Radio communication system, device and method for radio communication, and computer program

• US 9,185,702 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugaya, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Khajuria, Shripal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhury, Faisal
• Application Number:
  US14/137,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20140112316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal

Abstract

A radio communication device which manages a network defines a predetermined transmission frame cycle, allocates in the frame specific access slots as timing with which the individual radio communication devices in the network concerned receive a transmission, puts the information of the allocation in a beacon signal, and transmits the signal. Each radio communication device performs receiving operation at access slots specific to the device itself defined by the beacon signal. When information transmission is made between arbitrary communication devices in the network, access slots for the device which is to receive the information are used.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device in a direct communication network that communicates directly with any wireless communication devices within a communication range using a direct connection link, the wireless communication device comprising:

a processor for

acquiring management information for a direct communication network in which the wireless communication device participates;

setting a wireless network frame period for the direct communication network, the wireless network frame period including a contention access period;

allocating a plurality of access slots for reception regions specific respectively to each of a plurality of first wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device participating in the direct communication network according to the management information, the access slots being allocated within the contention access period and the first wireless communication devices performing reception processing respectively only at the access slots specifically allocated thereto; and

transmitting allocation information to the first wireless communication devices in the form of a beacon signal transmitted at the start of the wireless network frame period, the transmitted allocation information including at least information indicative of access slots for the first wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device in the direct communication network,

wherein the wireless communication device performs a transmission processing operation utilizing the access slots specifically allocated to destinations of transmission in the direct communication network.

2. A method for managing a direct communication network that communicates directly with any wireless communication devices within a communication range using a direct connection link, the method comprising:

acquiring management information for a direct communication network in which the wireless communication device participates;

setting a wireless network frame period for the direct communication network, the wireless network frame period including a contention access period;

allocating a plurality of access slots for reception regions specific respectively to each of a plurality of first wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device participating in the direct communication network according to the management information, the access slots being allocated within the contention access period the first wireless communication devices performing reception processing respectively only at the access slots specifically allocated thereto, and

transmitting allocation information to the first wireless communication devices in the form of a beacon signal transmitted at the start of the wireless network frame period, the transmitted allocation information including at least information indicative of access slots for the first wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device in the direct communication network,

wherein the wireless communication device performs a transmission processing operation utilizing the access slots specifically allocated to destinations of transmission in the direct communication network.

3. A wireless communication device that conducts wireless communication in a direct communication network that communicates directly with any wireless communication devices within a communication range using a direct connection link and operates according to a wireless network frame period set by one of the devices, the wireless network frame period including a contention access period, the wireless communication device comprising:

a processor for

receiving wireless data through the direct communication network;

acquiring information on a plurality of access slots for reception regions specifically allocated respectively to each of a plurality of first wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device in the direct communication network, the access slots being allocated within the contention access period, and the information on a plurality of access slots being acquired in the form of a beacon signal transmitted at the start of the wireless network frame period; and

starting reception processing in synchronism with the access slots for a reception region allocated to the wireless communication device, the first wireless communication devices performing the reception processing respectively only at the access slots specifically allocated thereto,

wherein the wireless communication device performs a transmission processing operation utilizing the access slots specifically allocated to destinations of transmission in the direct communication network.

4. A method for a wireless communication device to conduct wireless communication in a direct communication network that communicates directly with any wireless communication devices within a communication range using a direct connection link and operates according to a wireless network frame period set by one of the devices, the wireless network frame period including a contention access period, the method comprising:

receiving wireless data through the direct communication network;

acquiring information on a plurality of access slots for reception regions specifically allocated respectively to each of a plurality of first wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device in the direct communication network, the access slots being allocated within the contention access period, and the information on a plurality of access slots being acquired in the form of a beacon signal transmitted at the start of the wireless network frame period; and

starting reception processing in synchronism with the access slots for a reception region allocated to the wireless communication device, the first wireless communication devices performing the reception processing respectively only at the access slots specifically allocated thereto,

wherein the wireless communication device performs a transmission processing operation utilizing the access slots specifically allocated to destinations of transmission in the direct communication network.

5. A wireless communication device that conducts wireless communication in a direct communication network that communicates directly with any wireless communication devices within a communication range using a direct connection link and operates according to a wireless network frame period set by one of the devices, the wireless network frame period including a contention access period, the wireless communication device comprising:

a processor for

receiving wireless data through the direct communication network;

transmitting wireless data through the direct communication network;

acquiring and managing information on a plurality of access slots for reception regions specifically allocated respectively to each of a plurality of first wireless communication device including the wireless communication device in the direct communication network, the access slots being allocated within the contention access period, the first wireless communication devices performing reception processing respectively only at the access slots specifically allocated thereto and the information on a plurality of access slots being acquired in the form of a beacon signal transmitted at the start of the wireless network frame period; and

acquiring information on a plurality of access slots for reception regions allocated to a device as a destination of transmission in the direct communication network; and

starting transmission processing in synchronism with a plurality of access slots for a reception region allocated to the destination of transmission,

wherein the wireless communication device performs a transmission processing operation utilizing the access slots specifically allocated to destinations of transmission in the direct communication network.