U.S. patent application number 14/528262 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-26 for method and apparatus of connectivity recovery in wireless network.
The applicant listed for this patent is INTEL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Olga Adamovsky, Maxim Grabarnik.
Application Number | 20150055601 14/528262 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39794226 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150055601 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Adamovsky; Olga ; et
al. |
February 26, 2015 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS OF CONNECTIVITY RECOVERY IN WIRELESS
NETWORK
Abstract
A wireless communication device and a method of re-establishing
a connection with a WPAN master device is presented. The method
includes detecting that a first master station of a WPAN session
which includes the first master device and one or more stations
becomes unavailable, activating a master station application to
become a second master station and sending one beacon to notify the
stations of the session about the second master station
connectivity parameters.
Inventors: |
Adamovsky; Olga; (Mevaseret
Zion, IL) ; Grabarnik; Maxim; (Mevaseret Zion,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
INTEL CORPORATION |
Santa Clara |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
39794226 |
Appl. No.: |
14/528262 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13795170 |
Mar 12, 2013 |
8903318 |
|
|
14528262 |
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|
|
11727724 |
Mar 28, 2007 |
8401001 |
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13795170 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/329 ;
455/41.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 84/20 20130101;
H04W 84/12 20130101; H04W 76/19 20180201; H04W 8/005 20130101; H04W
48/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/329 ;
455/41.2 |
International
Class: |
H04W 76/02 20060101
H04W076/02; H04W 48/08 20060101 H04W048/08 |
Claims
1. A wireless communication device configured to operate in a
wireless local area network (WLAN), the wireless communication
device comprising: a detector configured to detect that a master
station of an association is to become unavailable, wherein the
association includes at least one master station and one or more
stations; a receiver configured to receive timing synchronization
values from one or more other master stations; a comparator
configured to compare the timing synchronization values of each of
the one or more other master stations with an internal timing
synchronization value; a medium access controller configured to
activate a master station module of the wireless communication
device to provide the wireless communication device with master
station capabilities based on the comparison result; and a
transmitter configured to send one or more beacons that include a
capabilities information element (IE) to notify the one or more
stations of the association about the new master station
connectivity parameters in order to create a session with the one
or more stations of the association, wherein the capabilities
information element (IE) includes a session ID.
2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the
receiver is configured to receive a connection request signal from
the one or more stations of the association in order to reestablish
a connection with the one or more stations of the association.
3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the medium
access controller is configured to permit one of the other stations
to become a master station of the association and to annex one or
more associated stations to the master station.
4. The wireless communication device of claim 3 wherein, while
annexing, the medium access controller is configured to: report to
the master station the associated stations; prevent an unassociated
station from joining the association; become a client of the
association by disconnecting from the association; and establish a
connection with the master station as the client.
5. The wireless communication device of claim 3, wherein while
annexing the medium access controller is configured to: notify the
one or more associated stations on the master station; and trigger
the one or more associated stations to roam to the master
station.
6. A wireless communication system comprising: a wireless
communication device of a wireless local area network (WLAN)
configured to act as both, a master station and a client within
association of a personal area network (WPAN), the wireless
communication device comprising: a detector configured to detect
that a master station of an association is to become unavailable,
wherein the association includes at least one master station and
one or more stations; a receiver configured to receive timing
synchronization values from the other master stations; a comparator
configured to compare the timing synchronization values of each of
the one or more other master stations with an internal timing
synchronization value; a medium access controller configured to
activate a master station module of the wireless communication
device to provide the wireless communication device with a master
station capabilities based on the comparison result; and a
transmitter configured to send one or more beacons that include a
capabilities information element (IE) to notify the one or more
stations of the association about said wireless communication
device master station connectivity parameters, wherein the
capabilities information element (IE) includes a session ID in
order to create a session with the one or more stations of the
association.
7. The wireless communication system of claim 6, wherein the
receiver is configured to receive a connection request signal from
the one or more stations of the association in order to reestablish
a connection with the one or more stations of the association.
