System, apparatus and method for wireless mobile communications in association with mobile ad-hoc network support

• US 20040147223A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kwang Sun Cho
• Original Assignee: Kwang Sun Cho
• Inventors: Cho, Kwang Sun
• Application Number:
  US10/472,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20040147223A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a mobile communication technology combining with AD-HOC, and more specifically, to a mobile communication system configured to include a fixed communication facility for controlling communication between mobile terminal devices such as a transmission mobile terminal device, a reception mobile terminal device and other non-participation mobile terminal devices, and for mediating communication between the transmission mobile terminal device and the reception mobile terminal device. An AD-HOC network is formed between the mobile terminal devices, each device including a second frequency communication means for direct communication. When the AD-HOC network is formed between the transmission mobile terminal device, the reception mobile terminal device and other non-participation mobile terminal devices via the second frequency communication means, the transmission mobile terminal device can communicate with the reception mobile node via the AD-HOC network. Accordingly, the disclosed wireless mobile communication system can be effectively operated with reduced communication cost.

Claims

1. An AD-HOC combined mobile communication system configured to include a transmission mobile terminal device, a reception mobile terminal device and other non-participation mobile terminal devices and a fixed communication facility for controlling communication between mobile terminal devices and for mediating communication between the transmission mobile terminal device and the reception mobile terminal device,

wherein an AD-HOC network is formed between the mobile terminal devices, each device including a second frequency communication means for direct communication;

wherein the transmission mobile terminal device can communicate with the reception mobile terminal device via the AD-HOC network when the AD-HOC network is formed between the transmission mobile terminal device, the reception mobile terminal device and other non-participation mobile terminal devices via the second frequency communication means for intercommunication.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein when the transmission mobile terminal device and the reception mobile terminal device are included in a first AD-HOC network and a second AD-HOC network, respectively, the first AD-HOC network is connected to the second AD-HOC network via the fixed communication facility.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a licensed or unlicensed frequency is used for the second frequency.

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the transmission mobile terminal device and the reception mobile terminal device, respectively, use a first fixed communication facility and a second fixed communication facility using different communication methods, and the reception mobile terminal device is not included in the AD-HOC network including the transmission mobile terminal device, the transmission mobile terminal device is connected with a non-participation mobile terminal using the second fixed communication facility connected to the AD-HOC network via the second frequency communication, the non-participation mobile terminal connected with the reception mobile terminal device via the second fixed communication facility.

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the transmission mobile terminal device and the reception mobile terminal device, respectively, use a first fixed communication facility and a second fixed communication facility using different communication methods, and the reception mobile terminal device is not included in the AD-HOC network including the transmission mobile terminal device, the transmission mobile terminal device is connected with a non-participation mobile terminal using the first fixed communication facility and forming the AD-HOC network including the reception mobile terminal device via a first fixed communication facility, the non-participation mobile terminal connected with the reception mobile terminal device via the AD-HOC network.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein when the transmission mobile terminal device and the reception mobile terminal device, respectively, use a first fixed communication facility and a second fixed communication facility using different communication methods, and the reception mobile terminal device is not included in the AD-HOC network including the transmission mobile terminal device, the transmission mobile terminal device is connected with a non-participation mobile terminal using the first fixed communication facility and forming the AD-HOC network including the reception mobile terminal device via a first fixed communication facility, the non-participation mobile terminal connected with the reception mobile terminal device via the AD-HOC network.

7. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mobile terminal device periodically generates a beacon signal with a second frequency and receives the beacon signal as a acknowledgement signal to recognize other mobile terminal device within a range of the second frequency.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the mobile terminal device generates a routing table to the recognized mobile terminal device and transmits its routing information into other mobile terminal device within a range of the second frequency.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the routing table includes a mobile terminal device identifier to other mobile terminal device, the number of hop, the amount of power dissipation and location information.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mobile terminal device identifier is more than two mapping information among an electronic serial number given to the mobile terminal device, a MAC address, an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address.

11. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each mobile terminal device checks communication condition information including individual information on traffic, the competitive rate for channel occupation and the number of adjacent mobile terminal devices within a range of the second frequency at any time;

wherein each mobile terminal device communicates via a centralized control communication mode when one of the individual information is proved to be more than set value, and via a distributed control communication mode when all of individual information proved to be less than set value.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the distributed control communication mode is one of ALOHA or CSMA, and the centralized control communication mode is one of slotted ALOHA, reservation ALOHA, PRMA, TDMA, reservation TDMA, polling and ISMA.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one reference mobile terminal device is selected for controlling communication slot assignment among mobile terminal devices in the same AD-HOC network when each mobile terminal device communicates via the centralized control communication mode.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the reference mobile terminal device is selected from the group consisting of a mobile terminal device having the best power condition, a mobile terminal device having little variation in location and a mobile terminal device including the most mobile terminal devices within a range of the second frequency.

15. An AD-HOC combined mobile communication device configured to be controlled by a fixed communication facility and communicate with other mobile terminal device via the fixed communication facility, comprising:

a first frequency communication means for communication via the fixed communication facility;

a second frequency communication means for transmitting and receiving data, a beacon signal and routing information into other mobile terminal devices via an AD-HOC network; and

a processor for controlling the communication device,

wherein the processor includes;

a beacon processing unit for detecting other mobile terminal device within a range of the second frequency for formation of the AD-HOC network;

a routing processing unit for generating its routing table dependent on detection results from the beacon processing unit and routing information received from other mobile terminal devices; and

a communication processing unit for activating the second frequency communication means when other mobile terminal devices for communication are included in the routing table, and for activating the first frequency communication means when they are not included in the routing table.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein a licensed or unlicensed frequency is used for the second frequency.

17. The device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein when the mobile terminal devices cannot communicate with the fixed communication facility via the first frequency communication means, the communication processing unit routes data via the second frequency communication means using other mobile terminal devices which can communicate with the fixed communication facility in the routing table, and then transmits data including routing control information for communication with a target mobile terminal device via the fixed communication facility.

18. The device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the beacon processing unit periodically broadcasts a beacon signal via the second frequency communication means, and receives a acknowledgement signal of other mobile terminal device in response to the beacon signal to transmit the acknowledgement signal into the routing processing unit.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the routing processing unit generates a routing table by collecting the acknowledgement signal received from the beacon processing unit and routing information received from other mobile terminal device.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the routing table includes a mobile terminal device identifier to other mobile terminal device, the number of hop, the amount of power dissipation and location information.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the mobile terminal device identifier is more than two mapping information among an electronic serial number given to the mobile terminal device, a MAC address, an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address.

22. The device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the communication processing unit checks communication condition information including individual information on traffic, the competitive rate for channel occupation and the number of adjacent mobile terminal devices within a range of the second frequency at any time;

wherein the communication processing unit enables mobile terminal devices to communicate via a centralized control communication mode when one of the individual information is proved to be more than set value, and via a distributed control communication mode when all of the individual information proved to be less than set value.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the distributed control communication mode is one of ALOHA or CSMA;

and

the centralized control communication mode is one of slotted ALOHA, reservation ALOHA, PRMA, TDMA, reservation TDMA, polling and ISMA.

24. An AD-HOC combined mobile communication method for performing communication between mobile terminal devices controlled by a fixed communication facility via a first frequency, comprising:

a first step wherein the mobile terminal device grasps other mobile terminal devices within a range of a second frequency;

a second step wherein routing information is consecutively exchanged between the mobile terminal devices to generate a routing table, thereby forming an AD-HOC network; and

a third step wherein a transmission mobile terminal device communicates with the target mobile terminal device via the AD-HOC network for forming a non-participation mobile terminal device using the second frequency when a reception mobile terminal device wanting for communication exists in the routing table, and via the fixed communication facility using the first frequency when the reception mobile terminal device does not exist in the routing table.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the second frequency is a licensed or unlicensed frequency.

26. The method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein in the third step, the transmission mobile terminal device communicates with the fixed communication facility by routing data into other mobile terminal device which can communicate with the fixed communication facility among mobile terminal devices in the AD-HOC network including the transmission mobile terminal device when the transmission mobile terminal device cannot communicate with the fixed communication facility.

