Ultra wideband assisted initial acquisition

• US 8,798,029 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Soliman, Samir S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/187,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20100035629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,190 Days
• Field of Search: 455/455, 455/434, 455436-444, 455/450, 455/516, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/432.1, 455/502, 455/76, 455/151.2, 455/165.1, 455/183.1, 455/41.2, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338, 370/331, 370/350, 370/330, 370/304, 370/324, 370/503, 370509-514
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is provided for reducing the search space of an acquiring ultra wideband (UWB) device seeking to join an UWB communication system, such as a Multi-band orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) UWB system, by providing wireless network information, such as the hopping pattern or Time-Frequency Code (TFC), timing and frequency information to the acquiring UWB device. The wireless network information is provided using a short range wireless module such as Bluetooth that may coexist with a UWB device. For example, an assisting UWB device, via a short range Bluetooth device module, may convey initial synchronization information, to the acquiring UWB device that also may have a coexisting UWB module. By knowing the TFC, timing and frequency information the acquiring UWB device may know the approximate beginning of the superframes of the UWB devices in the UWB communication system which may help reduce power consumption and probability of false alarm.

Claims

1. A method operational on an access terminal for assisted initial network acquisition of a first wireless network, comprising:

broadcasting a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

receiving the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network, wherein the assisting access terminal is already part of a first wireless network associated with the first wireless network information and the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

receiving clock timing information regarding the first wireless network from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network;

adjusting the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information;

detecting the first wireless network over the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information received from the assisting access terminal over the second wireless network; and

acquiring communication service over the first wireless network through the access terminal different from the assisting access terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network is detected and the communication service is acquired via a first communication interface, and the request is broadcasted and the first wireless network information is received via a second communication interface, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown personal area network when it broadcasts the request for the first wireless network information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the received first wireless network information includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code, or a phase for the first wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information comprises:

compensating for drift of a common oscillator of the assisting access terminal, wherein the common oscillator drives a first frequency synthesizer associated with the first wireless network and drives a second frequency synthesizer associated with the second wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information includes

tuning a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information;

and

awaking the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

13. An access terminal comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating over a first wireless network;

a second communication interface for communicating over a second wireless network, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

a processing circuit coupled to the first and second communication interfaces, the processing circuit configured to;

broadcast a request for first wireless network information over the second wireless network;

receive the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network, wherein the assisting access terminal is already part of the first wireless network associated with the first wireless network information;

receive clock timing information regarding the first wireless network from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network;

adjust the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information;

detect the first wireless network over the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information received from the assisting access terminal over the second wireless network; and

acquire communication service over the first wireless network through the access terminal different from the assisting access terminal.

14. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

15. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

16. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

17. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

18. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown personal area network when it broadcasts the request for the first wireless network information.

19. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the received first wireless network information includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code, or a phase for the first wireless network.

20. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

align a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

21. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein adjusting the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information comprises:

compensating for drift of a common oscillator of the assisting access terminal, wherein the common oscillator drives a first frequency synthesizer associated with the first wireless network and drives a second frequency synthesizer associated with the second wireless network.

22. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein detecting the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information includes

tuning a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information;

and

awaking the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble.

23. The access terminal of claim 22, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

24. An access terminal comprising:

means for broadcasting a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

means for receiving the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network, wherein the assisting access terminal is already part of a first wireless network associated with the first wireless network information and the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

means for receiving clock timing information regarding the first wireless network from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network;

means for adjusting the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information;

means for detecting the first wireless network over the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information received from the assisting access terminal over the second wireless network; and

means for acquiring communication service over the first wireless network through the access terminal different from the assisting access terminal.

25. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

26. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network is detected and the communication service is acquired via a first communication interface, and the request is broadcasted and the first wireless network information is received via a second communication interface, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network.

27. The access terminal of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

28. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

29. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

30. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown personal area network when it broadcasts the request for the first wireless network information.

31. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the received first wireless network information includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code, or a phase for the first wireless network.

32. The access terminal of claim 24, further comprising:

means for aligning a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

33. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein the means for adjusting the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information comprises:

means for compensating for drift of a common oscillator of the assisting access terminal, wherein the common oscillator drives a first frequency synthesizer associated with the first wireless network and drives a second frequency synthesizer associated with the second wireless network.

