Wireless communication

• US 7,783,258 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Bevan, David Damian Nicholas, Gale, Simon John, Baines, Steven John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US10/683,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: 455/502, 455/41, 455/63, 455/13.2, 455/12.2, 455/11.1, 455/3.01, 455/63.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/501
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2678 Time synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method of synchronising transmission between two nodes in a wireless network. The method comprises the steps of obtaining an expected interference profile for each node; and agreeing a synchronised transmission schedule between the nodes, where the expected interference profile of each node meets predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing transmission between two nodes in a wireless distribution network, at least a first node having a multiple beam antenna, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing transmission bandwidth into transmission slots;

obtaining a multi-dimensional interference table giving an expected individual interference profile for each respective node, said table showing particular time slots on particular frequencies that should not be used for transmission, and with respect to the at least first node showing particular time slots or particular frequencies that should not be used for transmission for at least two different beams of the multiple beam antenna of the at least first node; and

agreeing to a synchronized transmission schedule between the nodes by an initiating node signaling to a proposed recipient a proposal of a slot for a scheduled transmission, where the expected interference profile of each node meets predetermined criteria and wherein both of the two nodes referring to their respective interference profiles participate in the selection of a suitable transmission slot for direct communication between said two nodes.

2. A method of synchronizing transmission as claimed in claim 1, wherein the expected interference profile is obtained by detecting interference received at each node.

3. A method of synchronizing transmission as claimed in claim 1, where the interference profile is characterized according to further transmission parameters.

4. A method of synchronizing transmission as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transmission parameters include time and/or frequency and/or polarisation.

5. A method of synchronizing transmission as claimed in claim 4, wherein each node comprises a multiple beam antenna.

6. A node in a wireless distribution network comprising:

a multiple beam antenna;

a memory for storing a multi-dimensional interference table giving an expected individual interference profile of the node, said table showing particular time slots on particular frequencies of at least two different beams of a multiple beam antenna of the node that should not be used for transmission;

a processor for determining where the expected interference profile of the node meets predetermined criteria; and

a transceiver for communicating directly with a second node by use of transmission slots to agree to a synchronized transmission schedule between said two nodes according to the determination of the processor and in case of the node initiating a communication, the node being arranged for signaling to a proposed recipient a proposal of a slot for a scheduled transmission, and wherein the determination comprises the selection of a suitable transmission slot based on the respective interference profiles of both nodes.

7. A wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes as claimed in claim 6.

8. A method of communication between two nodes in a wireless distribution network, at least a first node having a multiple beam antenna, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing transmission bandwidth into transmission slots;

obtaining a multi-dimensional interference table giving an expected individual interference profile for each respective node, said table showing particular time slots on particular frequencies that should not be used for transmission, and with respect to the at least first node showing particular time slots or particular frequencies that should not be used for transmission for at least two different beams of the multiple beam antenna of the at least first node;

agreeing to a synchronized transmission schedule between the nodes by an initiating node signaling to a proposed recipient a proposal of a slot for a scheduled transmission, where the expected interference profile of each node meets predetermined criteria, and wherein both of the two nodes referring to their respective interference profiles participate in the selection of a suitable transmission slot for direct communication between said two nodes; and

effecting communication in accordance with the synchronized transmission schedule.