Local area network having multiple channel wireless access

• US 7,856,003 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovatio IP Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahany, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/728,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100189090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310.2, 370/313, 370/352, 370/328, 370/338, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/692 Hybrid techniques using combinations of two or more spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A communication network having at least one access point supports wireless communication among a plurality of wireless roaming devices via a first and a second wireless channel. The access point comprises a first and a second transceiver. The first and second transceivers operate on the first and second wireless channels, respectively. Each of the plurality of wireless roaming devices are capable of communicating on the first and second wireless channel. In one embodiment, the first wireless channel is used to exchange data, while the second channel is used to manage such exchanges as well as access to the first channel. In an alternate embodiment, both channels are used to support communication flow, however the first channel supports a protocol that is more deterministic than that of the second channel. Allocation of ones of the plurality of wireless roaming devices from one channel to the next may occur per direction from the access point. It may also result from decisions made by each of the wireless roaming devices made independent of the access point. For example, a decision may be made based on the data type being transferred or based on the current channel load. Such factors may also be used by the access point for allocation determinations. In addition, allocation may be based on the type of roaming device involved, such as allocating peripherals to a slower channel.

Claims

1. Communication circuitry comprising:

a wireless transceiver operable to communicate via a plurality of communication channels comprising a first communication channel and a second communication channel, where the first communication channel is a deterministic channel and the second communication channel is a non-deterministic channel; and

a processing circuit operable to, during communication system operating conditions in which at least a deterministic channel and a non-deterministic channel are available for a communication with a remote system;

determine whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over a deterministic communication channel or over a non-deterministic communication channel, said determination not requiring user input indicating whether to use a deterministic or non-deterministic communication channel;

if it is determined to communicate the data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel, then utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate the data over the deterministic communication channel; and

if it is determined to communicate the data with the remote system over the non-deterministic communication channel, then utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate the data with the remote system over the non-deterministic communication channel.

2. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is operable to determine whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over a deterministic communication channel or over a non-deterministic communication channel based, at least in part, on present amount of network data traffic.

3. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is operable to determine whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over a deterministic communication channel or over a non-deterministic communication channel based, at least in part, on amount of data to communicate.

4. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is operable to determine whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over a deterministic communication channel or over a non-deterministic communication channel based, at least in part, on amount of cellular network traffic.

5. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is operable to determine whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over a deterministic communication channel or over a non-deterministic communication channel based, at least in part, on available communication bandwidth.

6. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is operable to determine whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over a deterministic communication channel or over a non-deterministic communication channel based, at least in part, on communication priority.

7. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is operable to utilize one of the first and second communication channels as a back-up channel to the other of the first and second communication channels.

8. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel corresponds to a first cell, and the second communication channel corresponds to a second cell that generally overlaps the first cell.

9. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel corresponds to a first cell, and the second communication channel corresponds to a second cell that is substantially larger than the first cell, and the first cell resides substantially within the second cell.

10. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second communication channels is generally preferred over the other of the first and second communication channels.

11. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry is circuitry of a portable communication system.

12. The communication circuitry of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel is a time-bounded channel and the second communication channel is a contention-based access channel.

13. A method for communicating data in a communication system having a wireless transceiver operable to communicate via a plurality of communication channels comprising a first communication channel and a second communication channel, where the first communication channel is a deterministic channel and the second communication channel is a non-deterministic channel, the method comprising:

determining, during communication system operating conditions in which at least a deterministic channel and a non-deterministic channel are available for communication with a remote system, whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel or over the non-deterministic communication channel, said determining not requiring user input indicating whether to use a deterministic or non-deterministic communication channel;

if it is determined to communicate the data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel, then utilizing the wireless transceiver to communicate the data over the deterministic communication channel; and

if it is determined to communicate the data with the remote system over the non-deterministic communication channel, then utilizing the wireless transceiver to communicate the data with the remote system over the non-deterministic communication channel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel or over the non-deterministic communication channel comprises making said determination based, at least in part, on present amount of data traffic.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel or over the non-deterministic communication channel comprises making said determination based, at least in part, on amount of data to communicate.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel or over the non-deterministic communication channel comprises making said determination based, at least in part, on amount of cell traffic.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel or over the non-deterministic communication channel comprises making said determination based, at least in part, on available communication bandwidth.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether to utilize the wireless transceiver to communicate data with the remote system over the deterministic communication channel or over the non-deterministic communication channel comprises making said determination based, at least in part, on communication priority.

19. The method of claim 13, comprising utilizing one of the first and second communication channels as a back-up channel to the other of the first and second communication channels.

20. The method of claim 13, where the first communication channel corresponds to a first cell, and the second communication channel corresponds to a second cell that generally overlaps the first cell.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the first communication channel corresponds to a first cell, and the second communication channel corresponds to a second cell that is substantially larger than the first cell, and the first cell resides substantially within the second cell.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein one of the first and second communication channels is generally preferred over the other of the first and second communication channels.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is performed in a portable communication system.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the first communication channel is a time-bounded channel and the second communication channel is a contention-based access channel.