Method of joining a cell using a proxy coordinator, and a network therefor

• US 8,130,783 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Ju-han, Lee, Joon-hee, Choi, Jun-hae, Sung, Hyun-ah, Kim, In-hwan, Chang, Seung-gi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/648,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/329, 370/254, 370/408, 370/326, 370/315, 370/336, 370/345, 370/274, 370/445, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338, 370485-490, 370/492, 380/277, 455/420, 455/402, 455/418, 455/419, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.4, 455/3.03, 455/41.2, 340/310.11, 340/310.16, 340/538, 37916701-16715
• US Class Current: 370/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/542 using zero crossing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator. The method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator includes requesting a second device to operate as a proxy coordinator from a first device positioned out of a beacon frame reachable area of the cell, transmitting a time period to operate as the proxy coordinator allocated by a coordinator of the cell, informing the first device that the second device can operate as the proxy coordinator, transmitting a cell join request to the proxy coordinator from the first device through the second device, and transmitting a beacon frame including time allocation information from the coordinator to the first device through the second device.

Claims

1. A method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator, the method comprising:

requesting a second device of the cell to operate as a proxy coordinator from a first device that is positioned out of a beacon frame reachable area of the cell and is positioned outside of the cell;

transmitting a time period to operate as the proxy coordinator allocated by a coordinator of the cell;

informing the first device that the second device operates as the proxy coordinator;

transmitting a cell join request to the proxy coordinator from the first device, wherein the cell join request is transmitted to the proxy coordinator within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the cell join request does not cause a collision with existing cell devices; and

transmitting the beacon frame including time allocation information from the coordinator to the first device through the proxy coordinator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the cell join request to the proxy coordinator comprises:

transmitting the cell join request using the beacon frame having a contention-based access period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitting of the beacon frame comprises:

transmitting the beacon frame having a time period in which the second device operates as the proxy coordinator.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

allowing the first device to join the cell according to the time allocation information and performing power line communication.

5. A power line communication (PLC) network, comprising:

a device included in a PLC cell of a PLC network to receive a first request to designate the device as a proxy coordinator from an external device that is outside the PLC cell that is connected to the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the external device; and

a coordinator included in the PLC cell to generate a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the external device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the device as the proxy coordinator, according to at least one of the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

6. The PLC network of claim 5, further comprising:

a transmission and reception module to transmit and receive data among the external device, the device, and the coordinator.

7. The PLC network of claim 5, further comprising:

an allocation module to allocate a time to the device to act as the proxy coordinator.

8. The PLC network of claim 5, further comprising:

a setting module to set time allocation information to the external device to avoid collision with other devices of the PLC network.

9. The PLC network of claim 5, wherein the CAP is a period in which a transmission medium is accessed in a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance method.

10. The PLC network of claim 5, wherein the CFP further comprises:

a time slot to which a device is allocated when another request is made to the coordinator.

11. A power line communication (PLC) network, comprising:

a coordinator included in the PLC cell to communicate with a device of the PLC cell and an external device out of the PLC cell, and to generate a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the external device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the device as a proxy coordinator according to a request from the external device through the device, wherein the request from the external device is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

12. The PLC network of claim 11, wherein the beacon frame further comprises:

time scheduling and quality of service related information.

13. The PLC network of claim 11, wherein the CAP is a period in which a transmission medium is accessed in a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance method.

14. The PLC network of claim 11, wherein the CFP further comprises:

a time slot to which a device is allocated when another request is made to the coordinator.

15. A power line communication (PLC) network, comprising:

a device included in a PLC cell of a PLC network to communicate with an external device out of the PLC cell, to receive a first request to designate the device as a proxy coordinator from the external device connected to the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the external device, and to transmit a beacon frame from a coordinator to the external device in response to at least one of the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

16. The PLC network of claim 15, further comprising:

a transmission and reception module to transmit and receive data among the external device, the device, and the coordinator.

17. The PLC network of claim 15, further comprising:

an allocation module to allocate a time to the device to act as the proxy coordinator.