27. The method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein in the third step, the reception mobile terminal device, which can communicate with the fixed communication facility among mobile terminal devices in the AD-HOC network including the reception mobile terminal device, receives data from the fixed communication facility to route the data into the reception mobile terminal device when the reception mobile terminal device cannot communicate with the fixed communication facility.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein in the third step, the reception mobile terminal device, which can communicate with the fixed communication facility among mobile terminal devices in the AD-HOC network including the reception mobile terminal device, receives data from the fixed communication facility to route the data into the reception mobile terminal device when the reception mobile terminal device cannot communicate with the fixed communication facility.

29. The method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the routing table includes a mobile terminal device identifier to other mobile terminal device, the number of hop, the amount of power dissipation and location information.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the mobile terminal device identifier is more than two mapping information among an electronic serial number given to the mobile terminal device, a MAC address, an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address.

31. The method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein in the third step, when each mobile terminal device communicates via the AD-HOC network,

each mobile terminal device checks communication condition information including individual information on traffic, the competitive rate for channel occupation and the number of adjacent mobile terminal devices within a range of the second frequency at any time;

wherein each mobile terminal device communicates via a centralized control communication mode when one of the individual information is proved to be more than set value, and via a distributed control communication mode when all of the individual information proved to be less than set value.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the distributed control communication mode one of ALOHA or CSMA, and the centralized control communication mode is one of slotted ALOHA, reservation ALOHA, PRMA, TDMA, reservation TDMA, polling and ISMA.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the at least one reference mobile terminal device is selected for controlling communication slot assignment among mobile terminal devices in the same AD-HOC network when each mobile terminal device communicates via the centralized control communication mode.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the reference mobile terminal device is selected from the group consisting of a mobile terminal device having the best power condition, a mobile terminal device having little variation in location and a mobile terminal device including the most mobile terminal devices within a range of the second frequency.

35. An AD-HOC combined mobile terminal device configured to connect selectively with at least two or more of a plurality of communication networks and communicate with other mobile terminal device via the communication network, comprising:

a beacon processing unit for detecting other mobile terminal device within a range of the second frequency for formation of the AD-HOC network;

a routing processing unit for generating its routing table dependent on detection results from the beacon processing unit and routing information received from other mobile terminal devices or connection nodes to transmit the routing table into the other mobile terminal devices or the connection nodes at any time;

a data processing unit for generating and processing data dependent on an AD-HOC protocol including the routing information;

a communication network determining unit for grasping a usable network dependent on the routing table and determining a network to be used; and

a communication unit for supporting communication with at least two or more of a plurality of different networks and AD-HOC communication with other mobile terminal devices.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein the plurality of networks are at lest two or more selected from the group consisting of WPAN (Bluetooth, UWB, Wireless IEEE 1394), WLAN (IEEE 802.11, HIPER LAN), CDMA, GSM, Cellular, DVB, DAB, WCDMA, CDMA2000, LMDS, MMDS and satellite communication.

37. The device according to claim 35, wherein the mobile terminal device further comprises a GPS reception unit for receiving location information of a current mobile terminal device via a GPS satellite;

and the routing processing unit further comprises location information received from the GPS reception unit to generate its routing table.

38. The device according to claim 35 or 37, wherein the communication network determining unit continuously communicates via connection nodes of other connectable networks or via other mobile terminal devices which can connect with connection nodes other networks.

39. The device claim 35 or 37, wherein the data processing unit comprises:

a service classifying means for including security information and connection information in the data; and

a service determining means for including power information, location information, buffer information and control and management program performed in a corresponding wireless mobile communication terminal device.

40. The device according to claim 39, wherein the power information includes information on the amount of electric power used for communication with adjacent mobile terminal devices and on the current holding amount of electric power;

and

the location information is relative GPS information or location information calculated from a beacon signal received from adjacent mobile terminal devices.

41. The device according to claim 35 or 37, further comprising a satellite communication unit for directly connecting with the mobile terminal device and the satellite.

