Device employment of multiple beacon slots in a distributed network

• US 7,808,966 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Salokannel, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBAYANJU, OMONIYI
• Application Number:
  US11/137,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20050249167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 370/458, 370/442
• US Class Current: 370/348
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Multiple nodes communicate using repeating patterns of superframes, where each of the superframes includes a beacon period. A beacon slot in a first Media Access Slot (MAS) is reserved by the plurality of nodes. This reserved slot occurs in the beginning of the beacon period and is used for communicating information relating to the superframe configuration. This information may involve adjustments to the number of MASs reserved for beaconing.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

(a) receiving beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium from two or more devices configured for communicating wirelessly using repeating patterns of superframes in a wireless communications network, each of the superframes including at least one beacon period during which each of the two or more devices is configured to transmit a beacon message in an assigned beacon slot including identifications of all devices belonging to the network announced to the network by a device sending the beacon transmission, said beacons maintaining coordination between the devices in the network by enabling each device in the network to respectively reserve at least one beacon slot in the at least one beacon period;

(b) joining the wireless communications network;

(c) obtaining one of the plurality of beacon slots as an assigned beacon slot;

(d) transmitting two copies of a beacon message, one during the assigned beacon slot and the other during a signaling slot of the at least one beacon period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discontinuing transmission of the beacon message during the signaling slot upon the occurrence of one or more events.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discontinuing transmission of the beacon message during the signaling slot after a predetermined amount of time elapses.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises transmitting the beacon message during the signaling slot upon a random occurrence of a predetermined probability.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising randomly selecting the signaling slot from among two or more predefined signaling slots within the at least one beacon period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling slot is reserved for sharing network information between devices of the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling slot is reserved for increasing the number of beacon slots designated within the at least one beacon period for beacon transmissions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling slot comprises a beacon slot in the beginning of the at least one beacon period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling slot comprises a beacon slot of a first media access slot (MAS).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first MAS includes three first occurring slots within the at least one beacon period.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications network is an MBOA network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises transmitting ultra wideband (UWB) signals.

13. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium from two or more devices configured for communicating wirelessly using repeating patterns of superframes, each of the superframes including at least one beacon period during which each of the two or more devices is configured to transmit a beacon message in an assigned beacon slot including identifications of all devices belonging to the network, announced to the network by a device sending the beacon transmission, said beacons maintaining coordination between the devices in the network by enabling each device in the network to respectively reserve at least one beacon slot in the at least one beacon period;

a controller configured to obtain one of the plurality of beacon slots as an assigned beacon slot for the wireless communications device; and

a transmitter configured to send two copies of a beacon message, one during the assigned beacon slot and the other during a signaling slot within the at least one beacon period.

14. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the transmitter to discontinue transmission of the beacon message during the signaling slot upon the occurrence of one or more events.

15. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the transmitter to discontinue transmission of the beacon message during the signaling slot after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

16. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the transmitter to transmit the beacon message during the signaling slot upon a random occurrence of a predetermined probability.

17. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to randomly select the signaling slot from among two or more predefined signaling slots within the at least one beacon period.

18. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the signaling slot is reserved for sharing network information between devices of the wireless network.

19. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the signaling slot is reserved for increasing the number of beacon slots designated within the at least one beacon period for beacon transmissions.

20. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the signaling slot comprises a beacon slot in the beginning of the at least one beacon period.

21. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the signaling slot comprises a beacon slot of a first media access slot (MAS).

22. The wireless communications device of claim 21, wherein the first MAS includes three first occurring slots within the at least one beacon period.

23. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the wireless communications network is an MBOA network.

24. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit ultra wideband (UWB) signals.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium, having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to control a wireless communications device;

program code stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, for enabling the wireless communications device to receive beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium from two or more devices configured for communicating wirelessly using repeating patterns of superframes in a wireless communications network, each of the superframes including at least one beacon period during which each of the two or more devices is configured to transmit a beacon message in an assigned beacon slot including identifications of all devices belonging to the network announced to the network by a device sending the beacon transmission, said beacons maintaining coordination between the devices in the network by enabling each device in the network to respectively reserve at least one beacon slot in the at least one beacon period;

program code stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, for enabling the wireless communications device to join the wireless communications network;

program code stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, for enabling the wireless communications device to obtain one of the plurality of beacon slots as an assigned beacon slot;

program code stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, for enabling the wireless communications device to transmit two copies of a beacon message one during the assigned beacon slot and the other during a signaling slot of the at least one beacon period.

26. A system, comprising:

a plurality of nodes forming a wireless communications network and each configured for receiving beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium from two or more other nodes in the network, configured for communicating wirelessly using repeating patterns of superframes, each of the superframes including at least one beacon period during which each of the two or more nodes is configured to transmit a beacon message in an assigned beacon slot including identifications of all nodes belonging to the network, announced to the network by a node sending the beacon transmission, said beacons maintaining coordination between the nodes in the network by enabling each node in the network to respectively reserve at least one beacon slot in the at least one beacon period, said beacon period having a plurality of beacon slots and a plurality of signaling slots;

wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes reserves one of the plurality of beacon slots and transmits two copies of a beacon message, one in the reserved beacon slot and the other in one of the signaling slots.

27. A wireless communications device, comprising:

means for receiving beacon messages across a wireless transmission medium from two or more devices configured for communicating wirelessly using repeating patterns of superframes in a wireless communications network, each of the superframes including at least one beacon period during which each of the two or more devices is configured to transmit a beacon message in an assigned beacon slot including identifications of all devices belonging to the network announced to the network by a device sending the beacon transmission, said beacons maintaining coordination between the devices in the network by enabling each device in the network to respectively reserve at least one beacon slot in the at least one beacon period;

means for joining the wireless communications network;

means for obtaining one of the plurality of beacon slots as an assigned beacon slot;

means for transmitting two copies of a beacon message, one during the assigned slot and the other during a signaling slot of the at least one beacon period.