Apparatus, methods, and computer program products providing improved communication in decentralized wireless networks

• US 8,761,082 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nefedov, Nikolai
• Primary Examiner(s): Blanton, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRUTCHFIELD, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US12/070,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,322 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7183 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2662 Arrangements for Wireless System Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2678 Time synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2696 Over the air autonomous synchronisation, e.g. by monitoring network activity H04B7/2693 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

The exemplary embodiments of the invention enable self-organizing decentralized functionalities in wireless networks, such as ones having an arbitrary topology (e.g., cognitive radio networks), that utilize non-continuous communication, such as packet-based communication. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes: making at least one locally available decision or measurement by a first apparatus; and performing a local exchange of information between the first apparatus and at least one second apparatus within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication, wherein the local exchange of information enables cooperation between the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on at least one local decision or measurement.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor;

and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;

storing information indicative of a state of the apparatus;

operating the apparatus in one of a local mode and a distributed mode; and

at another time, operating the apparatus in the other of the local mode and the distributed mode, where the apparatus comprises a node within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication,

where operating the apparatus in the local mode comprises measuring a common channel to maintain time synchronization with other nodes in the decentralized wireless communication network and making at least one local decision or measurement regarding a parameter for distributed estimation/detection,

operating the apparatus in a second mode that is different from the first mode, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode comprises setting an active/transmitting mode or an active/listening mode for the apparatus and, accordingly, one of transmitting the at least one local decision or measurement to at least one other apparatus or receiving information from the at least one other apparatus,

where in response to the apparatus receiving the information from the at least one other apparatus, operating the apparatus in the second mode further comprises updating, based on the received information and the at least one local decision or measurement, the stored information indicative of the state of the apparatus, wherein updating the stored information enables cooperation with the at least one other apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on the at least one local decision or measurement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the apparatus is configured to periodically switch between operating in the local mode and operating in the distributed mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode further comprises communicating with the at least one other apparatus in a half-duplex mode of communication.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where operating the apparatus in the local mode and operating the apparatus in the distributed mode are performed subsequent to the apparatus achieving time synchronization with the at least one other apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode comprises one of randomly switching the apparatus between the active/transmitting mode and the active/listening mode and switching the apparatus between the active/transmitting mode and the active/listening mode according to a protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the decentralized wireless communication network comprises a cognitive radio network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the apparatus comprises a mobile phone.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, where the information received from the at least one other apparatus comprises at least one other local decision or measurement made by the at least one other apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, where operating the apparatus in the local mode further comprises calculating a local function over a certain time interval, where the local function is a function of the at least one local decision or measurement.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, where time synchronization comprises convergence of a plurality of nodes within the decentralized wireless communication network due to pulse/packet driven coupling.

11. A method comprising:

storing, by an apparatus, information indicative of a state of the apparatus;

operating the apparatus in one of a local mode and a distributed mode; and

at another time, operating the apparatus in the other of the local mode and the distributed mode, where the apparatus comprises a node within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication,

where operating the apparatus in the local mode comprises measuring a common channel to maintain time synchronization with other nodes in the decentralized wireless communication network and making at least one local decision or measurement regarding a parameter for distributed estimation/detection,

where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode comprises setting an active/transmitting mode or an active/listening mode for the apparatus and, accordingly, one of transmitting the at least one local decision or measurement to at least one other apparatus or receiving information from the at least one other apparatus,

where in response to the apparatus receiving the information from the at least one other apparatus, operating the apparatus in the second mode further comprises updating, based on the received information and the at least one local decision or measurement, the stored information indicative of the state of the apparatus, wherein updating the stored information enables cooperation with the at least one other apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on the at least one local decision or measurement.

12. The method of claim 11, where the apparatus is configured to periodically switch between operating in the local mode and operating in the distributed mode.

13. The method of claim 11, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode further comprises communicating with the at least one other apparatus in a half-duplex mode of communication.

14. The method of claim 11, where operating the apparatus in the local mode and operating the apparatus in the distributed mode are performed subsequent to the apparatus achieving time synchronization with the at least one other apparatus.

15. The method of claim 11, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode comprises one of randomly switching the apparatus between the active/transmitting mode and the active/listening mode and switching the apparatus between the active/transmitting mode and the active/listening mode according to a protocol.

16. The method of claim 11, where the decentralized wireless communication network comprises a cognitive radio network.

17. The method of claim 11, where the apparatus comprises a mobile phone.

18. The method of claim 11, where the information received from the at least one other apparatus comprises at least one other local decision or measurement made by the at least one other apparatus.

19. The method of claim 11, where operating the apparatus in the local mode further comprises calculating a local function over a certain time interval, where the local function is a function of the at least one local decision or measurement.

20. The method of claim 11, where time synchronization comprises convergence of a plurality of nodes within the decentralized wireless communication network due to pulse/packet driven coupling.

21. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory medium readable by an apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the apparatus for performing operations, said operations comprising:

storing information indicative of a state of the apparatus;

operating the apparatus in one of a local mode and a distributed mode; and

at another time, operating the apparatus in the other of the local mode and the distributed mode, where the apparatus comprises a node within a decentralized wireless communication network that at least partially utilizes packet-based communication,

where operating the apparatus in the local mode comprises measuring a common channel to maintain time synchronization with other nodes in the decentralized wireless communication network and making at least one local decision or measurement regarding a parameter for distributed estimation/detection,

where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode comprises setting an active/transmitting mode or an active/listening mode for the apparatus and, accordingly, one of transmitting the at least one local decision or measurement to at least one other apparatus or receiving information from the at least one other apparatus,

where in response to the apparatus receiving the information from the at least one other apparatus, operating the apparatus in the second mode further comprises updating, based on the received information and the at least one local decision or measurement, the stored information indicative of the state of the apparatus, wherein updating the stored information enables cooperation with the at least one other apparatus in making a collective decision at least partially based on the at least one local decision or measurement.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, where the apparatus is configured to periodically switch between operating in the local mode and operating in the distributed mode.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode further comprises communicating with the at least one other apparatus in a half-duplex mode of communication.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, where operating the apparatus in the local mode and operating the apparatus in the distributed mode are performed subsequent to the apparatus achieving time synchronization with the at least one other apparatus.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, where operating the apparatus in the distributed mode comprises one of randomly switching the apparatus between the active/transmitting mode and the active/listening mode and switching the apparatus between the active/transmitting mode and the active/listening mode according to a protocol.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, where the decentralized wireless communication network comprises a cognitive radio network.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, where the apparatus comprises a mobile phone.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, where the information received from the at least one other apparatus comprises at least one other local decision or measurement made by the at least one other apparatus.

29. The computer program product of claim 21, where operating the apparatus in the local mode further comprises calculating a local function over a certain time interval, where the local function is a function of the at least one local decision or measurement.

30. The computer program product of claim 21, where time synchronization comprises convergence of a plurality of nodes within the decentralized wireless communication network due to pulse/packet driven coupling.