Gateway apparatus for providing multi-channel functionality in sensor network, and method and apparatus for interfacing using serial peripheral interface in the gateway apparatus

• US 8,139,589 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Choi, Byeong Cheol, Kim, Bong Soo, Kim, Bong Wan
• Primary Examiner(s): JAIN, RAJ K
• Application Number:
  US12/155,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20090147710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Provided are a gateway apparatus for providing multi-channel functionality in a sensor network, and a method and an apparatus for interfacing using serial peripheral interface (SPI) in the gateway apparatus. The SPI interfacing apparatus is connected to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units, and receives a data frame via an SPI to output the data frame to a wireless transmit/receive unit, based on information regarding selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit, wherein the information is contained in the data frame. Then, the SPI interfacing unit receives data frames from the wireless transmit/receive units to output the data frames in a predetermined order via an SPI. Thus, the wireless transmit/receive units for providing multi-channel functionality can interface a signal processing unit by using an SPI method.

Claims

1. A gateway apparatus comprising:

a signal processing unit transmitting and receiving data to and from a core network and including a serial peripheral interface (SPI);

a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units transmitting and receiving data to and from a sensor network via their respective communication channels which differ from one another; and

an SPI interfacing unit which is connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, which selects a wireless transmit/receive unit to which a data frame received from the signal processing unit via the SPI is to be output from among the wireless transmit/receive units, based on information regarding selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit, wherein the information is contained in the receive data frame, and which outputs data frames received from the wireless transmit/receive units to the signal processing unit via an SPI,

wherein the SPI interfacing unit comprises;

a distribution processing unit outputting the data frame received from the signal processing unit towards the selected wireless transmit/receive unit based on the information regarding the selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit; and

a plurality of transmission first-in first-outs (FIFOs) respectively connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, wherein one of the plurality of transmission FIFOs receives the data frame output from the distribution processing unit and outputs the data frame to the selected wireless transmit/receive unit.

2. A gateway apparatus comprising:

a signal processing unit transmitting and receiving data to and from a core network and including a serial peripheral interface (SPI);

a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units transmitting and receiving data to and from a sensor network via their respective communication channels which differ from one another; and

an SPI interfacing unit which is connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, which selects a wireless transmit/receive unit to which a data frame received from the signal processing unit via the SPI is to be output from among the wireless transmit/receive units, based on information regarding selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit, wherein the information is contained in the receive data frame, and which outputs data frames received from the wireless transmit/receive units to the signal processing unit via an SPI,

wherein the SPI interfacing unit comprises;

a plurality of receive FIFOs respectively connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, and receiving data frames from respective wireless transmit/receive units; and

a scheduling unit outputting the data frames received by the receive FIFOs to the signal processing unit by using round-robin scheduling or according to a priority order of the data frames.

3. An SPI interfacing apparatus in a gateway, the apparatus comprising:

a distribution unit connected to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units for providing multi-channel functionality, and outputting a data frame received via an SPI to a wireless transmit/receive unit which is selected from among the wireless transmit/receive units, based on information regarding selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit, wherein the information is contained in the data frame; and

a transmission unit connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, and outputting data frames received from the wireless transmit/receive units via an SPI,

wherein the distribution unit comprises;

a distribution processing unit outputting the data frame received by the distribution unit towards the selected wireless transmit/receive unit based on the information regarding the selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit; and

a plurality of transmission first-in first-outs (FIFOs) respectively connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, wherein one of the transmission FIFOs receives the data frame output from the distribution processing unit and outputs the data frame to the selected wireless transmit/receive unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the distribution unit further comprises a synchronization unit synchronizing data frame transmission operated by the transmission FIFOs.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the distribution processing unit comprises a switch connecting the distribution processing unit to a transmission FIFO selected from among the transmission FIFOs, based on the information regarding the selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit.

6. An SPI interfacing apparatus in a gateway, the apparatus comprising:

a distribution unit connected to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units for providing multi-channel functionality, and outputting a data frame received via an SPI to a wireless transmit/receive unit which is selected from among the wireless transmit/receive units, based on information regarding selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit, wherein the information is contained in the data frame; and

a transmission unit connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, and outputting data frames received from the wireless transmit/receive units via an SPI,

wherein the transmission unit comprises;

a plurality of receive FIFOs respectively connected to the wireless transmit/receive units, and respectively receiving data frames from the wireless transmit/receive units; and

a scheduling unit outputting the data frames received by the receive FIFOs by using round-robin scheduling or according to the priority order of the data frames.