Arrangements for association and re-association in a wireless network

• US 9,763,254 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cordeiro, Carlos, Kesselman, Alex, Trainin, Solomon
• Primary Examiner(s): ANWAR, MOHAMMAD S
• Application Number:
  US14/558,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20150156759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0682 using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access

Abstract

A method is disclosed for associating network devices to a network. The method can include receiving a beacon from a source by an antenna array, allocating resources to beamform and beamforming after receiving at least a portion of the beacon. The beamforming can be accomplished prior to completion of an association request and prior to receipt of an acceptance signal in response to the association request. Accordingly directional transmissions can be utilized transmit at least part of an association request and to transmit an acceptance signal corresponding to the association request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of a beacon from a source by at least one antenna;

detecting radio-frequency (RF) energy at a predetermined frequency;

allocating resources to perform beamforming based at least in part on the detected RF energy exceeding a predetermined threshold;

beamforming after receiving the at least a portion of the beacon and prior to receipt of an association request acceptance signal, wherein the beamforming comprises determining a relative direction from the at least one antenna to the source;

utilizing a directional configuration to communicate a portion of an association response that occurs in response to an association request, wherein at least a portion of the association request is received in a directional mode;

evaluating for an interference based at least in part on the beamforming; and

sending a re-association request in a second directional mode based at least in part on the evaluating.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a media access control address in response to the beacon.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a media access control address in response to the beacon and triggering the beamforming based on receipt of at least a portion of the beacon.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the directional transmission utilizes a higher data rate than an omni-directional transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the relative direction comprises determining one of direction of arrival information, an angle of arrival, a time difference of arrival or a frequency difference of arrival.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the beamforming comprises performing millimeter wave beamforming.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor to receive an incoming signal and detect radio-frequency (RF) energy at a predetermined frequency;

at least one processor configured to allocate resources to a beamformer module to perform beamforming based at least in part on the detected RF energy exceeding a predetermined threshold;

a direction detect module to detect a direction of origin of the incoming signal;

the beamformer module to beamform towards the incoming signal and to evaluate for an interference, the beamformer module to further determine a relative direction from the at least one antenna to a source;

a trigger module to trigger the beamforming module to beamform, wherein the trigger module activates the beamformer module before an end of an association process;

a receiver to receive a directional transmission during the association process; and

a transmitter to transmit a re-association request based at least in part on the evaluation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the beacon is sent in an omni-directional transmission with a lower data rate than a data rate of the directional transmission.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the incoming signal is a beacon.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a receiver to receive an association request acceptance signal.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a beacon from a source by at least one antenna;

detect radio-frequency (RF) energy at a predetermined frequency;

allocate resources to perform beamforming based at least in part on the detected RF energy exceeding a predetermined threshold; and

beamform after receiving at least a portion of the beacon and prior to receipt of an association request acceptance signal wherein the beamforming comprises determining a relative direction from the at least one antenna to the source;

wherein a directional communication is utilized to transmit the association signal, and wherein, a portion of an association request is transmitted in a directional mode;

reevaluate for an interference based at least in part on the beamforming; and

send a re-association request in a second directional mode based at least in part on the evaluation.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit a media access control address in response to the received beacon.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit a media access control address in response to the beacon and trigger the beamforming based on receipt of at least a portion of the beacon.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the directional transmission utilizes a higher data rate than an omni-directional transmission.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein beamforming comprises performing millimeter wave beamforming.