Method and apparatus for multipoint voice operation in a wireless, Ad-Hoc environment

• US 7,768,989 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Global Communications, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nerses, Annita, Wetstein, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US11/071,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20060198324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/11.1, 455/463, 455/416, 370/321, 370/326, 370/336, 370/337, 370/345, 370/347, 370/478, 370/498, 370521-528
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

The present invention protocol offers guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS) for concurrent calls in a highly dynamic, scalable network. The invention employs a TDMA reservation technique to transmit voice traffic to multiple destinations and a CSMA/CA contention scheme to support data traffic. The present invention operates over a link-state based routing protocol that reliably floods routing and resource reservation information to network nodes. The present invention is suitable for general networking applications that require QoS for multimedia traffic in a mobile, Ad-Hoc network and enables conference calls to be established and operated in that type of network under various conditions. Moreover, the present invention capitalizes on certain properties of a radio, such as a RAKE type receiver, that sums up multiple, identical transmissions from multiple sources. In addition, the present invention enables roaming between and/or within a group or island of network nodes during the lifetime of a call.

Claims

1. A wireless communication unit to transmit and receive information within a mobile, ad-hoc wireless communications network, including a plurality of wireless communication units arranged into first and second tiers, and to conduct a conference call with at least two other communication units within said network, wherein said first tier arranges said plurality of communication units into a plurality of groups without communication units being common between said first tier groups, each first tier group being associated with at least one communication unit designated as a base unit and including a communication unit designated as a head unit and one or more additional communication units designated as member units, and said second tier includes said communication units designated as said head units of each of said first tier groups arranged into at least one group, wherein said first tier provides communications between communication units within the same first tier group and said second tier provides communications between said head units of said first tier groups to enable member communication units within different first tier groups to communicate, said communication unit for residing in a first tier group and comprising:

a transmitter to transmit outgoing information to at least one other communication unit within said network;

a receiver to receive incoming information from at least one other communication unit within said network; and

a processor to control transmission and reception of said outgoing and incoming information, wherein said processor includes;

a call module to transfer voice information from said communication unit to at least two other communication units within said network, via a broadcast utilizing a time division multiplexing scheme, to conduct a conference call between at least three call participants, wherein the same voice information is transferred to each of said at least two other call participants via said broadcast and said broadcast enables constructive superposition of said voice information to enhance signal strength, and wherein said call module includes;

a transfer module to transfer said voice information from said communication unit, when designated as a sole speaker during a portion of said conference call, over said first tier of said network via said broadcast utilizing said time division multiplexing scheme in response to a communication unit of at least one of said call participants residing within said first tier group including said communication unit, and to transfer said same voice information from said communication unit, when designated as said sole speaker during said portion of said conference call, over said second tier of said network via said broadcast utilizing said time division multiplexing scheme in response to a communication unit of at least one of said call participants residing external of said first tier group including said communication unit.

2. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said time division multiplexing scheme includes time division multiple access (TDMA).

3. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits said outgoing information in the form of radio signals.

4. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said receiver receives said incoming information in the form of radio signals.

5. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said time division multiplexing scheme includes a time division multiplexing architecture including at least one epoch each with a plurality of time slots, and wherein a portion of said time slots are utilized for transference of said voice information and others of said time slots are utilized for transference of data associated with an access protocol.

6. The communication unit of claim 5, wherein said access protocol includes Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA).

7. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transfer module includes:

a call initiation module to facilitate transmission of a request to initiate said conference call to a head unit associated with said communication unit in response to said communication unit originating said conference call;

a voice generation module to receive voice signals from a user and generate voice information for said conference call;

a transmission module to facilitate transmission of said generated voice information to a base unit associated with said communication unit for transfer of said voice information for said conference call; and

a call terminate module to facilitate transmission of a call terminate message to terminate said conference call.

8. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transfer module includes:

a resource module to allocate resources for said conference call within a corresponding first tier group in response to said communication unit being designated as said head unit, wherein said resource module includes;

a request module to facilitate reception of a request to initiate a conference call from a communication unit originating said conference call;

an availability module to determine availability of resources for said requested conference call;

a location module to determine the presence of call participant destinations external of said first tier group including said originating communication unit;

an initialize module to set-up said conference call in response to the availability of sufficient resources for said conference call; and

a terminate module to terminate said conference call.

9. The communication unit of claim 8, wherein each said second tier group designates a communication unit as a second tier head unit and said initialize module includes:

a local resource allocation module to allocate resources for said conference call within a corresponding group including said originating communication unit within said first tier; and

a remote resource allocation module to facilitate transmission of a request for resources to a head unit of a second tier group in response to the presence of said external destinations.

10. The communication unit of claim 9, wherein said terminate module includes:

a call terminate module to de-allocate resources within said first tier to terminate said conference call.

