Method and apparatus for providing machine-to-machine communication in a wireless network

• US 9,338,820 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rikkinen, Kari Juhani, Chen, Tao, Charbit, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS, BRIAN S
• Application Number:
  US13/522,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20120281658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus for providing machine-to-machine communication in a wireless network may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least providing wireless network resources to enable direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point to a relatively low power communication device, allocating wireless network resources to enable uplink data to be provided from the relatively low power communication device to a mobile gateway device within communication range of the relatively low power communication device and utilizing wireless network resources to receive the uplink data from the mobile gateway device at the wireless network access point. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

provide wireless network resources to enable direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point to a low power communication device, wherein the wireless network resources comprise a cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation;

allocate the cellular downlink resource allocation to enable uplink data to be provided from the low power communication device to a mobile gateway device within communication range of the low power communication device, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data utilize the same cellular downlink resource allocation; and

utilize, at the wireless network access point, the cellular uplink resource allocation to receive the uplink data from the mobile gateway device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least allocate the wireless network resources by at least allocating the cellular downlink resource allocation and indicating corresponding resource blocks allocated to the low power communication device and the mobile gateway device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least receive channel quality information descriptive of a communication link between the low power communication device and the mobile gateway device in relation to utilizing the cellular downlink resource allocation to receive the uplink data and provide an indication of a modulation and coding scheme to be used by the low power communication device for communication with the mobile gateway device based on the channel quality information in relation to providing the wireless network resources.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least receive acknowledgement and non-acknowledgement messages indicative of successful receipt of packets sent by the low power communication device to the mobile gateway device and forward the acknowledgement and non-acknowledgement messages to the low power communication device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low power communication device includes a low power transceiver to at least transmit to the mobile cellular terminal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low power transceiver comprises a short-range transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the downlink resource allocation comprises channel frequencies allocated to a cellular downlink.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the channel frequencies are frequency division duplexed.

9. A method comprising:

providing wireless network resources to enable direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point to a low power communication device, wherein the wireless network resources comprise a cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation;

allocating the cellular downlink resource allocation to enable uplink data to be provided from the low power communication device to a mobile gateway device within communication range of the low power communication device, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data utilize the same cellular downlink resource allocation; and

utilizing, at the wireless network access point, the cellular uplink resource allocation to receive the uplink data from the mobile gateway device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein allocating the wireless network resources comprises allocating the cellular downlink resource allocation and indicating corresponding resource blocks allocated to the low power communication device and the mobile gateway device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein utilizing cellular downlink resource allocation to receive the uplink data further comprises receiving channel quality information descriptive of a communication link between the low power communication device and the mobile gateway device and wherein providing the wireless network resources further comprises providing an indication of a modulation and coding scheme to be used by the low power communication device for communication with the mobile gateway device based on the channel quality information.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

providing wireless network resources to enable direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point to a low power communication device, wherein the wireless network resources comprise a cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation;

allocating the cellular downlink resource allocation to enable uplink data to be provided from the low power communication device to a mobile gateway device within communication range of the low power communication device, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data utilize the same cellular downlink resource allocation; and

utilizing, at the wireless network access point, the cellular uplink resource allocation to receive the uplink data from the mobile gateway device.

13. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:

receive direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point;

receive, via the direct downlink communication, an indication of wireless network resources usable for provision of uplink data indirectly to the wireless network access point via a mobile gateway device, wherein the wireless network resources comprise a cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data to be provided from the apparatus to the mobile gateway device utilize the same cellular downlink resource allocation; and

provide the uplink data to the mobile gateway device using the cellular downlink resource allocation.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least receive channel quality information descriptive of a communication link between the apparatus and the mobile gateway device in relation to provision of the uplink data and receive an indication from the wireless network access point of a modulation and coding scheme to be used by the apparatus for communication with the mobile gateway device based on the channel quality information.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, at a low power communication device, direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point;

receiving, at the low power communication device via the direct downlink communication, an indication of wireless network resources usable for provision of uplink data indirectly to the wireless network access point via a mobile gateway device, wherein the wireless network resources comprise a cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data to be provided from the low power communication device to the mobile gateway device utilize the same cellular downlink resource allocation; and

providing, at the low power communication device, the uplink data to the mobile gateway device using the cellular downlink resource allocation.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving channel quality information descriptive of a communication link between the low power communication device and the mobile gateway device in relation to provision of the uplink data and receiving an indication from the wireless network access point of a modulation and coding scheme to be used by the low power communication device for communication with the mobile gateway device based on the channel quality information.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

receiving, at a low power communication device, direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point;

receiving, at the low power communication device via the direct downlink communication, an indication of wireless network resources usable for provision of uplink data indirectly to the wireless network access point via a mobile gateway device, wherein the wireless network resources comprise a cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data to be provided from the low power communication device to the mobile gateway device utilize the same cellular downlink resource allocation; and

providing, at the low power communication device, the uplink data to the mobile gateway device using the cellular downlink resource allocation.

18. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:

receive uplink data from a low power communication device for forwarding to a wireless network access point that provides direct downlink communication to the low power communication device, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data from the low power communication device utilize a cellular downlink resource allocation of wireless network resources, wherein the wireless network resources comprise the cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation; and

provide the uplink data to the wireless network access point using the cellular uplink resource allocation.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least generate channel quality information descriptive of a communication link between the apparatus and the low power communication device in relation to receipt of the uplink data to enable the wireless network access point to provide an indication of a modulation and coding scheme to be used by the low power communication device for communication with the apparatus based on the channel quality information.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least generate acknowledgement and non-acknowledgement messages indicative of successful receipt of packets sent by the low power communication device and communicate the acknowledgement and non-acknowledgement messages to the wireless network access point for forwarding to the low power communication device.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile gateway device, uplink data from a low power communication device for forwarding to a wireless network access point that provides direct downlink communication to the low power communication device, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data from the low power communication device utilize a cellular downlink resource allocation of wireless network resources, wherein the wireless network resources comprise the cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation; and

providing, at the mobile gateway device, the uplink data to the wireless network access point using the cellular uplink resource allocation.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

generating channel quality information descriptive of a communication link between the mobile gateway device and the low power communication device in relation to receipt of the uplink data to enable the wireless network access point to provide an indication of a modulation and coding scheme to be used by the low power communication device for communication with the mobile gateway device based on the channel quality information.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

receiving, at a mobile gateway device, uplink data from a low power communication device for forwarding to a wireless network access point that provides direct downlink communication to the low power communication device, wherein the mobile gateway device comprises a mobile cellular terminal, wherein the low power communication device comprises at least one of a sensor or a machine-to-machine communication device, wherein the direct downlink communication and the uplink data from the low power communication device utilize a cellular downlink resource allocation of wireless network resources, wherein the wireless network resources comprise the cellular downlink resource allocation and a cellular uplink resource allocation; and

providing, at the mobile gateway device, the uplink data to the wireless network access point using the cellular uplink resource allocation.