System and method for an ultra wideband radio wireless local area network

• US 7,746,835 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Time Domain Networks
• Original Assignee: Alereon Incorporated (PNG Telecommunications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Finn, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shand, Roberta A
• Application Number:
  US11/335,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20060135149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/332, 370/310.1, 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/437, 455/432.1, 455/440, 455/441, 713153-155
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02524 Creating or updating the radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• 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 virtual wireless local area network system and method utilizing impulse radio wherein transmission rates (bit rates) can vary according to the impulse radio transmission quality (signal to noise ratio) and wherein the position of the user can be determined and said user can be directed to an area of greater transmission rates and wherein a plurality of impulse radio portals can be utilized and switched between to maintain high levels of transmission rates while a user is moving within a predetermined area.

Claims

1. An ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communication system, comprising:

a data communication and computing network;

at least one ultra wideband radio portal, said ultra wideband radio portal including a first ultra wideband radio transceiver and an interface with said data communication and computing network; and

a mobile unit, said mobile unit comprising a second ultra wideband radio transceiver in communication with said first ultra wideband radio transceiver at a data rate;

wherein a position of the mobile unit relative to said ultra wideband radio portal is determined using ultra wideband radio positioning techniques, and wherein said data rate varies based on said position.

2. The ultra wideband radio wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein said mobile unit further comprises:

a voice input; and

a voice output, and

wherein said mobile unit is a voice communicator for relaying voice information to a home computer via said ultra wideband radio portal via said data communication and computing network, and

wherein said home computer communicates voice information from a third party source to said voice communicator via said data communication and computing network via said ultra wideband radio portal.

3. The ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal-to-noise measuring means to measure a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal between said first ultra wideband radio transceiver and said second ultra wideband radio transceiver; and

a memory for storing;

said signal-to-noise ratio of said signal between said first ultra wideband radio transceiver and said second ultra wideband radio transceiver at a given location; and

said position information of said mobile unit at the position where the signal-to-noise ratio was measured.

4. The ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communication system of claim 1, wherein said ultra wideband radio portals are positioned according to data rate parameters.

5. The ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communication system of claim 1, wherein said mobile unit communicates with all of said ultra wideband radio portals within said mobile unit'"'"'s transmit range.

6. The ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal-to-noise measuring means to measure a signal-to-noise ratio of a signal between said first ultra wideband radio transceiver and said second ultra wideband radio transceiver; and

a positioning system configured to correlate the position of said mobile unit with said signal-to-noise ratio.

7. The ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communication system of claim 1, wherein said mobile unit interfaces with the data communication and computing network through a primary portal, wherein said primary portal is the ultra wideband radio portal of said at least one ultra wideband radio portals with the best signal-to-noise ratio.

8. A method of ultra wideband radio wireless local area network computing and communicating, comprising the steps of:

interfacing an ultra wideband radio portal into a data communication and computing network, said ultra wideband radio portal including a first ultra wideband radio transceiver;

establishing communication at a data rate between said ultra wideband radio portal and a mobile unit, said mobile unit including a second ultra wideband radio transceiver, and

determining a position of said mobile unit relative to said ultra wideband radio portal using ultra wideband radio positioning techniques, wherein said first ultra wideband radio transceiver and said second ultra wideband radio transceiver are configured to vary said data rate based on said position.

9. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 8, further comprising the step of measuring a signal-to-noise ratio of said communication between said ultra wideband radio portal and said mobile unit.

10. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing said signal-to-noise ratio measurements in said ultra wideband radio portal.

11. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 8, further comprising interfacing a plurality of ultra wideband radio portals to said data communication and computing network, wherein said plurality of ultra wideband radio portals cover a pre-determined area wherein data communication and computing will be accomplished.

12. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 11, further comprising the step of said mobile unit communicating with all ultra wideband radio portals within a pre-determined range of said mobile unit and measuring the signal-to-noise ratio of said communications.

13. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 12, further comprising the step of designating a primary portal for data transfer as the ultra wideband radio portal with the best signal-to-noise ratio.

14. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 13, further comprising correlating the signal-to-noise ratio of the communication between said mobile unit and said primary portal to said position.

15. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 14, further comprising the step of storing said correlated signal-to-noise ratio and said position into said plurality of ultra wideband radio portals.

16. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 15, further comprising the step of suggesting to said mobile unit new positions wherein better signal-to-noise ratios have been ascertained.

17. The method of ultra wideband radio virtual wireless local area network computing and communicating of claim 15, further comprising the step of designating a new primary portal based on a best signal-to-noise ratio of the signal-to-noise ratios of communications between said mobile unit and said plurality of ultra wideband radio portals and switching primary portal status to said ultra wideband radio portal with said best signal-to-noise ratio.

18. A method of communicating and/or coupling data between an ultra wideband radio and a computing device over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving ultra wideband radio signals transmitted by an ultra wideband radio at an ultra wideband radio portal coupled to the network;

determining a position of said ultra wideband radio relative to said ultra wideband radio portal using ultra wideband radio positioning techniques, wherein said ultra wideband radio signals are transmitted at a data rate, and wherein said data rate is configured to vary based on said position;

processing the ultra wideband radio signals at the ultra wideband radio portal for transmission over the network; and

forwarding the processed ultra wideband radio signals to a computing device coupled to the network, wherein the computing device comprises a processor or another ultra wideband radio.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said processing step further comprises:

at least one of formatting and converting the ultra wideband radio signals;

wherein said formatting comprises acquiring compatibility with a protocol of the network; and

wherein said converting comprises analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog conversion of the ultra wideband radio signals.