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

• US 7,688,811 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Michael D., Kubler, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US10/822,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,182 Days
• Field of Search: 370/202, 370/338, 370/346, 370/349, 370/351, 370/356, 455/503, 455/63.2
• US Class Current: 370/356
• 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 operating to support voice and data communication within a premises, said communication network comprising:

a plurality of mobile network devices comprising a buffer that stores incoming digital voice information for a first predetermined queuing period before beginning voice reproduction from the stored digital voice information;

a stationary network device;

a wireless network that is used by each of said plurality of mobile network devices to selectively exchange voice and data packets with others of the plurality of mobile network devices;

a hardwired network connected to both said stationary network device and said wireless network;

said hardwired network being used to route voice and data packets between said stationary network device and said plurality of mobile network devices which participate via said wireless network;

a telephone, connected to said stationary network device, that captures, delivers, receives and reproduces voice in an analog voice stream form;

said stationary network device comprising a buffer that stores digital voice information received from said wireless network for a second predetermined queuing period before converting the stored digital voice information into an analog voice stream and delivering the analog voice stream to said telephone, wherein the second predetermined queuing period is determined through examining delays found in test signal routing; and

said stationary network device converts analog voice streams received from said telephone into voice packets for delivery via said hardwired and wireless networks to a selected one of said plurality of mobile network devices.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein said stationary network device is a computer.

3. The communication network of claim 1 wherein said wireless network utilizes a polling protocol.

4. The communication network of claim 1 wherein said stationary network device provides call setup assistance for said telephone.

5. The communication network of claim 1 further comprising:

a telephone switching network connected to said stationary network device; and

said stationary network device selectively routes analog voice streams received from said telephone onto said telephone switching network, and said stationary network device selectively routes analog voice streams received from said telephone switching network to said telephone.

6. At least one circuit for use in a mobile communication device for use in a communication network, the communication network operating to support voice and data communication and having at least a stationary network device communicatively coupled to a telephone, a wireless network operable to exchange voice and data packets with a plurality of mobile communication devices, and a hardwired network communicatively coupled to the stationary network device and the wireless network and operable to route voice and data packets between the stationary network device and the plurality of mobile communication devices via at least the wireless network, the at least one circuit operational to, at least:

selectively exchange voice and data packets with other mobile communication devices via at least the wireless network;

transmit digital voice information to the stationary network device through at least the wireless and hardwired networks, the transmitted digital voice information for buffering by the stationary network device for a first predetermined queuing period before conversion to an analog voice stream and delivery to the telephone, where the first predetermined queuing period is determined through examining delays found in test signal routing;

receive digital voice information from the stationary network device through at least the hardwired and wireless networks, the received digital voice information converted by the stationary network device from an analog voice stream received from the telephone into voice packets for delivery to the mobile communication device; and

store the received digital voice information in a buffer for a second predetermined queuing period before beginning voice reproduction from the stored received digital voice information.

7. The at least one circuit of claim 6, where the stationary network device is a computer.

8. The at least one circuit of claim 6, where the wireless network utilizes a polling protocol.

9. The at least one circuit of claim 6, where the stationary network device provides call setup assistance for the telephone.

10. The at least one circuit of claim 6, where the communication network further has at least a telephone switching network communicatively coupled to the stationary network device, the stationary network device selectively routes analog voice streams received from the telephone onto the telephone switching network, and the stationary network device selectively routes analog voice streams received from the telephone switching network to the telephone.