42. An AD-HOC combined mobile terminal device including a plurality of data link layers and physical layers which are connectable with two or more networks respectively, comprising a MAC control sub-layer for selecting one of the plurality of data link layers and physical layers, including a MAC control header dependent on an AD-HOC communication protocol in a communication packet transmitted from an upper layer, and mediating sound and data packets received according to the AD-HOC protocol from other mobile terminal devices.

43. The device according to claim 42, wherein the MAC control header includes connection and certification information, power information, location information, buffer information, and control and management programs performed in corresponding wireless mobile communication terminal devices.

44. The device according to claim 43, wherein the mobile terminal device further comprises a GPS reception unit, and

the location information is generated by GPS location information received from the GPS reception unit.

45. The device according to claim 43, wherein the mobile terminal device further comprises a beacon processing unit for calculating relative location information according to size of a beacon signal received from an adjacent mobile terminal device, and

the location information is generated by relative location information calculated from the beacon processing unit.

47. The system according to claim 43, wherein the mobile terminal device further comprises a GPS reception unit to broadcast data by further including its location information in the routing table,

wherein when the network routes data into the mobile terminal device, the network transmits the sound and data into the mobile terminal device or other mobile terminal devices formed in the AD-HOC network including the mobile terminal device via the most adjacent connection node to location information of the mobile terminal device.

46. An AD-HOC combined mobile communication system, comprising:

at least two or more of a plurality of networks for connecting with mobile terminal devices via connection nodes, mediating sound and data communication of mobile terminal devices and routing data according to an AD-HOC protocol; and

a mobile terminal device for directly connecting with connection nodes of at least two or more of the networks and other mobile terminal devices to transmit or receive sound or data, selectively connecting with other mobile terminal devices or one of connection nodes of the networks according to communication protocols corresponding to each network during communication dependent on communication condition, and broadcasting its routing information to other mobile terminal devices and the connection nodes by updating a routing table related to other mobile terminal devices or the connection nodes connected at any time according to the AD-HOC protocol,

wherein when the connected mobile terminal device connects with a second network from a first network currently communicated of the plurality of networks, the first network routes the sound and data communication of the mobile terminal device into the second network.

48. The system according to claim 46 or 47, wherein the AD-HOC combined multi-wireless mobile communication system further comprises a satellite for mediating a sound and data signal and a satellite communication network including a ground station for transmitting and receiving sound and data with the satellite,

Wherein the ground station can communicate with the mobile terminal device.

49. The system according to claim 48, wherein the mobile terminal device can connect with a WLAN network,

wherein the ground station communicates with a WLAN connection node via an Ethernet port.

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein the ground station forms an AD-HOC network with the mobile terminal device.

51. An AD-HOC combined mobile communication method, comprising:

a first step of detecting a connectable network and an adjacent mobile terminal device to generate a routing table and determine a network to be connected;

a second step of adding a MAC-control header according to an AD-HOC protocol in a sound and data packet to be transmitted;

a third step of connecting with the network via a physical layer connectable with the network determined in the first step, and connecting with other mobile terminal devices directly connectable with other adjacent mobile terminal devices when a mobile terminal device does not have a connectable network;

a fourth step of continuously monitoring connection condition with the network connected in the third step or other mobile terminal devices, and renewing a routing table; and

a fifth step of connecting other networks or other mobile terminal devices except the currently connected network or other mobile terminal network when the connection condition is proved to be inferior.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the first step further includes the sub-step of inputting priority into a plurality of networks with which the mobile terminal device can connect,

wherein when a plurality of connectable networks are competing in network determination of the first step and network change of the fifth step, a network is determined or changed according to the priority.

53. The method according to claim 51 or 52, wherein the MAC control header of the second step includes connection and certification information, power information, location information, buffer information, and control and management programs performed in corresponding wireless mobile communication terminal devices.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the first step further includes the sub-step of receiving location information of a current mobile terminal device via a GPS satellite.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the first step further includes the sub-step of calculating location information via relative variation in size of a beacon signal received from an adjacent mobile terminal device.