18. The PLC network of claim 15, further comprising:

a setting module to set time allocation information to the external device to avoid collision with other devices.

19. A power line communication (PLC) network, comprising:

a device disposed out of a PLC cell of a PLC network to be connected to another device of the PLC cell of the PLC network, to transmit to the another device a first request to designate the another device as a proxy coordinator, and a second request to join the PLC cell, and to receive a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the another device as the proxy coordinator in response to the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the another device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

20. A power line communication (PLC) network, comprising:

a device disposed out of a PLC cell of a PLC network;

another device included in the PLC cell of the PLC network and connected to the device to receive a first request to designate the another device as a proxy coordinator from the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the device; and

a coordinator included in the PLC cell to generate a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the device as the proxy coordinator according to the first request and the second request transmitted from the device through the another device, wherein the second request is transmitted to the another device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

21. A method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to designate a device of a PLC cell of a PLC network as a proxy coordinator from an external device that is outside the PLC cell that is connected to the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the external device; and

generating a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the external device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the device as the proxy coordinator according to the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

22. A method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator, the method comprising:

communicating with an external device out of the PLC cell, to receive a first request to designate the device as a proxy coordinator from the external device connected to the device and a second request to join the PLC cell from the external device; and

transmitting a beacon frame from a coordinator to the external device in response to at least one of the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

23. A method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator, the method comprising:

transmitting from a device disposed out of a PLC cell of a PLC network to be connected to another device of the PLC cell of the PLC network to the another device a first request to designate the another device as a proxy coordinator, and a second request to join the PLC cell; and

receiving a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the device as the proxy coordinator in response to the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the another device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

24. A method of joining a cell by using a proxy coordinator, the method comprising:

disposing a device out of a PLC cell of a PLC network;

connecting another device included in the PLC cell of the PLC network to the device to receive a first request to designate the another device as a proxy coordinator from the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the device; and

generating a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the another device as the proxy coordinator according to the first request and the second request transmitted from the device through the another device, wherein the second request is transmitted to the another device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

25. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program to execute a method, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a first request to designate a device of a PLC cell of a PLC network as a proxy coordinator from an external device that is outside the PLC cell that is connected to the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the external device; and

generating a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the device as the proxy coordinator according to the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

26. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program to execute a method, wherein the method comprises:

communicating with a device of the PLC cell and an external device out of the PLC cell to generate a beacon frame having a beacon period,

indicating the joining of the external device in the PLC cell; and

indicating the designation of the device as a proxy coordinator according to a request from the external device through the device, wherein a second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

27. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program to execute a method, wherein the method comprises:

communicating with an external device out of the PLC cell, to receive a first request to designate the device as a proxy coordinator from the external device connected to the device and a second request to join the PLC cell from the external device; and

transmitting a beacon frame from a coordinator to the external device in response to at least one of the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the external device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

28. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program to execute a method, wherein the method comprises:

transmitting from a device disposed out of a PLC cell of a PLC network to be connected to another device of the PLC cell of the PLC network to the another device a first request to designate the another device as a proxy coordinator, and a second request to join the PLC cell; and

receiving a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the another device as the proxy coordinator in response to the first request and the second request, wherein the second request is transmitted to the another device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.

29. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program to execute a method, wherein the method comprises:

disposing a device out of a PLC cell of a PLC network;

connecting another device included in the PLC cell of the PLC network to the device to receive a first request to designate the another device as a proxy coordinator from the device, and a second request to join the PLC cell from the device; and

generating a beacon frame having a beacon period, a contention-based access period (CAP) to indicate the joining of the device in the PLC cell, and a contention free period (CFP) to indicate the designation of the another device as the proxy coordinator according to the first request and the second request transmitted from the device through the another device, wherein the second request is transmitted to the another device within a min CAP (minimum contention-based access period) of a superframe that includes a beacon period, a contention-based access period that includes the min CAP, and a contention-free period, so that the second request from the device does not cause a collision with existing cell devices.