Position based WPAN (wireless personal area network) management

• US 8,774,070 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Blanche
• Application Number:
  US12/694,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20100124214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/310, 370/310.1, 370/310.2, 370/315, 370/328, 370/351, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Position based WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) management. Based on either the relative position or the specific location of devices within a WPAN, communication between the various devices is managed by grouping the devices into two or more groups. In addition, the communication between theses various devices may be governed by profiles assigned to the groups (or even the actual individual devices) that are assigned based on their locations within the WPAN. The relative locations of the devices may be made using ranging that is performed by transmitting UWB (Ultra Wide Band) pulses between the various devices within the WPAN. Alternatively, each device may include GPS (Global Positioning System) functionality and information corresponding to the specific locations of the devices may be communicated between the devices, and that information may be used to group devices user and/or assign profiles to govern the communication to and from the devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one communication interface configured to transmit a first plurality of communication signals to a plurality of communication devices, each of the first plurality of communication signals corresponds to one of the plurality of communication devices, and to receive a second plurality of communication signals from the plurality of communication devices, each of the second plurality of communication signals corresponds to one of the plurality of communication devices; and

wherein;

the apparatus configured to determine relative position of each of the plurality of communication devices to the apparatus using at least one of the first plurality of communication signals and the second plurality of communication signals;

based on the relative position of each of the plurality of communication devices, the apparatus configured to employ a first profile to govern communication with a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices and to employ a second profile to govern communication with a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices;

the first profile includes at least one of a first data rate, a first modulation, a first code having a first code rate, and a first time frequency code (TFC); and

the second profile includes at least one of a second data rate, a second modulation, a second code having a second code rate, and a second TFC.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the apparatus configured to determine the relative position of each of the plurality of communication devices using at least one time duration of at least one round trip corresponding to at least one of the first plurality of communication signals and at least one of the second plurality of communication signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the apparatus to configured monitor the relative position of the second communication device and a third communication device of the plurality of communication devices; and

based on a change in position of at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device, the apparatus configured to employ a third profile for communication between the apparatus and the second communication device or for communication between the apparatus and the third communication device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the apparatus configured to monitor the relative position of the second communication device; and

based on a change in position of the second communication device, the apparatus configured to employ the first profile for communication with the second communication device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first modulation includes a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellation, and the second modulation includes a phase shift key (PSK) constellation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first modulation includes more constellation points than the second modulation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of communication signals includes a first plurality of Ultra Wide Band (UWB) pulses, and the second plurality of communication signals includes a second plurality of UWB pulses.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

at least one communication device of the plurality of communication devices includes Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality configured to determine a specific location of the at least one of the plurality of communication devices; and

at least one of the second plurality of communication signals includes information for use in determining the specific location of the at least one of the plurality of communication devices as determined by the GPS functionality.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a piconet coordinator (PNC), wherein the plurality of communication devices includes a plurality of user piconet devices (DEVs).

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first piconet coordinator (PNC), wherein at least one of the plurality of communication devices is a second PNC.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first group of communication devices that includes the first of the plurality of communication devices is located relatively closer to the apparatus than a second group of communication devices that includes the second communication device.

12. An apparatus comprising:

at least one communication interface configured to transmit a first plurality of communication signals to a plurality of communication devices, each of the first plurality of communication signals corresponds to one of the plurality of communication devices, and to receive a second plurality of communication signals from the plurality of communication devices, each of the second plurality of communication signals corresponds to one of the plurality of communication devices; and

wherein;

the apparatus to configured determine relative position of each of the plurality of communication devices using at least one of the first plurality of communication signals and the second plurality of communication signals; and

based on the relative position of each of the plurality of communication devices, the apparatus configured to employ a first parameter for communication with a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices and to employ a second parameter for communication with a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices;

based on a change in position of the first communication device, the apparatus configured to employ a third parameter for communication with the first communication device; and

based on a change in position of the second communication device, the apparatus configured to employ a fourth parameter for communication with the second communication device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the apparatus configured to determine the relative position of each of the plurality of communication devices using at least one time duration of at least one round trip corresponding to at least one of the first plurality of communication signals and a at least one of the second plurality of communication signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the apparatus configured to monitor the relative position of the first and the second communication device to detect the change in position of the first and the second communication device.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first parameter is included within a first profile that includes a first data rate, a first modulation density, a first code having a first code rate, and a first time frequency code (TFC), and the second parameter is included within a second profile that includes a second data rate, a second modulation density, a second code having a second code rate, and a second TFC.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of communication signals includes a first plurality of Ultra Wide Band (UWB) pulses, and the second plurality of communication signals includes a second plurality of UWB pulses.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of communication devices includes Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality to determine a specific location of the at least one of the plurality of communication devices, and at least one of the second plurality of communication signals includes information corresponding to the specific location of the at least one of the plurality of communication devices as determined by the GPS functionality.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a first group of communication devices that includes the first communication device is located relatively closer to the apparatus than a second group of communication devices that includes the second communication device.

19. A method, comprising:

operating a first communication device to determine relative position of a second communication device and a third communication device to the first communication device;

based on the relative position of the second communication device, employing a first profile for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device; and

based on the relative position of the third communication device, employing a second profile for communication between the first communication device and the third communication device, wherein the first profile includes at least one of a first data rate, a first modulation density, a first code having a first code rate, and a first time frequency code (TFC); and

the second profile includes at least one of a second data rate, a second modulation density, a second code having a second code rate, and a second TFC.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting a first transmit communication signal from the first communication device to the second communication device;

transmitting a second transmit communication signal from the first communication device to the third communication device;

within the first communication device, receiving a first receive communication signal from the second communication device;

within the first communication device, receiving a second receive communication signal from the third communication device;

determining the relative position of the second communication device using a respective time duration of a round trip corresponding to the first transmit communication signal and the first receive communication signal; and

determining the relative position of the third communication device using a respective time duration of a round trip corresponding to the second transmit communication signal and the second receive communication signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first transmit communication signal includes a first Ultra Wide Band (UWB) pulse, and the first receive communication signal includes a second UWB pulse.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring the relative position of the second communication device and the third communication device; and

based on a change in position of at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device, employing a third profile for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device or for communication between the first communication device and the third communication device.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first profile includes a first forward error correction (FEC) code;

and the second profile includes a second FEC code.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the first modulation density is of a higher order than the second modulation density.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

employing Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality within at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device for determining a specific location of the at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device; and

from the at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device, transmitting information corresponding to the specific location of the at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the first communication device is a piconet coordinator (PNC), and the second communication device and the third communication device are user piconet devices (DEVs).

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the first communication device is a first piconet coordinator (PNC), and at least one of the second communication device and the third communication device is a second PNC.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein a first group of communication devices that includes the second communication device is located relatively closer to the first communication device than a second group of communication devices that includes the third communication device.