8. The wireless communication system of claim 6, wherein the medium
access controller is configured to permit one of the other stations
to become a master station of the association and to annex one or
more associated stations to the master station.
9. The wireless communication system of claim 8, wherein, while
annexing, the controller is configured to: report to the master
station the associated stations; prevent an unassociated station
from joining the association; become a client of the association by
disconnecting from the association; and establishing a connection
with the master station as the client.
10. The wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein while
annexing the controller is able to: inform the one or more
associated stations on the master station; and trigger the one or
more associated stations to roam to the master station.
11. A station configured to operate in a wireless local area
network (WLAN), the wireless communication station comprising: a
detector configured to detect that a master station of an
association is to become unavailable, wherein the association
includes at least one master station and one or more stations; a
receiver configured to receive timing synchronization values from
one or more other master stations; a comparator configured to
compare the timing synchronization values of each of the one or
more other master stations with an internal timing synchronization
value; a medium access controller configured to activate a master
station module of the station to provide said station with master
station capabilities based on the comparison result; a transmitter
configured to send one or more beacons that include a capabilities
information element (IE) to notify the one or more stations of the
association about the new master station connectivity parameters in
order to create a session with the one or more stations of the
association, wherein the capabilities information element (IE)
includes a session ID; and an antenna array operably coupled to the
transmitter and the receiver.
12. The station of claim 11, wherein the receiver is configured to
receive a connection request signal from the one or more stations
of the association in order to reestablish a connection with the
one or more stations of the association.
13. The station of claim 11, wherein the medium access controller
is configured to permit one of the other stations to become a
master station of the association and to annex one or more
associated stations to the master station.
14. The station of claim 13 wherein, while annexing, the medium
access controller is configured to: report to the master station
the associated stations; prevent an unassociated station from
joining the association; become a client of the association by
disconnecting from the association; and establish a connection with
the master station as the client.
15. The station of claim 14, wherein while annexing the medium
access controller is configured to: notify the one or more
associated stations on the master station; and trigger the one or
more associated stations to roam to the master station.
16. A method of re-establishing a session of a wireless personal
area network (WPAN) by a wireless communication device comprising:
detecting that a master station of an association becomes
unavailable, wherein the association includes at least one master
station and one or more stations; detecting that one or more other
master stations operate on the association; receiving timing
synchronization values from one of the one or more other master
stations; comparing the timing synchronization values of each of
the one or more other master stations with an internal timing
synchronization value; becoming a new master station according to
the comparison result; sending one or more beacons that include a
WPAN capabilities information element (IE) to notify the one or
more stations of the association about the new master station
connectivity parameters wherein the WPAN capabilities information
element (IE) includes a session ID; and creating a WPAN session
with the one or more stations of the association.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving a
connection request signal from the one or more stations of the
association in order to reestablish a connection with the one or
more stations of the association.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting comprises: becoming
the new master station if no other master station is operating on
the association.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein deciding comprises: deciding to
permit one of the one or more other stations to become a master
station of the association; and annexing one or more associated
stations to the master station.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein annexing comprises: reporting
to the master station the associated stations; preventing an
unassociated station from joining the association; becoming a
client by disconnecting from the association; and establishing a
connection with the master station as the client.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein annexing comprises: informing
the one or more associated stations on the master station; and
triggering the one or more associated stations to roam to the
master station.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application is a Continuation Application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/795,170, filed on Mar. 12, 2013,
which is a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 11/727,724, filed on Mar. 28, 2007, and issued on Mar. 19, 2013
as U.S. Pat. No. 8,401,001, the entire disclosures of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network used for
communication among computer devices (for example, telephones and
personal digital assistants) close to one person. The devices may
or may not belong to the person in question. The reach of a PAN may
be a few meters. PANs may be used for communication among the
personal devices themselves (intrapersonal communication), or for
connecting to a higher level network and the Internet (an uplink).
