Slot-by-slot preamble acquisition control to increase network capacity in mobile ad hoc networks

• US 9,332,586 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Stevens, James A., Young, Charles D., Ahmed, Syed A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blanton, John
• Application Number:
  US13/755,147
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for a local approach within a distributed multi-hop radio environment that switches between a stronger and weaker preamble acquisition. The robustness of the preamble acquisition plays a large part in the performance of a given Signal-in-Space (SiS) modulation scheme. A more robust preamble acquisition can result in a higher packet completion rate at a receiver free of interfering signals. A less robust preamble acquisition can result in less chance that an interfering signal will be acquired, thereby allowing increased spatial reuse and network throughput. To maximize network capacity, the disclosed method leverages both cases by dynamically switching between the less and more robust preamble acquisitions depending on the topology of the distributed multi-hop radio environment and desired quality of service.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive preamble control in a distributed multi-hop radio environment, comprising:

determining a size of the distributed multi-hop radio environment;

determining a density of the distributed multi-hop radio environment;

determining an improved point of adjustment based on an analysis of the size and the density of the distributed multi-hop radio environment; and

adjusting to the improved point of adjustment, wherein adjusting to the improved point of adjustment comprises;

adjusting a preamble acquisition sensitivity of a receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment based at least on a probability of acquisition of a signal at a specific range and on anticipated assigned time slots on a per-transmission basis to improve a reuse of a spatial resource available to the distributed multi-hop radio environment.

2. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the distributed multi-hop radio environment is a Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET).

3. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the size of the distributed multi-hop radio environment further comprises at least one of:

a range from a first node to a last node, a range from a transmitter to a specific receiver, an Interference to Communication Range Ratio (I/C), and an average range between all nodes.

4. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the density of the distributed multi-hop radio environment further comprises at least one of:

a number of nodes within the distributed multi-hop radio environment, a number of nodes within a specific geographical area, a number of nodes in proximity to a transmitter, a number of nodes in proximity to the receiver, a number of nodes in proximity to a transmitter'"'"'s receivers, a topology of nodes, an analysis of terrain within the distributed multi-hop radio environment, an obstruction to radio frequency energy, and a total number of nodes within an interference range.

5. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment is an identical point of adjustment used by all nodes in the distributed multi-hop radio environment.

6. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment is an identical point of adjustment used by a transmitter for all transmissions independent of an intended receiver.

7. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises alternative points of adjustment used by at least one of a transmitter and the receiver, the alternative points of adjustment dependent upon at least one of a time slot and an expected transmitter.

8. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment is of the receiver, the preamble acquisition sensitivity of the receiver adjusted for improved reception of the signal.

9. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein adjusting the preamble acquisition of the receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment is further based on a reduction in Interference to Communication Range Ratio (I/C) or a performance of a link.

10. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein adjusting the preamble acquisition of the receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment further comprises adjustment on a per-transmission basis using at least one of:

a Clear to Send (CTS) exchange and an Request to Send (RTS) exchange.

11. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the probability of acquisition of the signal at a specific range is adjusted by adapting at each receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment.

12. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment further includes adapting the preamble at the receiver combined with an alteration of a receiver antenna pattern.

13. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment further includes an additional radio system adaptation method including at least one of:

an adaptive frequency assignment, an adaptive time slot assignment, and an adaptive spread spectrum assignment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the improved point of adjustment is an optimal point of adjustment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting to the optimal point of adjustment further comprises:

adjusting a preamble strength associated with the signal at a transmitter of the signal within the distributed multi-hop radio environment to optimize a performance of the signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the distributed multi hop radio environment has no centralized controller.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting to the improved point of adjustment further comprises:

adjusting a preamble strength associated with the signal at a transmitter of the signal within the distributed multi-hop radio environment to improve a performance of the signal.

18. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 17, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises alternative points of adjustment used by the transmitter dependent upon intended receivers.

19. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 17, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises alternative points of adjustment used by the transmitter dependent upon intended receivers and desired transmission Quality of Service (QoS).

20. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 17, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises an identical point of adjustment used by the receiver for all transmissions to the receiver independent of the transmitter.

21. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 17, wherein adjusting the preamble strength associated with the signal at the transmitter of the signal within the distributed multi-hop radio environment to improve the performance of the signal further comprises:

adjusting a modulation or a pattern.

22. The method for adaptive preamble control of claim 17, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises:

a preamble adjustment at the transmitter combined with an additional transmitter adjustment including at least one of;

a transmit power, a transmit modulation, a transmit spread spectrum coding, and an antenna pattern.

23. A computer readable medium having non-transitory computer readable program code embodied therein for adaptive preamble control in a distributed multi-hop radio environment, the computer readable program code comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer device or processor, perform and direct steps of:

determining a size of the distributed multi-hop radio environment;

determining a density of the distributed multi-hop radio environment;

determining an improved point of adjustment based on an analysis of the size and the density of the distributed multi-hop radio environment; and

adjusting to the improved point of adjustment, wherein adjusting to the improved point of adjustment comprises;

adjusting a preamble acquisition sensitivity of a receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment based at least on a probability of acquisition of a signal at a specific range and on anticipated assigned time slots on a per-transmission basis to improve a reuse of a spatial resource available to the distributed multi-hop radio environment.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the distributed multi-hop radio environment is a Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET).

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the size of the distributed multi-hop radio environment further comprises at least one of:

a range from a first node to a last node, a range from a transmitter to a specific receiver, an Interference to Communication Range Ratio (I/C), and an average range between all nodes.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the density of the distributed multi-hop radio environment further comprises at least one of:

a number of nodes within the distributed multi-hop radio environment, a number of nodes within a specific geographical area, a number of nodes in proximity to a transmitter, a number of nodes in proximity to the receiver, a number of nodes in proximity to a transmitter'"'"'s receivers, a topology of nodes, an analysis of terrain within the distributed multi-hop radio environment, an obstruction to radio frequency energy and a total number of nodes within an interference range.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the improved point of adjustment is an identical point of adjustment used by all nodes in the distributed multi-hop radio environment.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the improved point of adjustment is an identical point of adjustment used by a transmitter for all transmissions independent of an intended receiver.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises alternative points of adjustment used by at least one of a transmitter and the receiver, the alternative points of adjustment dependent upon at least one of a time slot and an expected transmitter.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the improved point of adjustment is of the receiver, the receiver preamble acquisition adjusted for optimal reception of the signal.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein adjusting the preamble acquisition of the receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment is further based on a reduction in Interference to Communication Range Ratio (I/C) or a performance of a link.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein adjusting the preamble acquisition of the receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment further comprises adjustment on a per-transmission basis using at least one of:

a Clear to Send (CTS) exchange and an Request to Send (RTS) exchange.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the probability of acquisition of the signal at a specific range is adjusted by adapting at each receiver within the distributed multi-hop radio environment.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the improved point of adjustment further includes adapting the preamble at the receiver combined with an alteration of a receiver antenna pattern.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the improved point of adjustment further includes an additional radio system adaptation method including at least one of:

an adaptive frequency assignment, an adaptive time slot assignment, and an adaptive spread spectrum assignment.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein adjusting to the improved point of adjustment further comprises:

adjusting a preamble strength associated with the signal at a transmitter of the signal within the distributed multi-hop radio environment to improve a performance of the signal.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises:

alternative points of adjustment used by the transmitter dependent upon intended receivers.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the improved point of adjustment is of the transmitter, the transmitter preamble adjusted for improved range of the signal.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein adjusting the preamble strength associated with the signal at the transmitter of the signal within the distributed multi-hop radio environment to improve the performance of the signal further comprises:

adjusting a modulation or a pattern.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the improved point of adjustment further comprises:

a preamble adjustment at the transmitter combined with an additional transmitter adjustment including at least one of;

a transmit power, a transmit modulation, a transmit spread spectrum coding, and an antenna pattern.