Time division multiple access for network nodes with multiple receivers

• US 7,630,332 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc. & BBN Technologies Corp.
• Inventors: Elliott, Brig Barnum
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor; Barry W
• Application Number:
  US10/779,948
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 370/321, 370/347, 370/337
• US Class Current: 370/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

A system facilitates communication among nodes in a wireless network. A timeslot is assigned to each of a group of nodes (201) in the wireless network (400, 800, 1200, 1300). The timeslot is a time for a corresponding node to receive messages transmitted by other nodes (201). A modulation scheme is assigned to each of the nodes (201). A message is transmitted from at least one of the nodes (201), using the assigned modulation scheme, to at least one destination node during a timeslot assigned to the at least one destination node. The messages are received at the at least one destination node from the at least one of the nodes (201).

Claims

1. A method of communicating among nodes in a wireless network, comprising:

assigning a timeslot to each of a plurality of nodes in the wireless network, the timeslot being a time for a corresponding one of the plurality of nodes to receive any messages transmitted by all other nodes of the plurality of nodes to the one node;

assigning a modulation scheme to each of the plurality of nodes;

using the assigned modulation scheme, transmitting the messages to one destination node within the plurality of nodes from all of the other of the plurality of nodes, the messages being transmitted during a timeslot assigned to the one destination node, the timeslot being other than a receiving timeslot for each of said all of the other of the plurality of nodes; and

receiving, at the one destination node, the messages from the all of the other of the plurality of nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning comprises assigning one of a plurality of transmit spreading codes to each of the plurality of nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning comprises assigning one of a plurality of hop sets to each of the plurality of nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the assigning comprises assigning a unique transmit spreading code to each of the plurality of nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein,

the transmitting a message comprises transmitting messages from a plurality of transmitting nodes, and

the receiving a message comprises receiving, at one of the at least one destination node, the respective messages from the plurality of transmitting nodes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a message comprises receiving, at a plurality of the at least one destination node, messages from a plurality of transmitting nodes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning comprises assigning one of a plurality of orthogonal or nearly orthogonal transmit spreading, codes to each of the plurality of nodes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the assigning further comprises assigning one of K orthogonal or nearly orthogonal transmit spreading codes to each node, where K is a number less than a number of nodes in the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

waiting, after the transmitting, for an acknowledgement indicating correct receipt; and

when the acknowledgement is not received after a predetermined period of time;

selecting a new transmit spreading code; and

retransmitting the message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the assigning comprises assigning a plurality of one of orthogonal or nearly orthogonal transmit spreading codes, carrier frequencies and hop sets to each node of the plurality of nodes, each of the nodes having a plurality, of transmitters and a plurality of receivers,

the transmitting comprises transmitting a plurality of messages from one of the nodes to the at least one other of the nodes, and

the receiving comprises receiving, from the one of the nodes, the plurality of messages.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the timeslot is the same for the each of the plurality of nodes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the timeslot is different for the each of the plurality if nodes.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the timeslot is the same for certain of the plurality of nodes and is different for each of the plurality of nodes other than the certain nodes.

14. A network comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each of the plurality of nodes having an assigned modulation scheme, each node of the plurality of nodes comprising;

at least one transmitter configured to transmit to a destination node using the assigned modulation scheme during a receiving timeslot assigned to the destination node; and

a plurality of receivers configured to receive any messages transmitted from all other nodes in the plurality of nodes to the node during a timeslot assigned to the node;

wherein said receiving timeslot assigned to the destination node is different from all other receiving timeslots, each assigned, respectively, to one of said all other nodes.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein each of the nodes further comprises:

a plurality of transmitters, each of the transmitters being configured to transmit using one of a plurality of transmit spreading codes, a plurality of carrier frequencies, and a plurality of hop sets.

16. The network of claim 14, wherein each one of the receivers is configured to demodulate each of the received messages using one of a transmit spreading code of the plurality of transmit spreading codes, a carrier frequency of the plurality of carrier frequencies, and a hop set of the plurality of hop sets.

17. A network comprising:

means for transmitting in the network that includes a plurality of nodes messages from more than one of the nodes using a plurality of modulation schemes, said messages transmitted by each of said more than one of the nodes in timeslots other than a receiving timeslot for said each of said more than one of the nodes, each said receiving timeslot being assigned, respectively to a different one of said more than one of the nodes; and

means for receiving, in said one of the nodes any of the messages from all of the other nodes in the plurality of nodes, said any of the messages being transmitted to said one of the nodes only during said receiving timeslot assigned to said one of the nodes.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions encoded thereon, such that when at least one processor of the computer reads and executes the instructions, a node including the processor in a networks having a plurality of nodes is configured to:

transmit in timeslots other than a receive timeslot for said node, each of said plurality of nodes being assigned, respectively, a different receive timeslot; and

receive any messages from all other nodes in the network transmitted to the node during the receive timeslot assigned to the node.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, by a node in a network during a TDMA timeslot assigned to the node for receiving, any messages transmitted by all other nodes in the network to the node, each of the other nodes transmitting messages to the node during the timeslot assigned to the node, each of the messages being transmitted using a different orthogonal or nearly orthogonal transmit spreading code;

wherein the timeslot assigned to the node is other than a receiving timeslot for said each of said all other nodes.

20. A method for simultaneously receiving a plurality of messages in a wireless network node, the method comprising:

receiving, by a node in a network during a TDMA timeslot assigned to the node for receiving, any messages transmitted by all other nodes in the network to the node, each of the other nodes transmitting messages during the timeslot assigned to the node, each of the messages being transmitted using a different carrier frequency;

wherein the timeslot assigned to the node is other than a receiving timeslot for said each of said all other nodes.

21. A method for communicating among a plurality of ultra-wideband radios functioning as wireless network nodes, the method comprising:

using one of a plurality of transmit spreading codes to transmit any messages to one of the ultra-wideband radios during a timeslot assigned to the one of the ultra-wideband radios, the timeslot plurality of receiving the messages from all of the other ultra-wideband radios of the plurality of ultra-wideband radios; and

receiving and demodulating the messages, using the one of the plurality of the transmit spreading codes at the one of the ultra-wideband radios during the timeslot;

wherein the timeslot assigned to the one of the ultra-wide band radios is other than a receiving timeslot for each of said all other ultra-wide band radios.

22. A node in a network of a plurality of nodes, said node comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to transmit to a destination node in said plurality of nodes using an assigned modulation scheme during a timeslot assigned to the destination node; and

a plurality of receivers configured to receive any messages from all other nodes in said plurality of nodes transmitted to the node during a timeslot assigned to the node;

wherein said timeslot assigned to the destination node, said timeslot assigned to the node, and each one of other receiving timeslots assigned, respectively, to a different one of said all other nodes, are all different timeslots.

23. In an ad hoc, wireless network having a plurality of nodes, a method of communicating amongst said nodes comprising:

assigning a timeslot to each of said plurality of nodes, said timeslot being the time when said each of said plurality of nodes is capable of receiving messages from all other of said plurality of nodes and being a different timeslot from all receiving timeslots assigned, respectively, to said all other of said plurality of nodes;

assigning a modulation scheme to said each of said plurality of nodes;

transmitting said messages from at least one of said all other of said plurality of nodes in accordance with said modulation scheme to one of said each of said plurality of nodes during said timeslot assigned to said one of said each of said plurality of nodes; and

receiving said messages at said one of said each of said plurality of nodes.