11. The communication unit of claim 8, wherein each said second tier group designates a communication unit as a second tier head unit and said initialize module includes:

a call resource module to determine availability of resources within said second tier for said requested conference call in response to the presence of said external destinations and said communication unit being designated as a head unit for a second tier group; and

a remote resource allocation module to allocate resources for said conference call within said second tier in response to the availability of sufficient second tier resources for said conference call.

12. The communication unit of claim 11, wherein said terminate module includes:

a call terminate module to de-allocate resources within said second tier to terminate said conference call to said external destinations in response to said communication unit being designated as a head unit for a second tier group.

13. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transfer module includes:

a distribution module to distribute said voice information for said conference call to call participants in response to said communication unit being designated as said base unit.

14. The communication unit of claim 13, wherein said distribution module includes:

a call controller module to facilitate reception and processing of responses to conference call requests from other communication units and to generate a status report for said conference call;

a speaker module to designate and maintain the status of a communication unit as a speaker unit to generate said voice information for said conference call;

a source module to facilitate reception of said voice information from said speaker unit and to facilitate a broadcast of said received voice information via said time division multiplexing scheme to call participants; and

a call terminate module to terminate said conference call.

15. The communication unit of claim 13, wherein at least one head unit of a second tier group is further designated as a base unit to facilitate communication between said first tier groups, and said distribution module includes:

a call controller module to facilitate reception of responses to conference call requests from communication units within a first tier group associated with said communication unit and to transmit said responses to a base unit of said first tier group including the communication unit originating said conference call in response to said communication unit being designated as a base unit within said second tier;

a destination base module to facilitate reception of voice information for said conference call via said second tier and to facilitate transmission of said received voice information to communication units within a first tier group associated with said communication unit in response to said communication unit being designated as a base unit within said second tier; and

a call terminate module to terminate said conference call.

16. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transfer module includes:

a relay module to relay said voice information within said network via said time division multiplexing scheme in response to receiving said voice information without being a call participant.

17. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transfer module includes:

a destination module to receive and process said voice information for presentation to a user in response to said communication unit being a call participant.

18. The communication unit of claim 17, wherein said destination module includes:

a response module to generate a reply in response to a conference call request indicating participation in a conference call;

a voice module to process said voice information for presentation to said user;

a transmission module to facilitate transmission of said reply to a base unit associated with said first tier group including said communication unit; and

a terminate call module to terminate participation in said conference call.

19. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said receiver includes a RAKE type receiver to receive said voice information in a manner enabling constructive superposition to remove multi-path interference and enhance signal strength.

20. The communication unit of claim 1, wherein said transfer module includes:

a roam module to maintain participation of said communication unit within said conference call in response to said communication unit switching between said groups of said communications network.

21. A mobile, ad-hoc wireless communications network to transmit and receive information to conduct a conference call comprising:

a plurality of mobile wireless communication units arranged into first and second tiers, wherein said first tier arranges said plurality of communication units into a plurality of groups without communication units being common between said first tier groups and said second tier includes at least one group of communication units;

at least one mobile communication unit of each first and second tier group designated as a head unit to allocate and de-allocate resources within respective tiers for said conference call and one or more additional communication units within each of said first tier groups designated as member units, wherein said communication units of said second tier include communication units designated as said head units of each of said first tier groups arranged into said at least one group, and wherein said first tier provides communications between communication units within the same first tier group and said second tier provides communications between said head units of said first tier groups to enable member communication units within different first tier groups to communicate;

at least one mobile communication unit associated with a first tier group and designated as a source base station to transmit voice information from a communication unit within an associated group, when designated as a sole speaker during a portion of said conference call, over at least one of said first and second tiers to call participants; and

at least one mobile communication unit associated with a first tier group and designated as a destination base station to receive transmitted voice information over said second tier and forward that information to communication units within that associated group;

wherein said source base station transmits said voice information to at least two other call participants via a broadcast utilizing a time division multiplexing scheme, and wherein the same voice information is transferred from said source base station to each of said at least two other call participants via said broadcast and said broadcast enables constructive superposition of said voice information to remove multi-path interference;

wherein said voice information is transmitted over said first tier of said network via said broadcast utilizing said time division multiplexing scheme in response to a communication unit of at least one of said call participants residing within said first tier group associated with said source base station, and wherein said same voice information is transmitted over said second tier of said network via said broadcast utilizing said time division multiplexing scheme in response to a communication unit of at least one of said call participants residing external of said first tier group associated with said source base station.

22. The communications network of claim 21, wherein said time division multiplexing scheme includes time division multiple access (TDMA).

23. The communications network of claim 21, wherein at least one mobile communication unit relays said voice information between said source and destination base stations via said time division multiplexing scheme in response to receiving said voice information without being a call participant.

24. The communications network of claim 21, wherein said mobile communication units each include a RAKE type receiver to receive said transmitted voice information in a manner enabling constructive superposition to remove multi-path interference and enhance signal strength.

25. The communications network of claim 21, wherein said mobile communication units maintain participation within said conference call in response to switching between said groups of said communications network.

