Automatic cancellation of BP merger in multi-band OFDM alliance (MBOA) ultra wide band (UWB) systems

• US 8,422,421 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Chou, Chun-Ting, del Prado Pavon, Javier
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURPHY, RHONDA L
• Application Number:
  US11/916,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20100290387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,512 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects

Abstract

The current MBOA UWB MAC protocol requires a device that detects alien devices to include a BP Switch IE in its beacon so that its neighbors may learn the presence of the alien devices and follow that device to relocate their beacons in a coordinated fashion. However, during the transition period of beacon relocation, that device may decide to halt the relocation process as required by the standard and such decisions also have to be received by its neighbors. In such a case, a BP switch IE will be generated by that device which includes a BPST offset equal to a length of a superframe.

Claims

1. A method of canceling a beacon period merge comprising:

determining a beacon period merge is not desirable in at least one first device;

generating a first BP Switch information element (IE) in said at least one first device comprising a beacon period start time (BPST) offset equal to a length of a superframe, responsive to said determination;

transmitting a beacon containing said first BP Switch information element (IE) from said at least one first device;

receiving said beacon in at least one second device;

comparing a value of said first BP Switch IE in said received beacon to a value of a second BP Switch IE in a beacon transmitted in a current superframe; and

replacing said second BP Switch IE with said first BP Switch IE if said comparison determines the value of said first BP Switch IE is larger than the value of the second BP Switch IE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the length of a superframe is less than one second.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the length of a superframe is less than 200 milliseconds.

4. A wireless network for communicating a cancellation of a beacon period merge comprising:

a first transceiver that recognizes a beacon period merge is not desirable;

wherein said first transceiver transmits a beacon containing a BP Switch information element (IE) comprising a beacon period start time (BPST) offset equal to the length of a superframe, responsive to said first transceiver recognition;

a second transceiver for receiving the beacon;

wherein said second transceiver compares a value the received BP Switch information element (IE) in said received beacon to a value of a stored BP Switch information element (IE) from a beacon transmitted in a current superframe and replaces said stored BP Switch information element (IE) with said received BP Switch IE if said comparison determines the value of said received BP Switch information element (IE) is larger than the value of the stored BP Switch information element (IE).

5. The wireless network of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of third transceivers for propagating the beacons.

6. A device for canceling a beacon period merge comprising:

a counter for determining that a beacon period merge is not desirable;

a processor for generating a Beacon Switch information element (IE) comprising a beacon period start time (BPST) Offset equal to the superframe length and including the BP Switch IE in a beacon, responsive to said counter determination;

a transmitter for transmitting the beacon;

a memory for storing a stored beacon transmitted in a current superframe;

a receiver for receiving a beacon; and

a processor for reading a received BP Switch IE in a beacon transmitted in a current superframe, replacing a stored BP Switch IE from said stored beacon with said received BP Switch IE if it determines the value of said received BP Switch to be larger than the value of the stored BP Switch IE.