34. The access terminal of claim 24, further comprising:

means for tuning a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information; and

means for awaking the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for initial network acquisition, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

broadcast a request for a first wireless network information over a second wireless network;

receive the first wireless network information from an assisting access terminal over the second wireless network, wherein the assisting access terminal is already part of a first wireless network associated with the first wireless network information and the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

receive clock timing information regarding the first wireless network from the assisting access terminal via the second wireless network;

adjust the received first wireless network information based on the received clock timing information;

detect the first wireless network over the first wireless network based on the received first wireless network information received from the assisting access terminal over the second wireless network; and

acquire communication service over the first wireless network through an access terminal different from the assisting access terminal.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35 further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

align a first clock of the access terminal with a second clock of the assisting access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35 further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

tune a first communication interface to a frequency band identifiable by the received first wireless network information; and

awake the first communication interface immediately before the expected start of a broadcasted physical layer (PHY) frame preamble, wherein the length of the PHY frame preamble is less than twenty-four symbols.

38. A method operational on an access terminal for assisting an acquiring access terminal in initial network acquisition, comprising:

maintaining first wireless network information for a first wireless network associated with a first communication interface, wherein the access terminal is already part of the first wireless network and the first wireless network being of a different type than a second wireless network;

receiving a request for the first wireless network information from the acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with the second wireless network;

sending the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal in detecting the first wireless network over the first wireless network utilizing the first wireless network information; and

sending clock timing information regarding the first wireless network to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network and to adjust the first wireless network information.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the first wireless network information sent includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code, or a phase for the first wireless network.

44. An access terminal comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating over a first wireless network;

a second communication interface for communicating over a second wireless network, the first wireless network being of a different type than the second wireless network;

a processing circuit coupled to the first and second communication interfaces, the processing circuit configured to;

maintain first wireless network information for the first wireless network, wherein the access terminal is already part of the first wireless;

receive a request for the first wireless network information from an acquiring access terminal over the second communication interface;

send the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal in detecting the first wireless network over the first wireless network utilizing the first wireless network information; and

send clock timing information regarding the first wireless network to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network and to adjust the first wireless network information.

45. The access terminal of claim 44, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

46. The access terminal of claim 44, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

47. The access terminal of claim 44, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

48. The access terminal of claim 44, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

49. The access terminal of claim 44, wherein the first wireless network information sent includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code, or a phase for the first wireless network.

50. An access terminal comprising:

means for maintaining first wireless network information for a first wireless network associated with a first communication interface, wherein the access terminal is already part of the first wireless network and the first wireless network being of a different type than a second wireless network;

means for receiving a request for the first wireless network information from an acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with the second wireless network;

means for sending the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal in detecting the first wireless network over the first wireless network utilizing the first wireless network information; and

means for sending clock timing information regarding the first wireless network to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network and to adjust the first wireless network information.

51. The access terminal of claim 50, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network.

52. The access terminal of claim 50, wherein at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.

53. The access terminal of claim 50, wherein the first wireless network is an ultra wide band network.

54. The access terminal of claim 50, wherein the second wireless network is a Bluetooth-compliant network.

55. The access terminal of claim 50, wherein the first wireless network information sent includes at least one of a time-frequency code, a frequency, a channel, timing information, a scrambling code, or a phase for the first wireless network.

56. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for an access terminal to assist an acquiring access terminal in initial network acquisition of a first wireless network, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

maintain first wireless network information for the first wireless network associated with a first communication interface, wherein the access terminal is already part of the first wireless network and the first wireless network being of a different type than a second wireless network;

receive a request for the first wireless network information from the acquiring access terminal over a second communication interface associated with the second wireless network;

send the first wireless network information to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal in detecting the first wireless network over the first wireless network utilizing the first wireless network information; and

send clock timing information regarding the first wireless network to the acquiring access terminal via the second communication interface to assist the acquiring access terminal to synchronize data exchange periods over the first wireless network and to adjust the first wireless network information.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein at least one of the first wireless network and second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network, and at least one of the first communication interface and second communication interface is a short range communication interface.