Method and apparatus for block acknowledgement in a communication network

• US 8,340,125 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Entropic Communications Incorporated (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mueller, Arndt J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLS, DONALD L
• Application Number:
  US12/688,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20100183027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint

Abstract

A method includes receiving a request for bandwidth from a first network node of a coordinated network and broadcasting a first transmission schedule to a plurality of network nodes including the first network node. The first transmission schedule allocates bandwidth for the first network node to transmit data to a second network node. An acknowledgement (ACK) message is received from the second network node identifying that the second network node successfully received the data from the first network node.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a) receiving, at a network coordinator, a request for bandwidth from a first network node of a coordinated network;

b) broadcasting a first transmission schedule to a plurality of network nodes including the first network node and a second network node, the first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for the first network node to transmit data to the second network node; and

c) receiving, at the network coordinator, an acknowledgement (ACK) message from the second network node, the ACK message identifying that the second network node successfully received the data from the first network node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ACK message is embedded within a request for bandwidth received from the second network node.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) receiving a negative ACK (NACK) message in a request for bandwidth from the second network node, the NACK message identifying that the data transmission from the first network node to the second network node was not successful; and

e) broadcasting a second transmission schedule to a plurality of network nodes including the first network node, the second transmission schedule reallocating bandwidth for the first network node to retransmit the data to the second network node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein steps d) and e) are performed before step c).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule, and wherein the bandwidth is reallocated in response to receiving the NACK message.

6. A network node, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request for bandwidth from a first network node of a coordinated network and an acknowledgement (ACK) message from a second network node of the coordinated network;

a processor in data communication with the receiver, the processor configured to generate a first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for the first network node to transmit data to the second network node; and

a transmitter in data communication with the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit the first transmission schedule to the first network node,

wherein the ACK message identifies that the second network node successfully received the data transmitted by the first network node during the allocated bandwidth.

7. The network node of claim 6, wherein the ACK message is embedded within a request for bandwidth received from the second network node.

8. The network node of claim 6, wherein

the receiver is configured to receive a negative ACK (NACK) message in a request for bandwidth from the second network node, the NACK message identifying that the data transmission from the first network node to the second network node was not successful,

the processor is configured to generate a second transmission schedule including reallocated bandwidth for the first network node to retransmit the data to the second network node, and

the transmitter is configured to transmit the second transmission schedule to the first network node.

9. The network node of claim 8, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule, and wherein the bandwidth is reallocated in response to receiving the NACK message.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with program code, wherein when the program code is executed by a processor, the processor performs a method, the method comprising:

a) receiving a request for bandwidth from a first network node of a coordinated network;

b) broadcasting a first transmission schedule to a plurality of network nodes including the first network node, the first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for the first network node to transmit data to a second network node; and

c) receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) message from the second network node, the ACK message identifying that the second network node successfully received the data from the first network node.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the ACK message is embedded within a request for bandwidth received from the second network node.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, the method further comprising:

d) receiving a negative ACK (NACK) message in a request for bandwidth from the second network node, the NACK message identifying that the data transmission from the first network node to the second network node was not successful; and

e) broadcasting a second transmission schedule to a plurality of network nodes including the first network node, the second transmission schedule reallocating bandwidth for the first network node to retransmit the data to the second network node.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule, and wherein the bandwidth is reallocated in response to receiving the NACK message.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein steps d) and e) are performed prior to step c).

15. A method, comprising:

a) transmitting a request for bandwidth to a network controller of a coordinated network, the request for bandwidth for transmitting data to a first node;

b) receiving a first transmission schedule for each of a plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network from the network coordinator, the first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for transmitting the data to the first network node;

c) transmitting the data to the first network node in the allocated bandwidth in accordance with the first transmission schedule;

d) receiving a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network after having transmitted the data to the first network node in the allocated bandwidth in accordance with the first transmission schedule; and

e) determining that the data was successfully transmitted to the first network node based on the second transmission schedule and in the absence of receiving an acknowledgement message from the first network node.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

f) receiving a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network from the network controller, the second transmission schedule reallocating bandwidth to retransmit the data to the first network node; and

g) retransmitting the data to the first network node in the allocated bandwidth in accordance with the second transmission schedule.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule.

18. A network node, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request for bandwidth to a network controller and to transmit data to a first network node; and

a receiver configured to receive a first transmission schedule from a network coordinator, the first transmission schedule allocating the bandwidth to transmit the data to the first network node,

wherein

the transmitter transmits the data to the first network node in accordance with the allocated bandwidth in the first transmission schedule received from the network controller of the coordinated network, and

the network node is configured to determine that the data was successfully transmitted to the first network node in the absence of receiving an acknowledgement message from the first network node.

