Terminal operating within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio network

• US 7,796,573 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Belcea, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh-Vu
• Application Number:
  US11/776,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/436
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/247 where the output power of a terminal is based on a path parameter sent by another terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/325 Power control of control or pilot channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/383 power control in peer-to-peer links
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system wherein the system includes a series of radio terminals forming a service group. The terminal having a transceiver for communicating with terminals in the same service group, computer means, and memory for storing program software. Within the system, the terminal establishes a connection with one radio terminal based on time-division access; initiating an outgoing call from the radio terminal including registering with another radio terminal for serving as a node in the call connection by transmitting a registration request; and initially transmitting said registration request on a last time slot (TS) of a respective time frame (TF), said last time slot serving as a configuration channel.

Claims

1. A terminal for operation within an ad hoc, peer to peer radio system, wherein the terminal is a hop of a routing path connecting a call from a source to a destination, the terminal comprising:

a communicating means for transmitting and receiving signals based on time-division messaging, said signals being transmitted during a series of time frames (TF) each divided into a series of time slots (TS) comprising at least one time slot in which control signals are transmitted; and

other time slots in which are transmitted data signals, wherein said at least one time slot transmitting control signals at a first frequency of F0, and said other time slots (TS) transmitting data signals at frequencies of F1, F2, and F3, respectively, each of said time frames (TF) comprising an inter-frame time gap (IFTG) at the end of each of said time frames (TF) in which no signals are transmitted, wherein said inter-frame time gap (IFTG) has a length different than said time slots, whereby said terminal is allowed time to perform necessary calculations, wherein each of said time frames (TF) further comprises a last time slot (LTS);

a processor; and

a memory for storing computer executable code to be executed by the processor, for generating initial said control signals in a respective last time slot (LTS) of a respective time frame (TF) indicating initial presence of a respective terminal in order to start communicating with other terminals, wherein said at least one time slot (TS) for said control signals is transmitted at a first power level, and said other time slots (TS) for said data signals are transmitted at a second power level, wherein said second power level is equal to or less than said first power level that is computed according to quality reports received from all terminals in a service group.

2. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of each of said time slots for transmitting said control signals is equal to each other.

3. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer executable code further comprises code for switching transmission of initial said control signals from said last time slot (LTS) to another, free, earlier time slot of a subsequent time frame (TF) in order to reduce the chance of collision with other terminals also initially registering.

4. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said initial control signals in said last time slot (LTS) and in said another, free, earlier time slot of a subsequent time frame (TF) are transmitted at said frequency F0.

5. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer executable code comprises code for encoding the initial control signals in said last time slot (LTS).

6. A terminal for operation within an ad hoc, peer to peer radio system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one time slot (TS) for said control signals is transmitted at a maximum power level, and said other time slots (TS) for said data-signals are transmitted at a computed power level.

7. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said computed power level is equal to or less than said maximum power level, whereby radio frequency (RF) interference is reduced.

8. A terminal for operation within a network, the terminal comprising:

a means for transmitting and receiving signals based on time division messaging, said signals being transmitted during a series of time frames (TF) each divided into a series of time slots (TS) comprising at least one time slot in which control signals are transmitted, and other time slots in which is transmitted data signals, said at least one time slot transmitting said control signals at a first frequency of F0, and said other time slots (TS) transmitting said data signals at different respective frequencies, each of said time frames (TF) comprising an inter-frame time gap (IFTG) at the end of each of said time frames (TF) in which no signals are transmitted, wherein said inter-frame time gap (IFTG) has a length different than said time slots, whereby said terminal is allowed time to perform necessary calculations, wherein each of said time frames (TF) further comprises a last time slot (LTS);

a processor; and

a memory for storing computer executable code to be executed by the processor for generating initial said control signals in a respective last time slot (LTS) of a respective time frame (TF) indicating initial presence of a respective terminal in order to start communicating with other terminals, wherein said at least one time slot (TS) for said control signals is transmitted at a first power level, and said other time slots (TS) for said data signals are transmitted at a second power level, wherein said second power level is equal to or less than said first power level and is computed according to quality reports received from all terminals in a service group.

9. A terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein said computer executable code further comprises code for switching transmission of said initial control signals from said last time slot (LTS) to another, free, earlier time slot of a subsequent time frame (TF) in order to reduce the chance of transmission collision with other terminals.

10. A terminal as claimed in claim 9, wherein said initial control signals are transmitted in said last time slot (LTS) and in said another, free, earlier time slot of a subsequent time frame (TF) are transmitted at said first frequency.

11. A terminal as claimed in claim 8 wherein said computer executable code comprises code for encoding the control signals in said last time slot (LTS) using carrier sensing multiple access (CSMA), whereby collisions in said last time slot (LTS) are avoided.

12. A terminal for operation within an ad hoc, peer to peer radio system, wherein the terminal is a hop of a routing path connecting a call from a source to a destination, the terminal comprising:

a communication means for making at least one of an outgoing call or receiving an incoming call;

a processor; and

a memory for storing computer executable code to be executed by the processor, coupled to the communication means for generating communications information for transmission based on time-division messaging, said communications-information being transmitted during a series of time frames (TF) each divided into a series of time slots (TS);

said time frames comprising at least one time slot in which control-channel (CC) messaging information is transmitted, and other time slots in which is transmitted channel data (CD) messaging information, said at least one time slot transmitting said control-channel information at a first frequency of F0, and said other time slots (TS) transmitting said channel data (CD) information at frequencies of F1, F2, and F3, respectively, each of said time frames (TF) comprising an inter-frame time gap (IFTG) at the end of each of said time frames (TF) in which no communications-information is transmitted, whereby said terminal is allowed time to perform necessary calculations, wherein the length of each of said time slots for transmitting said communications-information is equal to each other, each of said time frames (TF) further comprises a last time slot (LTS); and

said computer executable code further comprising code for generating initial control communications-information in a respective last time slot (LTS) of a respective time frame (TF) indicating initial presence of a respective terminal in order to start communicating with other terminals, and wherein said computer executable code further comprises code for switching transmission of initial control communications information from said last time slot (LTS) to another, free, earlier time slot of a subsequent time frame (TF) in order to reduce the chance of collision with other terminals also initially registering.

13. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said initial control communications-information in said last time slot (LTS) and in said another, free, earlier time slot of a subsequent time frame (TF) are transmitted at said frequency F0.

14. A terminal for operation within an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said computer executable code comprises code for encoding the communications-information in said last time slot (LTS).