Method for allocating data-transmission resources, and corresponding switching method, access point, terminal, computer program and signal

• US 9,071,965 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Cariou, Laurent, Christin, Philippe, Bernard, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/509,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20120294246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 370/237, 370/329, 370/338, 370/392, 370/393, 370/352, 370/355, 370/395.54, 370/477
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0005 Control or signalling for completing the hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a communication network including at least one access point exchanging data with at least one terminal connected thereto, and managing at least two communication channels. The method in the access point implements a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with the access point, including a step of associating a unique identifier with the terminal, and a phase of managing the assembly of channels. The phase of managing includes implementing a reference table associating one of the channels to a terminal identified by the unique identifier thereof, including the following steps: detecting a switching of a terminal connected with the access point, from an initial channel to a destination channel; and updating the reference table to associate the unique identifier of the terminal to the destination channel.

Claims

1. A method for allocating data-transmission frequency resources in a radiofrequency communications network, which comprises at least one multi-channel access point exchanging data with at least one terminal linked to the multi-channel access point, said multi-channel access point managing a set of at least two transmission frequency channels, the method comprising:

implementing, by said multi-channel access point, a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with said multi-channel access point, comprising a step of associating, with said terminal, a unique identifier in said multi-channel access point; and

implementing, by said multi-channel access point a phase of managing said set of transmission frequency channels, implementing a reference table associating, with a terminal, identified by its unique identifier, one of said transmission frequency channels, said multi-channel access point being capable of simultaneously transmitting on said at least two frequency channels and said phase of managing comprising the following steps;

detecting a switching of a terminal linked to said multi-channel access point, from a first transmission frequency channel, called an initial transmission frequency channel, to a second transmission frequency channel, called a destination transmission frequency channel; and

updating said reference table to associate the unique identifier of said terminal with said destination transmission frequency channel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said phase of associating and authenticating also comprises a step of exchanging at least one encryption key between said multi-channel access point and said terminal, said encryption key or keys being common for said set of transmission frequency channels.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises, in said multi-channel access point, a step of sending, on said initial transmission frequency channel, a command configured for changing a transmission frequency channel allocated to a terminal linked to said multi-channel access point, said command configured for changing an allocated transmission frequency channel comprising at least said identifier of the terminal and an identifier of said destination transmission frequency channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said command configured for changing a transmission frequency channel comprises a field for designating the concerned terminals, comprising a plurality of bits, each associated with one of the terminals, and taking a first value when the terminal must do the switching towards the destination transmission frequency channel and a second value when it must keep the initial transmission frequency channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a phase of synchronizing the initial and destination transmission frequency channels, comprising a step of simultaneously sending a first beacon on said first initial transmission frequency channel and a second beacon on said destination transmission frequency channel.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises a step of sending, from said multi-channel access point to at least one terminal linked to said multi-channel access point, on said initial transmission frequency channel, at least one piece of information on the state of at least one transmission frequency channel distinct from said transmission frequency initial channel.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said at least one piece of information on the state of at least one transmission frequency channel distinct from said initial transmission frequency channel is transmitted by encapsulation in a beacon of said initial transmission frequency channel.

8. A method comprising:

switching data transmission from an initial transmission frequency channel to a destination transmission frequency channel, in a terminal associated with a multi-channel access point of a radiofrequency communications network, said multi-channel access point managing a set of at least two transmission frequency channels and being capable of simultaneously transmitting on said at least two frequency channels, wherein switching in the terminal comprises;

a phase of associating and authenticating with said multi-channel access point, by said terminal, comprising a step of obtaining a unique identifier in said multi-channel access point, and

a phase of managing the switching, by said terminal, implementing the following steps;

determining a destination transmission frequency channel managed by said multi-channel access point, by processing at least one piece of information received from said multi-channel access point; and

switching the data transmission from said initial transmission frequency channel to said determined destination transmission frequency channel, without modifying said identifier.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said piece of information received from said multi-channel access point comprises a command for changing a transmission frequency channel allocated to said terminal, comprising at least one piece of information for identifying said terminal and an identifier of said destination transmission frequency channel.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises, in said terminal, the following steps:

receiving, on said initial transmission frequency channel, at least one piece of information pertaining to the state of at least one other transmission frequency channel managed by said multi-channel access point; and

deciding to switch from said initial transmission frequency channel to a destination transmission frequency channel, as a function of said at least one piece of information pertaining to the state of at least one other transmission frequency channel.