Personal area networks may be wired with computer buses such as
universal serial bus (USB) and FireWire. A wireless personal area
network (WPAN) may use wireless network technologies such as, for
example IrDA, Bluetooth and wireless technologies that define in
IEEE 802.11 standard, 1999.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly
pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the
specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and
method of operation, together with objects, features and advantages
thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following
detailed description when read with the accompanied drawings in
which:
[0004] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a wireless
communication network according to exemplary embodiments of the
present invention;
[0005] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a block diagram of a
wireless communication device according to some exemplary
embodiment of the present; and
[0006] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a state machine
diagram of a recovery scheme of connection maintenance of WPAN in a
case of a WPAN master device unsolicited unavailability, and
according to exemplary embodiments of the invention of the present
invention;
[0007] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an annexing method according to
exemplary embodiments of the invention; and
[0008] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an annexing method according to
another exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0009] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of
illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily
been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the
elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.
Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be
repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding
of the invention. However it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances,
well-known methods, procedures, components and circuits have not
been described in detail so as not to obscure the present
invention.
[0011] Some portions of the detailed description, which follow, are
presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of
operations on data bits or binary digital signals within a computer
memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations may be
the techniques used by those skilled in the data processing arts to
convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the
art.
[0012] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the
following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the
specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing,"
"computing," "calculating," "determining," or the like, refer to
the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system, or
similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or
transform data represented as physical, such as electronic,
quantities within the computing system's registers and/or memories
into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within
the computing system's memories, registers or other such
information storage, or transmission devices.
[0013] It should be understood that the present invention may be
used in a variety of applications. Although the present invention
is not limited in this respect, the circuits and techniques
disclosed herein may be used in many apparatuses such as stations
of a radio system. Stations intended to be included within the
scope of the present invention include, by way of example only,
wireless local area network (WLAN) stations, two-way radio
stations, digital system stations, analog system stations, cellular
radiotelephone stations, and the like.
[0014] Types of WLAN stations intended to be within the scope of
the present invention include, although are not limited to, mobile
stations, access points, stations for receiving and transmitting
spread spectrum signals such as, for example, Frequency Hopping
Spread Spectrum (FHSS), Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS),
Complementary Code Keying (CCK), Orthogonal Frequency-Division
Multiplexing (OFDM) and the like.
[0015] Turning first to FIG. 1, a schematic illustration of a
communication network 100 according to exemplary embodiments of the
present invention is shown. Although the scope of the present
invention is not limited in this respect, wireless communication
network 100 may be WLAN and/or WPAN or the like.
[0016] According to this exemplary embodiment of the invention,
wireless communication network 100 includes the WPAN. The WPAN may
be defined by IEEE 802.15-2002 standard, and includes an
association 110, association 120 and a WPAN Master device 150.
Association 110 may include stations 112, 114 and 116 Association
120 may include WPAN Master 150 and stations 112, 122 and 124.
[0017] Although the scope of the invention is not limited in this
respect, a station of the WPAN may include, but not limited to, a
projector, a laptop computer, a printer, a cell phone, a handheld
device, an access point of WLAN or the like. For example, stations
112, 114 and 116 are laptop computer and may include a WPAN master
capabilities and/or WLAN client and/or WPAN client capabilities.
Station 122 may be a projector and station 124 may be a voice
recorder. According to this example, stations 122 and 124 may not
include WPAN master capabilities.
[0018] According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, WPAN
Master device 150 may also includes WLAN client capabilities and
may operate as WLAN station, if desired.
[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, a group of people that want to share WPAN devices and
materials during a meeting may create WPAN session. WPAN Master
device 150 may be selected to host a communication WPAN sessions.
For example, WPAN session may create between WPAN devices 112, 122,
124 and PAN master device 150, although the scope of the present
invention is not limited to this example.
[0020] According to embodiments of the present invention, the WPAN
session may be a sub network of the WLAN 100. WPAN master station
150 may advertise his WPAN capabilities by sending beacons that
include WPAN capabilities information element (IE). According to
embodiments of the present invention the WPAN capabilities IE may
include a service set identifier (SSID) and session ID. The pair
<SSID, session ID> may uniquely identify the WPAN session
within WLAN 100, if desired. For example, the session ID may
include the PAN master device system clock value on WPAN session
creation (e.g., WPAN master device 150 and stations 112, 122,
124).
