Communications methods and apparatus using physical attachment point identifiers

• US 8,983,468 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv, Anigstein, Pablo, Parizhsky, Vladimir, Srinivasan, Murari, Tsirtsis, George
• Primary Examiner(s): CASCA, FRED A
• Application Number:
  US11/316,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20070147377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,372 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/330, 370/254, 370/389, 370/208, 370/210, 370/256, 370/282, 370/328, 370/331, 370/400, 370/401, 370/465, 370/469, 370/475, 370/437, 455/437, 455/436, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/439, 455/440, 455/445, 455/446, 455/450, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/457, 455/574
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for routing messages between an end node and an access node via another access node are described. Physical layer identification information is used when identifying a remote, e.g., adjacent, access node as a message destination. Thus, when a connection identifier based on one or more physical layer identifiers is available to a wireless terminal, e.g., from one or more downlink signals received from a destination access node, the wireless terminal can use the connection identifier corresponding to the destination node to route a message via an access node with which it has an established uplink connection. Such connection identifier information can be used even when other addressing information, e.g., network layer address information, associated with the destination access node, may not be available to the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating routing of messages based on physical layer information, comprising:

operating an end node to receive broadcast information from a second access node where the end node is within a coverage area of the second access node;

operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier from said broadcast information, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier includes determining at least two of the following three identifiers corresponding to said second access node;

i) a cell identifier, ii) a carrier identifier and iii) a sector identifier; and

operating said end node to transmit a message including said physical attachment point identifier to a first access node over a wireless communication link, wherein the message is destined for the second access node, wherein the message includes the physical attachment point identifier including said at least two determined identifiers to said first access node, wherein the message is configured with a network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said message, and wherein the message is further configured to enable the first access node to transmit a packet including said network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said message.

2. The communications method of claim 1, wherein said end node is within a broadcast coverage area into which said first and second access nodes each broadcast signals.

3. The communications method of claim 1, wherein said end node has a bi-directional communications link with said first access node and at least an uplink with said second access node.

4. The communications method of claim 1, wherein said end node has a bi-directional communications link with said first access node and does not have an uplink with said second access node.

5. The communications method of claim 1, wherein said broadcast information includes a plurality of beacon signals.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier includes determining from said received beacon signals:

a first identifier which is a cell identifier.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier further includes:

determining from said received beacon signals a second identifier, said second identifier being a carrier identifier.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of operating said end node to determine a physical attachment point identifier further includes:

determining from said received beacon signals a third identifier, said third identifier being a sector identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating said end node to receive from said first access node a signal including a message source identifier, said message source identifier including at least said two determined identifiers corresponding to said second access node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical attachment point identifier identifies a physical connection point at said second access node, said physical attachment point identifier being unique within overlapping end node reception areas.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second access nodes are base stations;

and

wherein operating the end node to transmit includes operating the end node to transmit OFDM signals.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating said first access node to receive said message;

operating said first access node to determine the network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said message; and

operating the first access node to transmit the packet including said determined network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said message.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said packet further includes an end node identifier identifying said end node which transmitted said message.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said message does not include an end node identifier, said message being communicated using uplink signaling resources dedicated to said end node, the method further comprising:

operating said first access node to determine said end node identifier corresponding to the message; and

wherein said first access node includes said determined end node identifier in said transmitted packet.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

operating the first access node to receive a packet from said second access node, said received packet including said end node identifier and said physical attachment point identifier.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

operating said first access node to transmit a signal to said end node, said signal including said physical attachment point identifier and at least some information obtained from the packet received from said second access node.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said signal transmitted to said end node is transmitted using a communications resource dedicated to said end node and does not include an end node identifier.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter for transmitting said message in an OFDM signal over the wireless communication link.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein said wireless terminal is within the broadcast coverage area into which first and second access nodes each broadcast signals;

and

wherein said end node has a bi-directional communications link with said first access node and does not have an uplink with said second access node.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein said broadcast information includes a plurality of beacon signals, and

wherein said physical attachment point identifier determination module includes a cell identifier determination module for determining a first identifier from one or more of said received beacon signals, said first identifier being the cell identifier.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 19, wherein said physical attachment point identifier determination module further includes a carrier identifier determination module for determining a second identifier from one or more of said received beacon signals, said second identifier being the carrier identifier.

23. The wireless terminal of claim 20, wherein said identifier determination module further includes a sector identifier module for determining processor is further configured to determine a third identifier from one or more of said received beacon signals, said third identifier being the sector identifier.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 22, wherein the broadcast information comprises a plurality of beacon signals.

18. A wireless terminal comprising:

a first receiver module for receiving broadcast information from a second access node where the wireless terminal is within a broadcast coverage area of the second access node;

a physical attachment point identifier determination module for determining a physical attachment point identifier from said broadcast information, wherein said physical attachment point identifier determination module further determines at least two of the following three identifiers corresponding to said second access node;

i) a cell identifier, ii) a carrier identifier and iii) a sector identifier; and

a first transmitter module for transmitting a message including said physical attachment point identifier to a first access node over a wireless communication link, wherein the message is destined for the second access node, wherein the message includes the physical attachment point identifier including said at least two determined identifiers to said first access node, wherein the message is configured with a network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said message, and wherein the message is further configured to enable the first access node to transmit a packet including said network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said message.

24. A wireless terminal comprising:

means for receiving broadcast information from a second access node where the wireless terminal is within a broadcast coverage area of the second access node;

means for determining a physical attachment point identifier from said broadcast information, wherein the means for determining the physical attachment point identifier comprises means for determining from the received beacon signals at least two of the following three identifiers corresponding to the second access node;

(i) a cell identifier, (ii) a carrier identifier, and (iii) a sector identifier; and

means for transmitting a message including said physical attachment point identifier to a first access node over a wireless communication link, wherein the message is destined for the second access node, wherein the message includes the physical attachment point identifier including said at least two determined identifiers to said first access node, wherein the message is configured with a network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said message, and wherein the message is further configured to enable the first access node to transmit a packet including said network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said message.

26. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable to:

receive, at an end node, broadcast information from a second access node where

the end node is within a coverage area of the second access node;

determine a physical attachment point identifier from said broadcast information, wherein said determining the physical attachment point identifier comprises determining from the received beacon signals at least two of the following three identifiers corresponding to the second access node;

(i) a cell identifier, (ii) a carrier identifier, and (iii) a sector identifier; and

transmit a message including said physical attachment point identifier to a first access node over a wireless communication link, wherein the message is destined for the second access node, wherein the message includes the physical attachment point identifier including said at least two determined identifiers to said first access node, wherein the message is configured with a network layer address corresponding to the physical attachment point identifier included in said message, and wherein the message is further configured to enable the first access node to transmit a packet including said network layer address as a destination address and including at least some information obtained from said message.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the broadcast information comprises a plurality of beacon signals.