Multi-tier wireless communications architecture, applications and methods

• US 7,126,926 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Bridgelall, Raj, Watson, Richard, Nambudiri, Narayan, Derouchey, William, Furedy, Charles, Bjorklund, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H.
• Application Number:
  US09/663,774
• Time in Patent Office: 2,227 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/855.8, 340/870.03, 340/870.06, 370310-312, 370328-329, 370/334, 370/338, 370/339, 370/352, 370/389, 370/401, 370/419, 370/335, 370/441, 455/3.03, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 455/456.1, 455/422
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Multi-tier system for digital radio communication. The multi-tier system has a first-tier base station with relatively long-range radio and has a second-tier base station with relatively short-range, low power and cheaper radios. The system can be more versatilely configured to meet demands of various applications. The application may include data capture using bar code readers, radio frequency readers and other automatic data capture devices. The system may also be used to control hotel door locks, individual room temperature control, remote video monitoring—all without having to wire and with much flexibility given the two types of radios employed.

Claims

1. A multi-tier system for digital radio communication, comprising:

a first-tier base station comprising a first radio transceiver operating in accordance with a first communication protocol;

a wireless device comprising a second radio transceiver operating in accordance with a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol;

a combination unit that is wirelessly connected to the first-tier base station and connected to the wireless device;

wherein the first communications protocol is employed for transmissions at a higher speed and has a longer range than the second communications protocol and wherein the first-tier base station communicates with the wireless device via the combination unit,

and wherein the first-tier base station communicates to the combination unit one or more discrete number of frequency channels that may be utilized by the combination unit to communicate with the wireless device.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the combination unit includes at least one of ports for communicating via infrared wireless transmission, facsimile transmission, and transmission using a modem.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first-tier base station communicates to the combination unit a plurality of the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that may be employed by the combination unit.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first communications protocol and the second communications protocol each utilizes frequency hopping to transmit data.

5. A method for coordinating communication, comprising:

transmitting via a first communications protocol using a wireless medium, wherein the first communications protocol utilizes frequency hopping to transmit a message over a discrete number of frequency channels within a frequency band;

transmitting via a second communications protocol to communicate using a wireless medium, wherein the second communications protocol utilizes frequency hopping to transmit a message over a discrete number of frequency channels within the frequency band, wherein the second communications protocol operates at a lower power level than the first communications protocol;

coordinating between a device using the second communication protocol and a transmitting device transmitting via the first communication protocol to determine one or more discrete number of frequency channels that will not be used by the first communications protocol and transmitting via the second communications protocol using the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that are not used by the first communications protocol.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein the frequency band is the 2.4 GHz ISM band.

7. The method as in claim 5, wherein the act of coordinating comprises determining a plurality of discrete number of frequency channels that will not be used by the first communications protocol and transmitting via the second communications protocol using the plurality of discrete number of frequency channels that are not used by the first communications protocol.

8. The method as in claim 5, wherein the second communications protocol operates at a power level of about 1 mW and wherein the first communications protocol operates at a power level of about 100 mW.

9. The method as in claim 5, wherein the coordinating is between an access point transmitting via the first communication protocol and a combination unit transmitting via the second communication protocol to a wireless device.

10. The method as in claim 5, wherein the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that are not being used by the first communications protocol are frequency channels on either end of the frequency band.

11. The method as in claim 5, wherein at least two of the one or more discrete number of frequency channels are not being used, and wherein the at least two frequency channels that are not being used by the first communications protocol are the two frequency channels on either end of the frequency band.

12. The method as in claim 5, wherein the first communication protocol is the IEEE 802.11 protocol.

13. A system for wireless communication, comprising:

a first-tier base station comprising a first radio transceiver operating in accordance with a first communication protocol;

a second-tier base station comprising a second radio transceiver operating in accordance with a second communication protocol independent of the first communication protocol;

a first-tier remote unit wirelessly connected to the first-tier base station through the first radio transceiver;

a second-tier remote unit wirelessly connected to the second-tier base station through the second radio transceiver;

wherein the first-tier remote unit connects to the first-tier base station via a first communications protocol using a wireless medium, wherein the first communications protocol utilizes frequency hopping to transmit a message over a discrete number of frequency channels within a frequency band;

wherein the second-tier remote unit connects to the second-tier base station via a second communications protocol using a wireless medium, wherein the second communications protocol utilizes frequency hopping to transmit a message over a discrete number of frequency channels within a frequency band, wherein the second communications protocol operates at a lower power level than the first communications protocol,

and wherein the first-tier base station and the second-tier base station coordinate to determine the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that will not be used by the first communications protocol and direct the second-tier base station to use only the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that are not used by the first-tier base station.

14. The system as in claim 13, wherein the frequency band is the 2.4 GHz ISM band and wherein the first communications protocol is the IEEE 802.11 protocol.

15. The system as in claim 13, wherein the first communications protocol operates at a power level of about 100 m W.

16. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol operates at a power level of about 1 m W.

17. The system as in claim 13, wherein the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that are not being used by the first communications protocol are frequency channels on either end of the frequency band.

18. The system as in claim 13, wherein at least two of the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that are not being used, and wherein the at least two frequency channels that are not being used by the first communications protocol are the two frequency channels on either end of the frequency band.

19. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to communicate among at least two moving vehicles.

20. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to identify a vehicle using a database of vehicle information.

21. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to identify the identity and location of a missing vehicle.

22. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to obtain diagnostic information for a vehicle.

23. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used among at least two vehicles to prevent collisions between the at least two vehicles.

24. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to transmit information associated with a weight of a vehicle.

25. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to transmit data about a fixed location to a vehicle.

26. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used by a vehicle to control traffic control signals.

27. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to inform a prospective customer that a taxicab is available.

28. The system as in claim 13, wherein the second communications protocol is used to determine information associated with a toll.

29. A method for coordinating communication, comprising:

transmitting via a first communications protocol using a wireless medium, wherein the first communications protocol utilizes frequency hopping to transmit a message over a discrete number of frequency channels within a frequency band;

transmitting via a second communications protocol to communicate using a wireless medium, wherein the second communications protocol utilizes frequency hopping to transmit a message over a discrete number of frequency channels within the frequency band, wherein the second communications protocol operates at a lower power level than the first communications protocol;

coordinating between a device using a second communications protocol and a transmitting device transmitting via the first communication protocol to determine a plurality of discrete number of frequency channels that will be used by the first communications protocol and transmitting via the second communications protocol using one or more discrete number of frequency channels other than those used by the first communications protocol.

30. The method as in claim 29, wherein coordinating with the transmitting device comprises indicating from the transmitting device to the device using the second communications protocol the one or more discrete number of frequency channels that may be employed.