Direct link relay in a wireless network
First Claim
1. In a wireless network comprising an access point, a first wireless device, and a second wireless device, a method comprising:
- receiving, at the first wireless device, an uplink data frame from the second wireless device via a direct wireless link between the first and second wireless devices, the uplink data frame comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion to an ultimate destination device via the access point, the ultimate destination device being different than the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; and
the first wireless device relaying at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame from the first wireless device to the access point;
wherein relaying at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame comprises the first wireless device;
modifying the address portion contained in the intermediate address field of the header portion to match an address of the access point; and
transmitting the modified header portion and the data payload in a modified uplink data frame to the access point.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are exemplary techniques for power conservation in a wireless network. A wireless device identifies another wireless device suitable to act as a relay node. Uplink information is transmitted to the other wireless device, which is in turn relayed to an access point for transmission to its destination. Downlink information may be transmitted directly from the access point to the wireless device. The use of a relay node may reduce transmit power consumption as the relay node may be closer to, or support a higher transmit rate, than the access point with which the wireless device is associated.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. In a wireless network comprising an access point, a first wireless device, and a second wireless device, a method comprising:
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receiving, at the first wireless device, an uplink data frame from the second wireless device via a direct wireless link between the first and second wireless devices, the uplink data frame comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion to an ultimate destination device via the access point, the ultimate destination device being different than the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; and the first wireless device relaying at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame from the first wireless device to the access point; wherein relaying at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame comprises the first wireless device; modifying the address portion contained in the intermediate address field of the header portion to match an address of the access point; and transmitting the modified header portion and the data payload in a modified uplink data frame to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In a wireless network comprising an access point and first and second wireless devices, a method comprising:
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the second wireless device identifying the first wireless device to relay an uplink data frame from the second wireless device to the access point, the uplink data frame comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion to an ultimate destination device via the access point, the ultimate destination device being different than the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; establishing a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device; and the second wireless device transmitting the uplink data device to the first wireless device via the direct wireless link for relay to the access point; wherein the source address field includes a source address portion indicating a network address of the second wireless device as a source of the data payload portion and the destination address field indicates a network address of the ultimate destination device as an ultimate destination of the data payload portion; and wherein relaying at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame to the access point includes modifying the address portion contained in the intermediate address field of the header portion to match an address of the access point and transmitting the data payload and modified header in a modified uplink data frame to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A wireless device comprising:
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a transceiver, joined in a wireless network comprising at least another wireless device and an access point, and configured to receive an uplink data frame from the another wireless device via a direct wireless link with the another wireless device, wherein the uplink data frame is comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion from the another wireless device to an ultimate destination device, the destination device being different than the wireless device, the another wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; the transceiver further configured to transmit at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame to the access point for transmission to the destination device; and means for modifying the address contained in the intermediate address field of the uplink data frame to match an address of the access point, and transmitting the modified header portion and the data payload portion to the access point in a modified uplink data frame. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a wireless network comprising an access point and a plurality of wireless devices, a method comprising:
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identifying a first wireless device to relay an uplink data frame from a second wireless device to the access point, the uplink data frame comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion to an ultimate destination device via the access point, the ultimate destination device being different than the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; establishing a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device; and transmitting the uplink data frame from the second wireless device to the first wireless device via the direct wireless link for relay to the access point; further comprising, prior to transmitting the uplink data frame, determining that a first transmit power necessary to transmit the uplink data frame from the second wireless device directly to the access point is greater than a second transmit power necessary to transmit the uplink data frame from the second wireless device to the first wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A wireless device comprising:
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a transceiver; means for identifying another wireless device to relay at least a data payload portion of an uplink data frame from the wireless device to an access point for delivery to an ultimate destination device, the uplink data frame comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion to the ultimate destination device, the ultimate destination device being different than the wireless device, the another wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; communication means for establishing a direct wireless link with the another wireless device; transmitter means for transmitting, via the transceiver, the uplink data frame to the another wireless device via the direct wireless link for relay to the access point; and power determining means for determining that a first transmit power necessary to transmit the uplink data frame from the wireless device to the another wireless device via the direct wireless link is less than a second transmit power necessary to transmit the uplink information from the wireless device directly to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A wireless system comprising:
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a first wireless device; and a second wireless device configured to communicate with an access point; wherein the first wireless device is configured to; identify the second wireless device to relay at least a data payload portion of an uplink data frame to the access point for delivery to an ultimate destination device, the uplink data frame is comprised of a data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including routing information for routing the data payload portion to the ultimate destination device, via the access point, the destination device being different than the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the access point, and the routing information including at least a source address field, an intermediate address field containing an address of the first wireless device, and a destination address field containing an address of the ultimate destination device; transmit the uplink data frame to the second wireless device via a direct wireless link between the first and second wireless devices; and wherein the second wireless device is configured to; transmit at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame to the access point for transmission to the ultimate destination device; and wherein the second wireless device is configured to relay at least the data payload portion of the uplink data frame by; modifying the address contained in the intermediate address field to match an address of the access point and transmitting at least the modified header portion and the data payload portion in a modified uplink data frame to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a first wireless device, an uplink data frame from a second wireless device via a direct wireless link, wherein the uplink data frame includes a data payload portion and a header portion, wherein the header portion includes routing information that comprises an intermediate address field including an address of the first wireless device, wherein the routing information further comprises a source address field and a destination address field including an address of an ultimate destination device of the data payload portion, and wherein the ultimate destination device is not the first wireless device; modifying the address in the intermediate address field of the header portion to match an address of an access point associated with the first and second wireless devices; and transmitting the modified header portion and the data payload in a modified uplink data frame to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus comprising:
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a transceiver configured to receive an uplink data frame from a wireless device via a direct wireless link, wherein the uplink data frame includes a data payload portion and a header portion, wherein the header portion includes routing information that comprises an intermediate address field including an address of the first wireless device, wherein the routing information further comprises a source address field and a destination address field including an address of an ultimate destination device of the data payload portion, and wherein the ultimate destination device is not the first wireless device; and a processor configured to modify the address in the intermediate address field of the header portion to match an address of an access point associated with the first and second wireless devices; wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the modified header portion and the data payload in a modified uplink data frame to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
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instructions to receive, at a first wireless device, an uplink data frame from a second wireless device via a direct wireless link, wherein the uplink data frame includes a data payload portion and a header portion, wherein the header portion includes routing information that comprises an intermediate address field including an address of the first wireless device, wherein the routing information further comprises a source address field and a destination address field including an address of an ultimate destination device of the data payload portion, and wherein the ultimate destination device is not the first wireless device; instructions to modify the address in the intermediate address field of the header portion to match an address of an access point associated with the first and second wireless devices; and instructions to transmit the modified header portion and the data payload in a modified uplink data frame to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification