Communication and data handling in a mesh network using duplex radios

• US 9,538,571 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominant Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dominant Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Fraser, Ronald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moutaouakil, Mounir
• Application Number:
  US14/961,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20160164726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Wireless-conferencing radios communicate directly with each other without a bases station using a multiple access protocol, such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). Wireless-conferencing radios can be formed into groups and larger mesh networks. Some groups of wireless-conferencing radios use frequencies in a cellular band to communicate.

Claims

1. A radio system for establishing a mesh network, the radio system comprising:

a first group of radios, wherein the first group of radios comprises one or more radios;

a first master, wherein;

the first master is a radio that is part of the first group;

the first master communicates with the first group of radios using a first time division multiple access based protocol;

the first time division multiple access based protocol has a first jump sequence;

the first time division multiple access based protocol includes a first set of transmission slots; and

the first set of transmission slots includes a first slot for transmitting data;

a second group of radios, wherein the second group of radios comprises one or more radios;

a second master, wherein;

the second master is a radio that is part of the second group;

the second master communicates with the second group of radios using a second time division multiple access based protocol;

the second time division multiple access based protocol has a second jump sequence;

the second time division multiple access based protocol includes a second set of transmission slots;

the second set of transmission slots includes a second slot for transmitting data;

the first slot overlaps the second slot in time and frequency forming an extra slot; and

the first jump sequence and the second jump sequence do not overlap in time and frequency except during the extra slot.

2. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein the first master and the second master alternate transmitting during the extra slot.

3. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first group comprises three radios;

the first master, a first slave radio, and a second slave radio;

the first master is in direct communication with the first slave radio and the second slave radio; and

the first slave radio is in direct communication with the first master and the second slave radio.

4. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein a transmission during the extra slot does not include voice data.

5. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first group of radios comprises three radios in direct communication with each other; and

the second group of radios comprises three radios in direct communication with each other.

6. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the extra slot is a first extra slot;

the first time division multiple access based protocol comprises multiple frames of time;

each frame of the multiple frames of time is subdivided into a plurality of slots;

the plurality of slots comprises a third slot, a fourth slot, and a fifth slot;

the first group of radios comprises the first master and a slave radio;

the first master is assigned to transmit during the third slot;

the slave radio is assigned to transmit during the fourth slot;

the first master and the slave radio alternate transmitting during the fifth slot;

the fifth slot is a second extra slot; and

the second extra slot overlaps at times and frequencies with the first extra slot.

7. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein the first master sets timing information for the first group, assigns a voice slot to a radio in the first group, assigns a non-voice transmission time to a radio of the first group;

responds to a request from another radio to join the first group, and/or reassigns a time slot for a radio in the first group.

8. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first slot overlaps the second slot in time and frequency to form the extra slot during a first frame of time; and

the first slot overlaps the second slot in time and frequency to form the extra slot during a second frame of time.

9. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 8, wherein:

a third frame of time separates the first frame and the second frame; and

the third frame does not include a slot where the first slot and the second slot overlap in time and frequency.

10. The radio system for establishing a mesh network as recited in claim 1, wherein the extra slot repeats periodically.

11. A method for communicating in a mesh network, the method comprising:

receiving, using a first radio, a first transmission, wherein;

the first transmission is from a second radio;

the first radio and the second radio are part of a first group of radios;

a first master radio provides a master function for the first group;

the first group uses a first time division multiple access based protocol; and

the first time division multiple access based protocol has a first jump sequence; and

receiving a second transmission, wherein;

the second transmission is received from a third radio;

the third radio is part of a second group of radios, different from the first group;

a second master radio provides a master function for the second group;

the second group uses a second time division multiple access based protocol;

the second time division multiple access based protocol has a second jump sequence;

the second time division multiple access based protocol is different from the first multiple access based protocol;

the second jump sequence does not overlap, in time and frequency, the first jump sequence during the first transmission; and

the second jump sequence overlaps, in time and frequency, the first jump sequence during the second transmission, wherein the second transmission is transmitted during an extra slot of a frame of the second time division multiple access protocol.

12. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein the first transmission comprises voice data and the second transmission is a non-voice data transmission.

13. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the first radio is the first master radio;

the second radio is slave radio in the first group; and

the third radio is the second master radio.

14. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, further comprising transmitting, using the first radio, directly to the second radio and the third radio simultaneously.

15. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the frame is a first frame; and

transmitting directly to the second radio and the third radio is during an extra slot of a second frame of the second time division multiple access protocol.

16. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein the second transmission is received after receiving the first transmission.

17. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the first group further comprises a fourth radio; and

the method further comprises;

receiving, using the first radio, a third transmission from the fourth radio; and

receiving, using the second radio, the third transmission from the fourth radio.

18. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the first transmission and the second transmission occur during a first frame of time of the second time division multiple access based protocol; and

the method further comprises transmitting, using the second master, during an extra slot of a second frame of time of the second time division multiple access based protocol.

19. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein the master function for the first group is setting timing information for the first group, assigning a voice slot, assigning a non-voice transmission time, responding to a request from another radio to join the first group, and/or reassigning a time slot for a radio of group one to transmit during.

20. The method for communicating in a mesh network as recited in claim 11, wherein the extra slot repeats periodically.