Circuit and method for operating a node in a radio network

• US 8,615,012 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ferchland, Tilo, Schneider, Soeren, Walter, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): GREY, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US12/818,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/349, 370/350, 370/328, 370/338, 370/395.3, 370/503, 455/574, 702/188
• US Class Current: 370/395.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/025 Selective call decoders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A circuit and a method for operating a node in a radio network, whereby nodes of the same radio network have a common network ID and each node individually is assigned a node ID, wherein during the reception of a current packet by a receiving circuit of the node, an address contained in the packet is determined, wherein reception of the current packet is continued when the determined address agrees with the network ID of the node and the node ID of the node, and wherein during reception of the current packet, the reception of the current packet is terminated and the receiving circuit is controlled based on a case decision, when the determined address does not agree with the network ID of the node or the node ID of the node.

Claims

1. A method for operating a node in a radio network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a receiving circuit of a node, a first portion of a current packet, wherein the node is one of a plurality of nodes on a radio network that have a common network ID and an individual node ID;

examining the first portion of the current packet to identify an address contained in the current packet;

continuing reception of a second portion of the current packet if the identified address corresponds to the common network ID of the node and the individual node ID of the node,

terminating the reception of the second portion of the current packet if the identified address does not correspond to the common network ID of the node or the individual node ID of the node; and

in response to determining that the identified address does not correspond to the network ID of the node;

clearing one or more synchronization parameters of the receiving circuit;

synchronizing the receiving circuit to a new preamble;

determining a current reception energy of the current packet; and

based at least on the determined current reception energy, determining one or more of an upper threshold and a lower threshold,

wherein synchronizing the receiving circuit to the new preamble is initiated if the current reception energy in the transmission channel exceeds the upper threshold or falls below the lower threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising terminating the reception of the second portion of the current packet if the identified address corresponds to the common network ID and does not correspond to the individual node ID.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein reception is terminated for a length of time corresponding to a data length of a frame of the current packet, and the method further comprises continuing reception, by the receiving circuit, of at least a portion of a subsequent packet after the length of time expires.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the length of time is determined based at least in part on a transmission time of an acknowledgment to be transmitted by the node.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the length of time is limited by a maximum value.

6. A node in a radio network, the node comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive a first portion of a current packet, wherein the node is one of a plurality of nodes on a radio network that have a common network ID and an individual node ID; and

an evaluation circuit connectable to the receiving circuit and configured to;

examine the first portion of the current packet to identify an address contained in the current packet;

cause the receiving circuit to continue to receive a second portion of the current packet if the identified address corresponds to the common network ID of the node and the individual node ID of the node; and

cause the receiving circuit to terminate the reception of the second portion of the current packet if the identified address does not correspond to the common network ID of the node or the individual node ID of the node,

wherein the node is configured to, in response to determining that the identified address does not correspond to the network ID of the node;

clear one or more synchronization parameters of the receiving circuit;

synchronize the receiving circuit to a new preamble;

determine a current reception energy of the current packet; and

based at least on the determined current reception energy, determine one or more of an upper threshold and a lower threshold,

wherein synchronizing the receiving circuit to the new preamble is initiated if the current reception energy in the transmission channel exceeds the upper threshold or falls below the lower threshold.

7. The node according to claim 6, wherein the evaluation circuit is further configured to cause the receiving circuit to terminate the reception of the second portion of the current packet if the identified address corresponds to the common network ID and does not correspond to the individual node ID.

8. The node according to claim 7, wherein reception is terminated for a length of time corresponding to a data length of a frame of the current packet, and the evaluation circuit is further configured to cause the receiving circuit to continue reception of at least a portion of a subsequent packet after the length of time expires.

9. The node according to claim 8, wherein the length of time is determined based at least in part on a transmission time of an acknowledgment to be transmitted by the node.

10. The node according to claim 8, wherein the length of time is limited by a maximum value.

11. A system comprising:

a radio network operable to transmit packets to a plurality of network nodes'"'"', and

a network node having a network ID and a node ID, the network node configured to;

receive a first portion of a current packet;

examine the first portion of the current packet to identify an address contained in the current packet;

continue to receive a second portion of the current packet if the identified address corresponds to the network ID of the node and the node ID of the node;

terminate the reception of the second portion of the current packet if the identified address does not correspond to the network ID of the node or the node ID of the node; and

in response to determining that the identified address does not correspond to the network ID of the node;

clear one or more synchronization parameters of the receiving circuit;

synchronize the receiving circuit to a new preamble;

determine a current reception energy of the current packet; and

based at least on the determined current reception energy, determine one or more of an upper threshold and a lower threshold,

wherein synchronizing the receiving circuit to the new preamble is initiated if the current reception energy in the transmission channel exceeds the upper threshold or falls below the lower threshold.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the network node is further configured to terminate the reception of the second portion of the current packet if the identified address corresponds to the common network ID and does not correspond to the individual node ID.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein reception is terminated for a length of time corresponding to a data length of a frame of the current packet, and the network node is further configured to continue reception of at least a portion of a subsequent packet after the length of time expires.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the length of time is determined based at least in part on a transmission time of an acknowledgment to be transmitted by the node.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the length of time is limited by a maximum value.