11. A multi-channel access point in a radiofrequency communications network, exchanging data with at least one terminal linked to the multi-channel access point, and managing a set of at least two transmission frequency channels, wherein the multi-channel access point comprises:

a processor configured to perform steps of;

implementing a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with said multi-channel access point, comprising a step of associating, with said terminal, a unique identifier in said multi-channel access point, and

implementing a phase of managing said set of transmission frequency channels, implementing a reference table associating with a terminal, identified by its unique identifier, one of said transmission frequency channels, said multi-channel access point being capable of simultaneously transmitting on said at least two frequency channels, the phase of managing comprising;

detecting a switching of a terminal linked to said multi-channel access point, from a first transmission frequency channel, called an initial transmission frequency channel, to a second transmission frequency channel, called a destination transmission frequency channel; and

updating said reference table to associate the unique identifier of said terminal with said destination transmission frequency channel.

12. A terminal of a radiofrequency communications network, comprising:

a processor configured to perform steps of;

linking with a multi-channel access point on a transmission frequency channel, called an initial transmission frequency channel, chosen from a set of at least two transmission frequency channels, managed by said multi-channel access point, which is capable of simultaneously transmitting on said at least two transmission frequency channels;

implementing a phase of associating and authenticating with said multi-channel access point, comprising a step of obtaining a unique identifier in said multi-channel access point, and

implementing a phase of managing the switching by;

determining a destination transmission frequency channel managed by said multi-channel access point, by processing at least one piece of information received from said multi-channel access point; and

switching the data transmission from said initial transmission frequency channel to said determined destination transmission frequency channel, without modifying said identifier.

13. A non-transitory computer readable memory comprising:

a computer program stored thereon and comprising instructions for implementing a method for allocating data-transmission frequency resources in a radiofrequency communications network comprising at least one multi-channel access point exchanging data with at least one terminal linked to the multi-channel access point, said multi-channel access point managing a set of at least two transmission frequency channels, when this program is executed by a processor, wherein the instructions comprise;

instructions configured to implement in said multi-channel access point a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with said multi-channel access point, comprising a step of associating, with said terminal, a unique identifier in said multi-channel access point; and

instructions configured to implement in said multi-channel access point a phase of managing said set of transmission frequency channels, implementing a reference table associating, with a terminal, identified by its unique identifier, one of said transmission frequency channels, said multi-channel access point being capable of simultaneously transmitting on said at least two frequency channels, and said phase of managing comprising the following steps;

detecting a switching of a terminal linked to said multi-channel access point, from a first transmission frequency channel, called an initial transmission frequency channel, to a second transmission frequency channel, called a destination transmission frequency channel; and

updating said reference table to associate the unique identifier of said terminal with said destination transmission frequency channel.

14. A non-transitory computer readable memory comprising:

a computer program stored thereon and comprising instructions for implementing a method for switching data transmission from an initial transmission frequency channel to a destination transmission frequency channel, in a terminal associated with an multi-channel access point of a radiofrequency communications network, said multi-channel access point managing a set of at least two transmission frequency channels and being capable of simultaneously transmitting on said at least two frequency channels, wherein the instructions comprise;

instructions configured to implement in said terminal a phase of associating and authenticating with said multi-channel access point, comprising a step of obtaining a unique identifier in said multi-channel access point, and

instructions configured to implement in said terminal a phase of managing the switching implementing the following steps;

determining a destination transmission frequency channel managed by said multi-channel access point, by processing at least one piece of information received from said multi-channel access point; and

switching the data transmission from said initial transmission frequency channel to said determined destination transmission frequency channel, without modifying said identifier.