Method and apparatus for preventing communication link degradation due to the disengagement or movement of a self-positioning transceiver

• US 20060094449A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldberg, Steven Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/013,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094449A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for preventing the degradation of a communication link formed by a plurality of self-positioning transceivers when at least one of the transceivers changes position and/or disengages from the link. When it is determined that at least one of the transceivers is moving or is going to move, the radio frequency (RF) beam pattern and/or link characteristics of at least one of the transceivers in the link is adjusted to enhance communications. In another embodiment, the RF beam pattern and/or link characteristics are adjusted when it is determined that a gap in the communication link has occurred or will occur because one of the transceivers has disengaged or is going to disengage from the communication link. In other embodiments, the transceivers form beams and/or move based on their true three-dimensional orientation, the results of reflective probing tests and/or the results of boresight signal searching tests.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system including a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which form at least one communication link between a source device and a destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, a method of compensating for degradation of the communication link when at least one of the transceivers changes position, the method comprising:

(a) receiving movement information indicating that at least one of the transceivers of the communication link is moving or is going to move in at least one of three possible dimensions; and

(b) in response to step (a), at least one of the transceivers adjusting its respective antenna'"'"'s RF beam pattern to adequately maintain the communication link when the movement occurs.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative amount of time until the movement is to occur.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative change in transceiver position.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative velocity in each of the three possible dimensions.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates a schedule of times associated with the movement.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates a margin of error associated with the movement.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates a change in antenna beam pattern characteristics of at least one of the transceivers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include signal gain.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include beam width.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include at least one of elevation and azimuth.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include boresight direction.

12. In a wireless communication system including a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which form at least one communication link between a source device and a destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, a method of compensating for degradation of the communication link when at least one of the transceivers changes position, the method comprising:

(a) receiving movement information indicating that at least one of the transceivers of the communication link is moving or is going to move in at least one of three possible dimensions; and

(b) in response to step (a), at least one of the transceivers adjusting its respective communication link characteristics to adequately maintain the communication link when the movement occurs.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative amount of time until the movement is to occur.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative change in transceiver position.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative velocity in each of the three possible dimensions.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the information indicates a schedule of times associated with the movement.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the information indicates a margin of error associated with the movement.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the information indicates a change in antenna beam pattern characteristics of at least one of the transceivers.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include signal gain.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include beam width.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include at least one of elevation and azimuth.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include boresight direction.

23. In a wireless communication system including a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which interconnect via a plurality of sublinks to form at least one communication link between a source device and a destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, a method of compensating for degradation of the communication link when at least one of the transceivers disengages from the remaining transceivers, the method comprising:

(a) receiving movement information indicating that a gap in the communication link has occurred or will occur because at least one of the transceivers of the communication link has disengaged or is going to disengage from the communication link; and

(b) in response to step (a), determining that there is no other transceiver available to fill the gap and reconfiguring the communication link by establishing a new sublink to eliminate the gap, wherein information regarding the relative positions of the remaining transceivers and link relationships with the disengaged transceiver is used to determine the characteristics of the new sublink.

24. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a source device;

(b) a destination device; and

(c) a network including a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which form a communication link between the source device and the destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, wherein the system receives movement information indicating that at least one of the transceivers of the communication link is moving or is going to move in at least one of three possible dimensions, and in response thereto, at least one of the transceivers adjusts its respective antenna'"'"'s RF beam pattern to adequately maintain the communication link when the movement occurs.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative amount of time until the movement is to occur.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative change in transceiver position.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative velocity in each of the three possible dimensions.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the information indicates a schedule of times associated with the movement.

29. The system of claim 24 wherein the information indicates a margin of error associated with the movement.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the information indicates a change in antenna beam pattern characteristics of at least one of the transceivers.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include signal gain.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include beam width.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include at least one of elevation and azimuth.

34. The system of claim 30 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include boresight direction.

35. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a source device;

(b) a destination device; and

(c) a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which form at least one communication link between the source device and the destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, wherein the system receives movement information indicating that at least one of the transceivers of the communication link is moving or is going to move in at least one of three possible dimensions, and in response thereto, at least one of the transceivers adjusts its respective communication link characteristics to adequately maintain the communication link when the movement occurs.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative amount of time until the movement is to occur.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative change in transceiver position.

38. The system of claim 35 wherein the information indicates an absolute or relative velocity in each of the three possible dimensions.

39. The system of claim 35 wherein the information indicates a schedule of times associated with the movement.

40. The system of claim 35 wherein the information indicates a margin of error associated with the movement.

41. The system of claim 35 wherein the information indicates a change in antenna beam pattern characteristics of at least one of the transceivers.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include signal gain.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include beam width.