19. The network node of claim 18, wherein

the receiver is configured to receive a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network from the network controller, the second transmission schedule reallocating bandwidth to retransmit the data to the first network node, and

the transmitter is configured to retransmit the data to the first network node in the reallocated bandwidth in accordance with the second transmission schedule.

20. The network node of claim 19, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with program code, wherein when the program code is executed by a processor, the processor performs a method, the method comprising:

a) transmitting a request for bandwidth to a network controller of a coordinated network, the request for bandwidth for transmitting data to a first network node;

b) receiving a first transmission schedule for each of a plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network from the network coordinator, the first transmission schedule allocating the bandwidth to transmit the data to the first network node;

c) transmitting the data to the first network node in the allocated bandwidth in accordance with the first transmission schedule;

d) receiving a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network after having transmitted the data to the first network node in the allocated bandwidth in accordance with the first transmission schedule; and

e) determining that the data was successfully transmitted to the first network node based on the second transmission schedule and in the absence of receiving an acknowledgment message from the first network node.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

f) receiving a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of nodes in the coordinated network from the network controller, the second transmission schedule reallocating the bandwidth to retransmit the data to the first network node; and

g) retransmitting data to the first network node in the reallocated bandwidth in accordance with the second transmission schedule.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule.

24. A method, comprising:

a) receiving a first transmission schedule for each of a plurality of network nodes in a coordinated network from a network coordinator, the first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for receiving data from a first network node;

b) receiving the data from the first network node in accordance with the first transmission schedule; and

c) transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) message to the network coordinator if the data is successfully received from the first network node.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the ACK message is included in a request for bandwidth.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

d) transmitting a negative ACK (NACK) message to the network coordinator in a request for bandwidth if the data is not successfully received from the first network node;

e) receiving a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network from the network coordinator, the second transmission schedule reallocating the bandwidth for receiving the data from the first network node; and

f) receiving the data from the first network node in accordance with the second transmission schedule from the first network node.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the first and second transmission schedules are media access plan (MAP) packets in a Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance (MoCA) network.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein steps d), e), and f) are performed before step c).

30. A network node, comprising:

a receiver configured to

receive a first transmission schedule from a network coordinator in a coordinated network, the first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for receiving data from a first network node, and

receive the data from the first network node in accordance with the first transmission schedule;

a processor in data communication with the receiver, the processor configured to determine if the data is successfully received from the first network node; and

a transmitter in data communication with the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) message to the network coordinator if the processor determines the data is successfully received from the first network node.

31. The network node of claim 30, wherein the ACK message is included in a request for bandwidth.

32. The network node of claim 30, wherein

the transmitter is configured to transmit a negative ACK (NACK) message in a request for bandwidth to the network coordinator if the processor determines that the data is not successfully received from the first network node, and

the receiver is configured to

receive a second transmission schedule from the network coordinator, the second transmission schedule reallocating the bandwidth for receiving the data from the first network node, and

receive the data from the first network node in accordance with the second transmission schedule.

33. The network node of claim 32, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule.

34. The network node of claim 32, wherein the first and second transmission schedules are media access plan (MAP) packets in a Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance (MoCA) network.

35. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with program code, wherein when the program code is executed by a processor, the processor performs a method, the method comprising:

a) receiving a first transmission schedule for each of a plurality of network nodes in a coordinated network from a network coordinator, the first transmission schedule allocating bandwidth for receiving data from a first network node;

b) receiving the data from the first network node in accordance with the first transmission schedule; and

c) transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) message to the network coordinator if the data is successfully received from the first network node.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the ACK message is included in a request for bandwidth.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35, the method further comprising:

d) transmitting a negative ACK (NACK) message to the network coordinator in a request for bandwidth if the data is not successfully received from the first network node;

e) receiving a second transmission schedule for each of the plurality of network nodes in the coordinated network from the network coordinator, the second transmission schedule reallocating the bandwidth for receiving the data from the first network node; and

f) receiving the data from the first network node in accordance with the second transmission schedule.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the reallocated bandwidth in the second transmission schedule is the same as the bandwidth allocated in the first transmission schedule.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the first and second transmission schedules are media access plan (MAP) packets in a Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance network.

40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein steps d), e), and f) are performed before step c).