26. A method of conducting a conference call between at least three wireless communication units in a mobile, ad-hoc wireless communications network, wherein said network includes a plurality of communication units arranged into first and second tiers, wherein said first tier arranges said plurality of communication units into a plurality of groups without communication units being common between said first tier groups, each first tier group being associated with at least one communication unit designated as a base unit and including a communication unit designated as a head unit and one or more additional communication units designated as member units, and said second tier includes said communication units designated as said head units of each of said first tier groups arranged into at least one group, wherein said first tier provides communications between communication units within the same first tier group and said second tier provides communications between said head units of said first tier groups to enable member communication units within different first tier groups to communicate, said method comprising:

(a) transferring voice information between at least three communication units within said network, via a broadcast utilizing a time division multiplexing scheme, to conduct a conference call between at least three call participants, wherein the same voice information from a communication unit of a call participant is transferred to each of said at least two other call participants via said broadcast and said broadcast enables constructive superposition of said voice information to enhance signal strength, wherein said voice information from a communication unit of a call participant, when designated as a sole speaker during a portion of said conference call, is transferred over said first tier of said network via said broadcast utilizing said time division multiplexing scheme in response to communication units of at least two of said call participants residing within the same first tier group, and wherein said same voice information from said communication unit of said call participant, when designated as said sole speaker during said portion of said conference call, is transferred over said second tier of said network via said broadcast utilizing said time division multiplexing scheme in response to communication units of at least two of said call participants residing in different ones of said first tier groups.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said time division multiplexing scheme includes time division multiple access (TDMA).

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said voice information is transferred in the form of radio signals.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) transmitting a request from a communication unit originating said conference call to an associated head unit to initiate said conference call;

(a.2) receiving voice signals from a user at a communication unit associated with a call participant and generating voice information for said conference call;

(a.3) transmitting said generated voice information from said participant communication unit to a base unit associated with that communication unit for transfer of said voice information for said conference call; and

(a.4) transmitting a call terminate message from said originating communication unit to terminate said conference call.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) receiving at a head unit a request to initiate a conference call from an associated communication unit originating said conference call;

(a.2) determining at said head unit availability of resources for said requested conference call;

(a.3) determining at said head unit the presence of call participant destinations external of said first tier group including said originating communication unit;

(a.4) establishing said conference call at said head unit in response to the availability of sufficient resources for said conference call; and

(a.5) terminating said conference call at said head unit in response to at least one of a call terminate message and network conditions.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein each said second tier group designates a communication unit as a second tier head unit and step (a.4) further includes:

(a.4.1) allocating resources for said conference call within a corresponding group including said originating communication unit within said first tier; and

(a.4.2) transmitting a request for resources from said head unit to a head unit of a second tier group in response to the presence of said external destinations.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein step (a.5) further includes:

(a.5.1) de-allocating resources within said first tier to terminate said conference call.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein step (a.4) further includes:

(a.4.3) determining at said second tier head unit availability of resources within said second tier for said requested conference call in response to the presence of said external destinations; and

(a.4.4) allocating resources within said second tier for said conference call at said second tier head unit in response to the availability of sufficient second tier resources for said conference call.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein step (a.5) further includes:

(a.5.1) de-allocating resources within said second tier to terminate said conference call to said external destinations.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) distributing said voice information for said conference call from a base unit to call participants.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) receiving and processing at a base unit responses to conference call requests from other communication units and generating a status report for said conference call;

(a.1.2) designating and maintaining at said base unit the status of a communication unit as a speaker unit to generate said voice information for said conference call;

(a.1.3) receiving said voice information from said speaker unit and broadcasting from said base unit said received voice information via said time division multiplexing scheme to call participants; and

(a.1.4) terminating said conference call at said base unit in response to at least one of a call terminate message and network conditions.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one head unit of a second tier group is further designated as a base unit to facilitate communication between said first tier groups, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) receiving at a second tier base unit responses to conference call requests from communication units within a first tier group associated with that base unit and transmitting said responses to a base unit of said first tier group including the communication unit originating said conference call;

(a.1.2) receiving over said second tier voice information for said conference call at said second tier base unit and transmitting said received voice information to communication units within a first tier group associated with said second tier base unit; and

(a.1.3) terminating said conference call at said second tier base unit in response to at least one of a call terminate message and network conditions.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) relaying said voice information at a communication unit within said network via said time division multiplexing scheme in response to receiving said voice information without being a call participant.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) receiving and processing said voice information for presentation to a user at a communication unit associated with a call participant.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) generating a reply at said communication unit associated with a call participant in response to a conference call request indicating participation in a conference call;

(a.1.2) transmitting said reply from said communication unit associated with a call participant to a corresponding base unit;

(a.1.3) processing said voice information for presentation to said user at said communication unit associated with a call participant; and

(a.1.4) terminating participation in said conference call at said communication unit associated with a call participant in response to at least one of a call terminate message and network conditions.

41. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) maintaining participation of a communication unit within said conference call in response to that communication unit switching between said groups of said communications network.