Communication within a wireless network using multiple frequency bands

• US 7,720,036 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Maltsev, Alexander, Khoryaev, Alexey, Maslennikov, Roman, Sadri, Ali S., Sergeyev, Vadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, MARCUS
• Application Number:
  US11/394,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20070099668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

Communication using a first and a second frequency band in a wireless network is described herein. The first frequency band may be associated with a first beamwidth while the second frequency band may be associated with a second beamwidth, the first beamwidth being wider than the second beamwidth.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

initiating, by a first communication device upon entering a network, a data transfer with a second communication device of the network, said initiating including transmitting control information signals using a first frequency band, the first frequency band being associated with a first beamwidth, wherein the control information signals include signals providing beam forming parameters, the beam forming parameters comprising a beam forming coefficient to facilitate establishment of communication between the first and second communication devices using a second frequency band associated with a second beamwidth, the first beamwidth being greater than the second beamwidth, wherein the first frequency band is a 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) band or a 5.0 GHz Universal Information Infrastructure (UNII) band and the second frequency band is a millimeter wave band; and

transmitting or receiving data signals by the first communication device to or from the second communication device using the second frequency band, the transmitting or receiving of the data signals to be facilitated at least in part by the control information signals transmitted using the first frequency band associated with the first beamwidth.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting control information signals using a first frequency band, comprises transmitting by the first communication device, control information signals using an omnidirectional antenna, and said transmitting or receiving data signals by the first communication device to or from the second communication device using the second frequency band comprises transmitting or receiving data signals using a directional antenna.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting or receiving data signals by the first communication device to or from the second communication device using the second frequency band comprises transmitting or receiving data signals using a second frequency band in accordance with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting control information signals using a first frequency band, comprises transmitting by the first communication device, control information signals to facilitate the second communication device in determining the location, at least in part, of the first communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting control information signals using a first frequency band, comprises transmitting by the first communication device, control information signals including medium access mechanism data signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the second communication device with the network using the first frequency band and/or exiting the network by the second communication device using the first frequency band.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting or receiving data signals by the first communication device to or from the second communication device using the first frequency band if the second frequency band is unavailable for communication.

8. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a physical storage medium;

a plurality of executable instructions stored in the physical storage medium to program a device to enable the device to;

receive control information signals using a first frequency band during initiation of a data transfer by an other device upon entering a network, the first frequency band being associated with a first beamwidth, wherein the control information signals include signals providing beam forming parameters, the beam forming parameters comprising a beam forming coefficient to facilitate establishment of communication between the device and the other device of a wireless network using a second frequency band associated with a second beamwidth, the first beamwidth being greater than the second beamwidth; and

perform transmit or receive data signals by the device to or from the other device using the second frequency band, the transmit or receive of data signals to be facilitated at least in part by the control information signals transmitted using the first frequency band associated with the first beamwidth, wherein the first frequency band is a 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) band or a 5.0 GHz Universal Information Infrastructure (UNII) band and the second frequency band is a millimeter wave band.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions enable said device to perform said receive of control information signals using an omnidirectional antenna and to perform said transmit or receive of data signals to or from the other device using a directional antenna.

10. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions enable said device to perform said receive of control information signals to facilitate the device in determining the location, at least in part, of the other device.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a physical (PHY) layer to transmit or receive signals to or from at least one other device of a wireless network using a first and a second frequency band associated with a first and a second beamwidth, respectively, the first beamwidth being greater than the second beamwidth, wherein the first frequency band is a 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) band or a 5.0 GHz Universal Information Infrastructure (UNII) band and the second frequency band is a millimeter wave band; and

a medium access control (MAC) layer coupled to the PHY layer to selectively employ the PHY layer to transmit or receive control information signals during initiation of a data transfer upon entering a network using the first frequency band, and transmit or receive data signals using the second frequency band, wherein the control information signals include signals providing beam forming parameters, the beam forming parameters comprising a beam forming coefficient.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a first and a second antenna coupled to the PHY layer, the first antenna to be employed by the PHY layer to transmit or receive signals in the first frequency band, and the second antenna to be employed by the PHY layer to transmit or receive signals in the second frequency band.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said PHY layer to transmit or receive the data signals in the second frequency band in accordance with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).

14. A system, comprising:

a physical (PHY) layer to transmit or receive signals to or from at least one other device of a wireless network using a first and a second frequency band associated with a first and a second beamwidth, respectively, the first beamwidth being greater than the second beamwidth, wherein the first frequency band is a 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) band or a 5.0 GHz Universal Information Infrastructure (UNII) band and the second frequency band is a millimeter wave band;

a medium access control (MAC) layer coupled to the PHY layer to selectively employ the PHY layer to transmit or receive control information signals during initiation of a data transfer upon entering a network using the first frequency band, and transmit or receive data signals using the second frequency band, wherein the control information signals include signals providing beam forming parameters, the beam forming parameters comprising a beam forming coefficient; and

an omnidirectional antenna coupled to the PHY layer to transmit or receive signals through the first frequency band.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a second antenna coupled to the PHY layer to be employed to transmit or receive signals through the second frequency band.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said PHY layer to transmit or receive signals in accordance with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).