[0021] During an exemplary WPAN session that includes WPAN master
device 150 and stations 112, 122 and 124, WPAN master device 150
(e.g., a laptop computer) may leave the WPAN session. Station 112
that includes WPAN master capabilities may detect that WPAN master
device 150 became unavailable and becomes a new WPAN master device.
Stations 114, 116, 122 and 124 may establish a connection with
station 112 as the new WPAN master device and create a new WPAN
session. The new WPAN session may be defined by the SSID of WLAN
100 and the session ID, which includes value of the system clock of
station 112 at the time of the WPAN session creation, if
desired.
[0022] The new WPAN Master device (e.g., station 112) may activate
a WPAN master station application to become the new WPAN master
station and send one or more beacons to notify the one or more
stations (e.g., stations 114, 116, 122 and/or 124) of the one or
more sessions on the new WPAN master station connectivity
parameters, if desired.
[0023] Turning to FIG. 2, a schematic illustration of a block
diagram of a wireless communication device 200 according to some
exemplary embodiment of the present is shown. Although the scope of
the present invention is not limited to this exemplary embodiment
of the invention, wireless communication device 200 may able to
operate as a WLAN client and/or as a WPAN master device.
[0024] According to embodiments of the present invention, wireless
communication 200 may include an antenna 210, a receiver (RX) 220,
a transmitter (TX) 230, a detector 240, a comparator 250, a
controller 260, a master station module 270 and a system clock
280.
[0025] According to some embodiments of the present invention,
antenna 210 may include a dipole antenna, an internal antenna, a
Yagi antenna, a monopole antenna, an antenna array or the like.
Antenna 210 may receive signals from one or more stations of a WLAN
and/or WPAN association(s). RX 220 may demodulate the received
signals and detector 240 may detect that a WPAN master station of
the association becomes unavailable. For example, if WPAN master
device 150 becomes unavailable because the WPAN master device left
the association, the WPAN master device is in a standby mode and
does not transmit beacon or receive signals or the like.
Furthermore, detector 240 may detect that other master stations
operate on the association and may send a detect signal to
controller 260, for example, which may include a medium access
controller (MAC), if desired.
[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, if no other
master devices have been detected, controller 240 may send a signal
to master station module 270 to activate a master station
application. The activation of the master station application may
cause wireless communication device 200 to become a master station.
Furthermore, master station module 270 may activate TX 230 to send
one or more beacons to notify the one or more stations of the
association on connectivity parameters of the master station. The
connectivity parameters may include the SSID and the session ID.
The session ID may include a value of system clock 280 and the time
of WPAN session creation, if desired.
[0027] According to some embodiments of the invention, RX 220 may
receive a connection request signal from the one or more stations
of the association in order to reestablish a connection with the
one or more stations of the association. For example, RX 220 may
receive timing synchronization function (TSF) values from the
others master stations (e.g., station 112). Comparator 250 may
compare the TSF values of at least one other master station with an
internal TSF value and send the comparison result to controller
260. Controller 260 may activate or deactivate master station
module 270 according to the comparison result. For example,
controller 260 may permit one of the other stations to become the
master station. Controller 260 may annex one or more associated
stations to the new master station, if desired.
[0028] According to one embodiment of the invention, controller 260
may annex the one or more associated stations by reporting to the
new master station the associated stations, preventing from the
unassociated stations to join the association and disconnecting the
one or more associated stations from the current master station,
becoming a WPAN client of the new master station by establishing a
connection with the new master station as the client.
[0029] According to other exemplary embodiments of the invention,
controller 260 may annex the one or more associated stations by
informing the one or more associated stations about the new master
device and triggering the one or more associated stations to roam
to the new master device, if desired.
[0030] Turning to FIG. 3, a schematic illustration of a state
machine diagram of a recovery scheme of connection maintenance of
WPAN in a case of WPAN master device unsolicited unavailability
according to exemplary embodiments of the invention of the present
invention is shown.
