Real time peer to peer network

• US 8,422,481 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MaxTech Communication Networks Ltd., Maxtech Networks, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: MaxTech Communication Networks Ltd.
• Inventors: Hanuni, Uzi, Rothschild, Michael, Matusovsky, Yakir, Rosenberg, Georgy
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boakye, Alexander O
• Application Number:
  US12/066,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/348.431, 370/395.41, 370/432, 370/443, 370/468, 370/477, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 455/445, 455/11.1, 455/500
• US Class Current: 370/348
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• 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 managing data transmission in a mesh-topology ad-hoc network. The method includes transmitting management information by a plurality of mobile stations of the network, selecting a mobile station to serve as a master, responsive to the transmitted management information, transmitting to the master requests for bandwidth, allocating bandwidth by the master, responsive to the requests and forwarding the bandwidth allocation to the mobile stations of the network.

Claims

1. A communication network adapted to allocate bandwidth to stations in said network;

said network comprises;

(i) a first plurality of one or more stations adapted to operate as routers, and a (ii) a second plurality of one or more end stations, said first and second pluralities of stations being intercommunicated via a mutual network;

each station of both said first and second pluralities of stations being adapted to transmit (i) first original information on the subject of the connectivity of said network;

(ii) first integrated information on the subject of the connectivity of said network;

(iii) second original information on the subject of the bandwidth requirement of the transmitting station; and

each station of said first plurality of stations further adapted to transmit (iv) second integrated information on the subject of bandwidth requirements of at least one of said stations being intercommunicated;

said network is adapted to undergo at least one transmission cycle, cooperatively transmitted by said first and second pluralities of stations;

said transmission cycle having

a) a data frame, having;

i. at least one original data packet; and

,

ii. zero or more forwarded data packets; and

,

b) a management frame, having;

i. a unit management frame (UMF), having;

(a) a first UMF packet encoding either said first original information, or said first integrated information, or both, as transmitted by one of said first plurality of stations;

(b) a second UMF packet encoding either said first original information, or said first integrated information, or both, as transmitted by one of said second plurality of stations; and

,

ii. a relay sub-portion, having;

(a) a request management frame (RQMF);

said RQMF comprising at least one RQMF packet encoding said second integrated information;

(b) a response management frame (RSMF,);

said RSMF comprising at least one RSMF packet transmitted by one of said first plurality of stations encoding bandwidth allocation information;

and said network comprising a master station being either one of said first plurality of stations or at least one third station, wherein said master station is adapted to generate said bandwidth allocation information to said first and second plurality of stations of predetermined bandwidth in association with size of said UMF packet and said RQMF packet and said RSMF packet, wherein said master station is determined according to said first plurality of one or more stations adapted to operate as routers.

2. The network according to claim 1, wherein said master station sets the station transmitting at least one of said data packets.

3. A continuously self reconfiguring peer-to-peer communication network comprising a first plurality of one or more stations adapted to operate as routers, and at a second plurality of one or more end stations ;

said first and second pluralities of stations are adapted to transmit a) first original information on the subject of the connectivity of said network;

b) second original information on the subject of bandwidth requirements; and

c) first integrated information on the subject of the connectivity of said network;

wherein said network sets a master station from either one of said first plurality of stations or at least one second plurality of stations;

said master station comprises means for generating bandwidth allocation information to said first and second plurality of stations, in association with said first integrated information received from plurality of stations; and

, further wherein said first plurality of stations additionally comprising means for transmiting a) second integrated information on the subject of bandwidth requirements of more than one of said stations being intercommunicated, and b) said bandwidth allocation information.

4. The continuously self reconfiguring peer-to-peer communication network according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said second plurality of stations is adapted to transmit data packets according to said bandwidth allocation information.

5. The continuously self reconfiguring peer-to-peer communication network according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said first plurality of stations act as a relay station by (i) receiving said data packets;

and (ii) transmitting the same, according to said bandwidth allocation information.

6. The continuously self reconfiguring peer-to-peer communication network according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said second plurality of stations is selected to operate as one of said first plurality of stations in response to said first original information.

7. The continuously self reconfiguring peer-to-peer communication network according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said first plurality of stations and second plurality of stations is selected to operate as said master station;

said selection is according to information selected from a group comprising of said first integrated information, second integrated information and a combination thereof.

