Communication apparatus, communication method, and communication system

• US 9,872,203 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palmira Wireless AG
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Takagi, Masahiro, Nishibayashi, Yasuyuki, Utsunomiya, Yoriko
• Primary Examiner(s): LOPATA, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US15/406,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20170127317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 370431, 370445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1614 using bitmaps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/323 in the physical layer [OSI layer 1]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A physical frame is constructed, the physical frame including a medium access control super-frame payload which in turn includes a plurality of medium access control frames. With respect to the constructed physical frame, virtual carrier sense information is set in the plurality of medium access control frame so that a result of carrier sense is identical to another by virtual carrier sense based on the plurality of medium access control frames in the medium access control super-frame payload. The physical frame in which the virtual carrier sense information has been set is transmitted to a destined communication apparatus.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first physical frame comprising a first physical header, a first MAC frame length field, a first MAC frame, a second MAC frame length field, and a second MAC frame, the first physical header comprising a first signal field for a first protocol and a second signal field for a second protocol, the second signal field following the first signal field, the first signal field comprising a first rate field and a first length field, the second signal field comprising a second length field, the first MAC frame length field representing a length of the first MAC frame, the first MAC frame comprising a first address field, a first duration field, a first frame body, and a first frame check sequence, the second MAC frame length field representing a length of the second MAC frame, the second MAC frame comprising a second address field, a second duration field, a second frame body, and a second frame check sequence, wherein a value of the first duration field and a value of the second duration field are same, and an address in the first address field and an address in the second address field are same; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a second physical frame comprising an acknowledgement frame which is separated by a Short IFS (SIFS) from the first physical frame as a response, wherein the acknowledgement frame comprises a bitmap representing reception statuses of at least one of the first MAC frame or the second MAC frame.

2. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first physical frame does not include an acknowledgement request frame, and all MAC frames in the first physical frame are data frames.

3. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a value of the first MAC frame length field or a value of the second MAC frame length field is zero.

4. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a third physical frame comprising the second MAC frame after a transmission of the second physical frame, if an error of the second MAC frame is detected by using the second frame check sequence.

5. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein values of the bitmap are determined based on reception statuses of any data frames included in a physical frame received before a reception of the first physical frame.

6. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the value of the first duration field and the value of the second duration field represent same periods.

7. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the value of the first duration field and the value of the second duration field mean same NAV setting.

8. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer configured to temporarily store data frames which are received correctly, and

processing circuitry configured to;

read buffered data frames from the buffer,

transfer the buffered data frames in order of sequence numbers to an upper layer processing based on both sequence numbers of the buffered data frames and a sequence number of a data frame included in a physical frame newly received, and

delete at least one data frame transferred to an upper layer processing.

9. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first field is decodable according to both the first protocol and the second protocol, and the second field is decodable according to the second protocol.

10. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein a value of the first length field divided by a value of the first rate field is related to a duration of the first physical frame.

11. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to transmit a data frame without a procedure of a back off after a reception of the first physical frame.

12. The electronic circuit according to claim 1 is a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a CPU configured to execute a firmware, and the CPU is configured to perform at least part of a MAC process.

13. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a fourth physical frame transmitted to another wireless communication apparatus, the fourth physical frame comprises a third MAC frame, the third MAC frame comprises a third duration field, the electronic circuit being further configured to reduce at least part of a power consumption of the electronic circuit during a period based on a value of the third duration field.

14. A wireless communication terminal comprising:

a first antenna; and

the electronic circuit according to claim 1 coupled to the first antenna and configured to;

receive the first physical frame via the first antenna; and

transmit the second physical frame via the first antenna.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by electronic circuitry, a first physical frame comprising a first physical header, a first MAC frame length field, a first MAC frame, a second MAC frame length field, and a second MAC frame, the first physical header comprising a first signal field for a first protocol and a second signal field for a second protocol, the second signal field following the first signal field, the first signal field comprising a first rate field and a first length field, the second signal field comprising a second length field, the first MAC frame length field representing a length of the first MAC frame, the first MAC frame comprising a first address field, a first duration field, a first frame body, and a first frame check sequence, the second MAC frame length field representing a length of the second MAC frame, the second MAC frame comprising a second address field, a second duration field, a second frame body, and a second frame check sequence, wherein a value of the first duration field and a value of the second duration field are same, and an address in the first address field and an address in the second address field are same; and

transmitting, by the electronic circuitry, a second physical frame comprising an acknowledgement frame which is separated by a Short IFS (SIFS) from the first physical frame as a response, wherein the acknowledgement frame comprises a bitmap representing reception statuses of at least one of the first MAC frame or the second MAC frame.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first physical frame does not include an acknowledgement request frame, and all MAC frames in the first physical frame are data frames.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein at least one of a value of the first MAC frame length field or a value of the second MAC frame length field is zero.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising receiving, by the electronic circuitry, a third physical frame including the second MAC frame after a transmission of the second physical frame, if an error of the second MAC frame is detected by using the second frame check sequence.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein values of the bitmap are determined based on reception statuses of any data frames included in a physical frame received before a reception of the first physical frame.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the value of the first duration field and the value of the second duration field represent same periods.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the value of the first duration field and the value of the second duration field mean same NAV setting.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein

the method further comprises:

temporarily storing, in a buffer, data frames which are received correctly;

reading buffered data frames from the buffer;

transferring the buffered data frames in order of sequence numbers to an upper layer processing based on both sequence numbers of the buffered data frames and a sequence number of a data frame included in a physical frame newly received; and

deleting at least one data frame transferred to an upper layer processing.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first field is decodable according to both the first protocol and the second protocol, and the second field is decodable according to the second protocol.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein a value of the first length field divided by a value of the first rate field is related to a duration of the first physical frame.

25. The method according to claim 15,

further comprising transmitting, by the electronic circuitry, a data frame without a procedure of a back off after a reception of the first physical frame.

26. The method according to claim 15, further comprising executing a firmware by a CPU comprised of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and performing at least part of a MAC process by the CPU.

27. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic circuitry, a fourth physical frame transmitted to another wireless communication apparatus, the fourth physical frame comprising a third MAC frame, the third MAC frame comprising a third duration field; and

reducing at least part of a power consumption of the electronic circuitry during a period based on a value of the first duration field.

28. The method according to claim 15,

wherein the electronic circuitry is coupled to a first antenna, and the method further comprises:

receiving the first physical frame via the first antenna; and

transmitting the second physical frame via the first antenna.

29. An electronic circuit, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a first physical frame comprising a first physical header, a first MAC frame length field, a first MAC frame, a second MAC frame length field, and a second MAC frame, the first physical header comprising a first signal field for a first protocol and a second signal field for a second protocol, the second signal field following the first signal field, the first signal field comprising a first rate field and a first length field, the second signal field comprising a second length field, the first MAC frame length field representing a length of the first MAC frame, the first MAC frame comprising a first address field, a first duration field, a first frame body, and a first frame check sequence, the second MAC frame length field representing a length of the second MAC frame, the second MAC frame comprising a second address field, a second duration field, a second frame body, and a second frame check sequence, wherein a value of the first duration field and a value of the second duration field are same, and an address in the first address field and an address in the second address field are same, and

a receiver configured to receive a second physical frame comprising an acknowledgement frame which is separated by a Short IFS (SIFS) from the first physical frame as a response, wherein the acknowledgement frame comprises a bitmap representing reception statuses of at least one of the first MAC frame or the second MAC frame.

30. The electronic circuit according to claim 29, wherein the first physical frame does not include an acknowledgement request frame, and all MAC frames in the first physical frame are data frames.

31. The electronic circuit according to claim 29, wherein at least one of a value of the first MAC frame length field or a value of the second MAC frame length field is zero.

32. The electronic circuit according to claim 29, wherein the value of the first duration field and the value of the second duration field mean same NAV setting.

33. A wireless communication terminal comprising:

a first antenna; and

the electronic circuit according to claim 29 coupled to the first antenna and configured to;

transmit the first physical frame via the first antenna; and

receive the second physical frame via the first antenna.

34. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by electronic circuitry, a first physical frame comprising a first physical header, a first MAC frame length field, a first MAC frame, a second MAC frame length field, and a second MAC frame, the first physical header comprising a first signal field for a first protocol and a second signal field for a second protocol, the second signal field following the first signal field, the first signal field comprising a first rate field and a first length field, the second signal field comprising a second length field, the first MAC frame length field representing a length of the first MAC frame, the first MAC frame comprising a first address field, a first duration field, a first frame body, and a first frame check sequence, the second MAC frame length field representing a length of the second MAC frame, the second MAC frame comprising a second address field, a second duration field, a second frame body, and a second frame check sequence, wherein a value of the first duration field and a value of the second duration field are same, and an address in the first address field and an address in the second address field are same; and

receiving, by the electronic circuitry, a second physical frame comprising an acknowledgement frame which is separated by a Short IFS (SIFS) from the first physical frame as a response, wherein the acknowledgement frame comprises a bitmap representing reception statuses of at least one of the first MAC frame or the second MAC frame.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the first physical frame does not include an acknowledgement request frame, and all MAC frames in the first physical frame are data frames.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein at least one of a value of the first MAC frame length field or a value of the second MAC frame length field is zero.

37. The method according to claim 34, wherein the value of the first duration field and the value of the second duration field mean same NAV setting.

38. The method according to claim 34,

wherein the electronic circuitry is coupled to a first antenna, and the method further comprises:

transmitting the first physical frame via the first antenna; and

receiving the second physical frame via the first antenna.