[0031] The scope of the present invention is not limited to this
recovery scheme of WPAN session, which define by the pair <S1,
S2> wherein S1 is the SSID and S2 is the session ID. According
to this exemplary scheme, client X (e.g., station 112) may join the
WPAN session <S1, S2> (state 300). Client X may become WPAN
session client (state 310). For example, WPAN session may include
WPAN master device 150 and stations 114, 116, 122 and 124.
[0032] According to this exemplary scheme, WPAN master device is
denoted as Z. The master device Z may leave the session. Client X
may detect that the master device Z became unavailable and may
search for other WPAN master devices in the WPAN session <S1,
S2> (state 320). If client X finds other WPAN master devices,
client X may joint the WPAN session <S1, S2> as a client
(state 310). If client X does not find alternative WPAN master
device, client X may become the new WPAN master device of WPAN
session <S1, S2> (state 330).
[0033] According to some embodiments of the invention, the new WPAN
master device (e.g., client X) may start to send beacons applicable
to WPAN session <S1, S2>. The new WPAN master device may
start its timing synchronization function (TSF) values from 0.
Alternatively, client X may become the new WPAN master on the same
channel of the previous WPAN master device.
[0034] Although the scope of the present invention is not limited
in this respect, client X at state 330 may detect other masters of
WPAN session <S1, S2>. Client X may perform a lead election
algorithm to decide whether it should remain the new WPAN master,
or should join another master as a client (state 340). For example,
a lead election algorithm may include analyzing the TSF values of
the other WPAN master devices and electing the WPAN master with the
biggest TSF to lead the WPAN session, if desired. If other WPAN
master device is elected to lead the WPAN session, client X may
annex and merge with a WPAN cell of the elected WPAN master device
Z.
[0035] Turning to FIG. 4, a flow chart of an annexing method 400
according to exemplary embodiments of the invention is shown.
Although the scope of the present invention is not limited in this
respect, annexing may be executed by a WPAN client that became WPAN
master device X (e.g., station 112) and let another WPAN master
device Y (e.g., station 116) to take the lead. The WPAN master X
may establish a WPAN cell (also may be referred as association)
with other WPAN stations (e.g., stations 122 and 124).
[0036] According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
WPAN master X (e.g., station 112) may inform clients of the WPAN
cell (e.g., stations 122 and 124) about the new WPAN master device
(e.g., WPAN master Y), for example station 116. For example, the
WPAN master X may send to the new WPAN master device a list of
clients and their capabilities using wireless domain services (WDS)
traffic, if desired. According to another exemplary embodiment, the
WPAN master X may trigger the new WPAN master device to query the
WPAN client about the clients that are associated with it.
[0037] According to some exemplary embodiments of the invention,
the WPAN master device X may disconnect associated WPAN clients
(text box 410). The WPAN master X may prevent other WPAN clients
(e.g., client 114) from establishing a connection with him (text
box 420). The new WPAN master device Y (e.g., station 116) may
perform a connection establishment procedure with the WPAN stations
of the WPAN cell (text box 430). The WPAN master device X may
detect that the stations of the WPAN cell are no longer connected
to him (text box 440), although the scope of the present invention
is not limited in this respect.
[0038] Turning to FIG. 5, a flow chart of an annexing method 500
according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention is
shown. Although the scope of the present invention is not limited
in this respect, a WPAN client (e.g., station 112) may inform WPAN
clients of a WPAN cell (e.g., stations 122, 124) about the new WPAN
master device (e.g., station 116), as is shown in text box 510.
According to this embodiment of the present invention, the WPAN
client may trigger WPAN clients of its WPAN cell (e.g., station
122, 124) to roam to the new WPAN master device (text box 520) and
to roam to the new WPAN master device (e.g., station 116), if
desired.
[0039] While certain features of the invention have been
illustrated and described herein, many modifications,
substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those
skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the
appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and
changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
* * * * *