TDMA-based wireless networks
First Claim
1. A method for enabling two or more TDMA-based wireless networks to share a communication channel, the communication channel being divided into a plurality of superframes, wherein each superframe includes a fixed number of time slots and each wireless network implementing superframes, the method comprising:
- within each network, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes, wherein a network only communicates during that networks active superframes and does not communicate during that network'"'"'s inactive superframes and wherein communication within each network only occurs in the time slots of that network'"'"'s active superframes;
wherein the active superframes are implemented by the network without the need for that network to actively co-operate or communicate with any other network;
further comprising, at each network;
when the network wants to begin using the communication channel, determining if one or more other networks are using the communication channel;
if it is determined that no other networks are using the communication channel, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes; and
if it is determined that one or more other networks are using the communication channel, determining if a superframe is available during which the one or more other networks are all implementing inactive superframes and, if there is a superframe available, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes;
wherein each network transmits a beacon during that networks active superframes; and
wherein the beacon further includes a sequence value indicating when the network that transmitted the beacon began using the communication channel relative to the other networks that are using communication channel.
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Abstract
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for enabling two or more TDMA-based wireless networks to share a communication channel, each wireless network implementing superframes. The method comprises within each network, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes, wherein a network only communicates during that networks active superframes and does not communicate during that networks inactive superframes.
20 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for enabling two or more TDMA-based wireless networks to share a communication channel, the communication channel being divided into a plurality of superframes, wherein each superframe includes a fixed number of time slots and each wireless network implementing superframes, the method comprising:
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within each network, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes, wherein a network only communicates during that networks active superframes and does not communicate during that network'"'"'s inactive superframes and wherein communication within each network only occurs in the time slots of that network'"'"'s active superframes; wherein the active superframes are implemented by the network without the need for that network to actively co-operate or communicate with any other network; further comprising, at each network; when the network wants to begin using the communication channel, determining if one or more other networks are using the communication channel; if it is determined that no other networks are using the communication channel, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes; and if it is determined that one or more other networks are using the communication channel, determining if a superframe is available during which the one or more other networks are all implementing inactive superframes and, if there is a superframe available, implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes; wherein each network transmits a beacon during that networks active superframes; and wherein the beacon further includes a sequence value indicating when the network that transmitted the beacon began using the communication channel relative to the other networks that are using communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A hub for a TDMA-based wireless network, the hub comprising:
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a transceiver for communicating with one or more nodes of the network using a communication channel, the communication channel being divided into a plurality of superframes, wherein each superframe includes a fixed number of time slots; and a processor for implementing active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implementing active superframes when one or more other TDMA-based wireless networks that are also using the communication channel are implementing inactive superframes, wherein a network only communicates during that networks active superframes and does not communicate during that network'"'"'s inactive superframes and wherein communication within each network only occurs in the time slot of that network'"'"'s active superframes; and wherein the active superframes are implemented by the hub without the need for the hub to actively co-operate or communicate with any other network; wherein the processor is further arranged to; determine if one or more other networks are using the communication channel; if it is determined that no other networks are using the communication channel, implement active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes; and if it is determined that one or more other networks are using the communication channel, determine if a superframe is available during which the one or more other networks are all implementing inactive superframes and, if there is a superframe available, implement active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implement active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes; wherein the processor is further arranged to transmit a beacon, using the transceiver, during the networks active superframes; and wherein the processor is further arranged to include a sequence value within the beacon that indicates when the network that transmitted the beacon began using the communication channel relative to the other networks that are using communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A node for a TDMA-based wireless network, the node comprising:
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a transceiver for communicating with a hub of the network using a communication channel, the communication channel being divided into a plurality of superframes, wherein each superframe includes a fixed number of time slots; and a processor for ensuring that communication only takes place during active superframes and does not take place during inactive superframes and wherein communication within said network only occurs in the time slots of that network'"'"'s active superframes, the active superframes and inactive superframes having been defined in instructions received from the hub; and
,wherein the active superframes are implemented by the hub without the need for the hub to actively co-operate or communicate with any other network; wherein the processor is further arranged to; determine if one or more other networks are using the communication channel; if it is determined that no other networks are using the communication channel, implement active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes; and if it is determined that one or more other networks are using the communication channel, determine if a superframe is available during which the one or more other networks are all implementing inactive superframes and, if there is a superframe available, implement active superframes separated by one or more inactive superframes and only implement active superframes when the other networks are implementing inactive superframes; wherein the processor is further arranged to transmit a beacon, using the transceiver, during the networks active superframes; and wherein the processor is further arranged to include a sequence value within the beacon that indicates when the network that transmitted the beacon began using the communication channel relative to the other networks that are using communication channel.
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Specification