44. The system of claim 41 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include at least one of elevation and azimuth.

45. The system of claim 41 wherein the antenna beam pattern characteristics include boresight direction.

46. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a source device;

(b) a destination device; and

(c) a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which interconnect via a plurality of sublinks to form a communication link between the source device and the destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, wherein movement information is received which indicates that a gap in the communication link has occurred or will occur because at least one of the transceivers of the communication link has disengaged or is going to disengage from the communication link, it is determined that there is no other transceiver available to fill the gap, and the communication link is reconfigured by establishing a new sublink to eliminate the gap, whereby information regarding the relative positions of the remaining transceivers and link relationships with the disengaged transceiver is used to determine the characteristics of the new sublink.

47. A self-positioning transceiver comprising:

(a) a mobility mechanism; and

(b) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for adjusting at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver by controlling the mobility mechanism, wherein the WTRU comprises;

(i) a processor in communication with the mobility mechanism; and

(ii) a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna in communication with the transceiver; and

(iii) at least one three-dimensional orientation sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the antenna forms beams based on the true three-dimensional orientation of the transceiver as determined by the sensor.

48. A self-positioning transceiver comprising:

(a) a mobility mechanism; and

(b) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for adjusting at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver by controlling the mobility mechanism, wherein the WTRU comprises;

(i) a processor in communication with the mobility mechanism;

(ii) a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna in communication with the transceiver; and

(iii) means for performing reflective probing tests using the antenna, wherein the antenna forms beams based on the reflective probing test results.

49. A self-positioning transceiver comprising:

(a) a mobility mechanism; and

(b) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for adjusting at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver by controlling the mobility mechanism, wherein the WTRU comprises;

(i) a processor in communication with the mobility mechanism;

(ii) a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna in communication with the transceiver; and

(iii) means for performing boresight signal searching tests, wherein the antenna forms beams based on the boresight signal searching test results.

50. A self-positioning transceiver comprising:

(a) a mobility mechanism; and

(b) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for adjusting at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver by controlling the mobility mechanism, wherein the WTRU comprises;

(i) a processor in communication with the mobility mechanism; and

(ii) a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna in communication with the transceiver; and

(iii) at least one three-dimensional orientation sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor instructs the mobility mechanism to change at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver based on the true three-dimensional orientation of the WTRU as determined by the sensor.

51. A self-positioning transceiver comprising:

(a) a mobility mechanism; and

(b) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for adjusting at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver by controlling the mobility mechanism, wherein the WTRU comprises;

(i) a processor in communication with the mobility mechanism;

(ii) a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna in communication with the transceiver; and

(iii) means for performing reflective probing tests using the antenna, wherein the processor instructs the mobility mechanism to change at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver based on the reflective probing test results.

52. A self-positioning transceiver comprising:

(a) a mobility mechanism; and

(b) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for adjusting at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver by controlling the mobility mechanism, wherein the WTRU comprises;

(i) a processor in communication with the mobility mechanism;

(ii) a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna in communication with the transceiver; and

(iii) means for performing boresight signal searching tests, wherein the processor instructs the mobility mechanism to change at least one of the position and three-dimensional orientation of the self-positioning transceiver based on the boresight signal searching test results.

53. In a wireless communication system including a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which form at least one communication link between a source device and a destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam forming antenna, a method of compensating for degradation of the communication link, the method comprising:

(a) determining the true orientation of the transceiver with respect to an established coordinate system; and

(b) adjusting the pattern of at least one beam formed by the antenna based on the true orientation of the transceiver.

54. The method of claim 53 further comprising:

(c) establishing a nominal orientation; and

(d) determining a difference in orientation between the true orientation of the transceiver and the nominal orientation, wherein the pattern of the at least one beam formed by the antenna is adjusted based on the difference in orientation between the true orientation of the transceiver and the nominal orientation.

55. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a source device;

(b) a destination device; and

(c) a plurality of self-positioning transceivers which form at least one communication link between the source device and the destination device, each transceiver having a radio frequency (RF) beam antenna, wherein the true orientation of each transceiver is determined with respect to an established coordinate system, and the pattern of at least one beam formed by the antenna is adjusted based on the true orientation of the transceiver.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein each WTRU comprises:

(d) means for establishing a nominal orientation; and

(e) means for determining a difference in orientation between the true orientation of the transceiver and the nominal orientation, wherein the pattern of the at least one beam formed by the antenna is adjusted based on the difference in orientation between the true orientation of the transceiver and the nominal orientation.