Method of connecting a new device to existing network

• US 7,826,420 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ang, Markus Meng Hai, Habetha, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behrooz; Neda
• Application Number:
  US11/572,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20070253345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/338, 370/341, 370/445, 370/449, 370/227, 370/228, 370/346, 370/329, 455/41.2, 455/507, 455/500
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

In a centralized radio network consisting of several devices one device acts as master or network coordinator and has a transmission range. Basically, other devices of the network are able to adopt the role of a coordinator. This ability is used to enlarge the area of the network to a size larger than the transmission range of the master. A device asks its parent PNC to become a child PNC when a newly turned on device acts as a temporary PNC and broadcasts an initiation beacon indicating that it looks for a child PNC. The child PNC reports that it is available. The new device determines one of the available child PNCs to be its new master. The acknowledgment for the selected child PNC may be broadcasted to inform all the devices in the transmission range of the new device. The new device quits the role of the temporary PNC and associates to the existing network.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a new device to be added to an existing centralized radio network (piconet) the network comprising a master device and at least one further device in the transmission range (Tx) of the network coordinator (PNC) at least one new device not being in the transmission range (Tx) of the network coordinator (PNC), the method comprising the steps of:

a) the new device to be added to the network, not being in the transmission range (Tx) of the network coordinator (PNC), becoming a temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) which broadcasts a beacon with an initiation request in the beacon indicating that it intends to associate to an existing network (piconet);

b) a device belonging to an existing network (piconet) that receives the beacon with the initiation request of the temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) optionally asks its own network coordinator (PNC) whether to become a child network coordinator (CPNC) and in case of positive answer or in case the optional request at the own PNC is not needed;

transmitting a corresponding response signal indicating that it is an available child piconet coordinator (CPNC) to associate to;

c) those devices that became a child network coordinator (CPNC) signalling a response to the initiation beacon in form of one or several broadcast or unicast frames indicating that they are available child piconet coordinators (CPNCs);

d) the new device to be added to the network acting as a temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) scanning the channels or frequencies, receiving the response signals and choosing at least one of the available child network coordinators (CPNCs) as master;

e) the new device to be added to the network acknowledging at least one of the selected child network coordinators'"'"' response signals and

f) the new device to be added to the network terminating its role of acting as a temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) and becoming a slave with regard to the chosen child network coordinator (CPNC) that works as a coordinator.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of becoming a child network coordinator (CPNC) is alternatively performed by a device that has received the beacon with the initiation request, the device receiving the beacon with the initiation request:

a) the new device to be added asking its network coordinator (master) whether to become a child network coordinator (CPNC) of the parent network coordinator (PPNC) in order to become a master for the new device and the PPNC giving a response to this request or otherwise,

b) the new device to be added making itself a child network coordinator (CPNC) without asking the parent network coordinator (PPNC).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initiation beacon comprises an information element indicating a temporary network/piconet identification (tempPNID).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) waits for a response a certain period of time corresponding to a given number of beacon frames.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement of a selected child network coordinator (CPNC) is transmitted as part of a beacon signal.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the master device is a network coordinator (PNC).

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the initiation request included in the broadcast beacon is a PNC request.

6. A centralized radio network (piconet) consisting of at least two devices wherein one of the at least two devices is a network coordinator (PNC) having a transmission range (Tx) for its beacons and wherein at least one further device is in the transmission range (Tx) of the network coordinator (PNC) and wherein:

a new device desiring to connect to an existing centralized radio network scans channels or frequencies for discovering a network coordinator'"'"'s beacon of an existing network in order to associate to it, wherein

the new device becomes a temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) if it did not receive a beacon signalled by a network coordinator'"'"'s (PNC) beacon within a certain time and sends out an initiation beacon indicating that it intends to associate to an existing network (piconet);

a device belonging to an existing network (piconet) that receives the initiation beacon signal of the temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) optionally asks its own network coordinator (PNC) whether to become a child network coordinator (CPNC) and in case of positive answer or in case the optional request at the own PNC is not needed;

transmitting a corresponding response signal indicating that it is an available child piconet coordinator (CPNC) to associate to;

the temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) receives the response signals, compares them and determines at least one of the available devices which will become the child network coordinator (CPNC) it associates itself to;

the temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) acknowledges at least one of the availability signals and changes its state into being a slave with regard to the selected child network coordinator(s) (CPNCs) and

the new device thus is connected to the existing network (piconet).

9. A device to be connected to an existing centralized radio network (piconet), the network comprising a master device, at least one further device in the transmission range (Tx) of the network coordinator (PNC) and said device to be connected to the existing centralized radio network (piconet), wherein said device to be connected is not in the transmission range (Tx) of the master device, the device to be connected to the existing network including at least a processor configured for:

a) enabling the device to become a temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) by broadcasting a beacon with an initiation request, indicating that the device to be connected intends to associate to an existing network (piconet);

b) enabling the device to scan channels (frequencies) as temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) to receive response signals to the initiation beacon from those devices that became a child network coordinator (CNPC), the response signals indicating that the devices that became child network coordinators (CNPCs) are available as child piconet coordinators (CPNCs);

c) enabling the device to choose at least one of the available child network coordinators (CPNCs) as master by acknowledging a corresponding response signal of the at least one of the available child network coordinator (CPNC); and

d) enabling the device to cease acting in the capacity of temporary network coordinator (tempPNC) and instead become a slave to the chosen child network coordinator (CPNC).

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the response signals received from those devices that became a child network coordinator (CNPC) at said scanning step are in the form of one or several broadcasts or unicast frames indicating that the responding at least one further device is available as a child piconet coordinator (CPNC).

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein the master device is a network coordinator (PNC).

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein the initiation request included in the broadcast beacon is a PNC request.