8. A method of peer-to-peer communicating a first plurality of one or more stations adapted to operate as routers, with a second plurality of one or more end stations via a mutual network ;

said first and second pluralities of stations adapted to process (i) first original information pertaining to the connectivity of said mutual network, (ii) second original information pertaining to their bandwidth requirements, and (iii) first integrated information pertaining to the connectivity of said mutual network, and said first plurality of station further adapted to process (iv) second integrated information pertaining to bandwidth requirements of at least two of said intercommunicated stations;

said mutual network comprising at least one master station;

said method including a step of transmitting a plurality of communication cycles;

said step of transmitting a plurality of cycles comprising at least one step of transmitting one communication cycle, wherein said step of transmitting one cycle comprising steps of;

a) transmitting said first original information by both said pluralities of stations;

b) transmitting said second original information by both said pluralities of stations;

c) transmitting said first integrated information by both said pluralities of stations;

d) transmitting said second integrated information by said first plurality of stations;

e) selecting either one of said first plurality of stations, or said second plurality of stations, to operate as a said master station;

f) generating a bandwidth allocation information, in association with said first integrated information received from plurality of stations by said master station;

g) relaying said bandwidth allocation information on more than one of said stations by said first plurality of stations; and

h) transmitting data packets by at least two of said intercommunicated stations.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein any of the following conditions is true:

(a) said step of generating bandwidth allocation information is performed responsive to any combination of;

i. first original information;

ii. second original information;

iii. first integrated information; and

,

iv. second integrated information;

(b) said step of selecting is performed responsive to any combination of;

i. first original information;

ii. second original information; and

,

iii. first integrated information;

(c) at least one of said stations being intercommunicated transmits any of;

i. said first original information;

ii. said second original information; and

,

iii. said first integrated information;

at a time when no other station being intercommunicated transmits any information;

(d) each station in said first plurality of stations transmit said second integrated information at a time when no other of said stations being interconnected transmits any information; and

,

(e) any of said steps of transmitting or relaying is conducted on one specific channel of communications.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising steps of:

(i) keeping track of known information transmitted by one of the stations being intercommunicated at one of the plurality of cycles;

(j) eliminating the known information from being transmitted by either the same or another station, or both, at the one of said plurality of cycles, at a another and later cycle of said plurality of cycles, or at both cycles.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising steps of:

i. defining a first part of the information on the subject of connectivity of the network;

ii. dividing the first part into a second part and a third part; and

,

iii. transmitting said second part in the step of transmitting said first original information during said communication cycle, while either discarding said third part or transmitting it during another of said plurality of communication cycles.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein step of transmitting integrated information comprises the step of detecting the power by which the original information is transmitted.

13. The method according to claim 8, comprising step of identifying a distant station and a proximal station, both stations being distinct from said master station, so that the distance between said distant station to said master station is greater than the distance between said proximal station and said master station;

wherein said step of transmitting either first or second integrated information, or both, comprises a step of transmitting integrated information by said distant station followed by a step of transmitting further integrated information by said proximal station.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising step of determining calculated network connectivity responsive to the first integrated information;

wherein the step of generating bandwidth allocation information is performed responsive to the calculated network connectivity.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising step of determining (i) which of at least two stations acts as one first plurality of stations, and (ii) which of the at least two stations acts as one second plurality of stations, responsive to the calculated network connectivity.

16. A mobile station comprising (i) a transceiver adapted to exchange control signals and data packets with similar stations;

(ii) a visual interface adapted to present data packets received by said transceiver; and

(iii) a means adapted for receiving voice signal;

said voice signal is transmitted by said transceiver;

said at least one of said similar stations is a master stations comprises means for allocating bandwidth;

said control signals comprising any of the following;

a) first original information, said first original information pertains to the bandwidth requirement of said mobile station;

b) second original information, said second original information pertains to the connectivity of said mobile station with said similar stations; and

, c) first integrated information, said first integrated information pertains to the connectivity of said mobile station and the connectivity of said similar stations;

wherein at least one of said similar stations is adapted to include, in said control signals, a second integrated information, said information pertains to bandwidth requirements of both said mobile and said similar stations; and

, further wherein at least one of said similar stations operates means for allocating bandwidth to said plurality of stations, in association with said first integrated information received from said plurality of stations.

17. The mobile station according to claim 16, wherein at least one of said similar stations performs at least one of:

(a) inclusion of said second integrated information in said control signals; and

(b) operation of said means for allocating bandwidth, by either one of (i) said first original information;

(ii) said second original information ;

and (iii) said first integrated information, or a combination thereof.