, and for receiving data packets via the wireless communication circuitry, the contents of the received data packets used for reproducing digital data;

wherein the wireless communication circuitry communicates packets with at least one access device of the communication network;

wherein digital voice packets wirelessly communicated by the communication device and the at least one access device comprise destination information used for routing the digital voice packets through the communication network;

wherein the communication device evaluates a message wirelessly received from the at least one access device and sends to the at least one access device an indication of a data rate based on the evaluation; and

wherein the at least one access device selects a data rate for transmitting digital voice packets to the communication device, based upon the indication of a data rate.

38. The device of claim 37 wherein the packet protocol comprises an Internet protocol (IP).

39. The device of claim 38 wherein the Internet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

40. The device of claim 37 wherein the at least one access device comprises a network interface circuit that communicates using a packet protocol.

41. The device of claim 40 wherein the packet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

42. The device of claim 37 wherein the at least one access device comprises a network interface circuit that communicates using a wired network.

43. The device of claim 42 wherein the wired network comprises a public switched telephone network.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein the network interface circuit is compatible with a conventional analog loop connection.

45. The device of claim 37 wherein the contents of each digital voice packet transmitted wirelessly by a communication device of a first party is received in a digital voice packet by a destination party.

46. The device of claim 37 wherein the communication network comprises a plurality of access devices, and wherein routing of digital voice packets between access devices is based upon a cost.

47. The device of claim 37, wherein a user is prompted to select a routing alternative using routing information received by the communication device.

48. The device of claim 37, wherein the wireless communication circuitry comprises at least one wireless receiver and at least one wireless transmitter.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the at least one wireless receiver and the at least one wireless transmitter comprises a single transceiver.

50. The device of claim 37, wherein the wireless communication circuitry comprises at least one transceiver.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the at least one transceiver comprises a single transceiver.

80. The communication device of claim 37 wherein the indication of a data rate is a data rate.

81. The communication device of claim 37 wherein the evaluated message is received periodically from the at least one access device.

82. The communication device of claim 81 wherein the message received periodically is a polling message.

83. The communication device of claim 37 wherein evaluating a message evaluates reception of a message preamble.

88. The device of claim 37, wherein the communication device communicates with the at least one access device in each of a series of regular time intervals using bandwidth of a shared channel allocated by the at least one access device in response to requests received from a plurality of communication devices for each time interval.

89. The device of claim 37, wherein the communication device transmits a call setup request identifying a voice call destination to the at least one access device, and wherein in response, the at least one access device establishes a voice call by routing digital voice packets of the voice call between the communication device and a packet-based network, or by transferring voice signals representing digital voice packets received from the communication device to a circuit switched network and transferring digital voice packets representing voice signals received from the circuit switched network to the communication device, based upon the call setup request.

52. One or more circuits for use in a communication device supporting the communication of voice and data, the one or more circuits comprising:

at least one interface to circuitry for wirelessly communicating one or both of digitized voice packets and data packets with at least one access device of a communication network using a packet protocol, wherein a packet is a unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another over the communication network; and

at least one processor operably coupled to the at least one interface, the at least one processor operating to;

receive, for wireless transmission as digital voice packets, first digital voice data converted from a first electrical signal representative of sound, and transmit, for conversion to a second electrical signal representative of sound, second digital voice data wirelessly received in digital voice packets,

capture digital data into data packets for wireless transmission, and reproduce digital data from wirelessly received data packets,

evaluate a message wirelessly received from the at least one access device;

send to the at least one access device an indication of a data rate based on the evaluation;

receive digital voice packets from the at least one access device at a data rate selected by the at least one access device based upon the indication of a data rate; and

wherein digital voice packets wirelessly communicated by the communication device and the at least one access device comprise destination information used for routing the digital voice packets through the communication network.

53. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the packet protocol comprises an Internet protocol (IP).

54. The one or more circuits of claim 53 wherein the Internet protocol is the transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) protocol.

55. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the contents of each digital voice packet transmitted wirelessly by a communication device of a first party is received in a digital voice packet by a destination party.

56. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the at least one processor queues received digital voice data and delays conversion of queued digital voice data for an adjustable period of time.

57. The one or more circuits of claim 56 wherein the at least one processor adjusts the period of time based upon a network propagation delay.

58. The one or more circuits of claim 56 wherein the at least one processor determines the adjustable period of time using a packet sent to the communication device in response to a packet sent by the communication device.

59. The one or more circuits of claim 58 wherein the packet sent by the communication device is a test packet.

60. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the wireless communication employs a frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

61. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the communication device employs a frequency hopping spread spectrum technique.

62. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the communication device employs a direct sequence spread spectrum technique.

63. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein digitized voice packets and data packets are transported wirelessly without regard to content.

64. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the at least one processor further operates to cause routing of one of the following:

digital voice data, digital voice packets and electrical signals representative of sound, over a wired network.

65. The one or more circuits of claim 64 wherein the routing is selected by a user of the communication device.

66. The one or more circuits of claim 64 wherein the wired network is a packet network.

67. The one or more circuits of claim 64 wherein the wired network is a public switched telephone network.

68. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the indication of a data rate is a data rate.

69. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein the evaluated message is received periodically from the at least one access device.

70. The one or more circuits of claim 69 wherein the message received periodically is a polling message.

71. The one or more circuits of claim 52 wherein evaluating a message evaluates reception of a message preamble.

90. The one or more circuits of claim 52, wherein the communication device communicates with the at least one access device in each of a series of regular time intervals using bandwidth of a shared channel allocated by the at least one access device in response to requests received from a plurality of communication devices for each time interval.

91. The one or more circuits of claim 52, wherein the communication device transmits a call setup request identifying a voice call destination to the at least one access device, and wherein in response, the at least one access device establishes a voice call by routing digital voice packets of the voice call between the communication device and a packet-based network, or by transferring voice signals representing digital voice packets received from the communication device to a circuit switched network and transferring digital voice packets representing voice signals received from the circuit switched network to the communication device, based upon the call setup request.