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EP0483545A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Scheduling methods for efficient frequency reuse in a multi-cell wireless network served by a wired local area network
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1991-10-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A method includes a first step of receiving a message from a wired network (1) with at least one header station (12). The message is a message type that authorizes a header station or header stations to transmit on a wireless network. A second step of the method is accomplished in response to the received first message, and initiates wireless communications with any mobile communication units (10) that are located within a communication cell served by the at least one header station. In one embodiment the message circulates around a token ring and activates header stations in turn. In another embodiment disjoint groups of header stations are predetermined by graphical techniques, including graph coloring methods. The predetermined group information is maintained by a network controller that thereafter selectively activates the header stations within the different groups.
Inventors
- 👤 Kadathur Subramanya Natarjan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W74/00; H04W74/04; H04W74/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for managing wireless communications in a wireless communications network comprised of a plurality of communications cells at least two of which are overlapping with one another, the wireless communications network having a plurality of header stations each including means for performing bidirectional wireless communication with one or more mobile communication units and each also including means for performing bi-directional communication with a wired network, comprising the steps of: receiving a first message from the wired network with at least one of the header stations, the first message being a message type that authorizes a header station or header stations to transmit on the wireless network; and in response to the received first message, initiating, preferably activating an IR source, wireless communications with any mobile units that are located within a communication cell served by the at least one header station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
Method as set forth in Claim 1 wherein the first message is received from another header station coupled to the wired network or wherein the first message is received from a first header station coupled to the wired network and further comprising a step of, in response to the header station terminating wireless communications, transmitting the first message to the wired network for reception by a second header station or wherein the first message is received from a network controlling means that is coupled to the wired network or wherein the first message is received from a network controlling means coupled to the wired network and further comprising a step of, in response to a header station terminating wireless communications, transmitting a second message to the wired network for reception by the network controlling means, the second message being a message type that indicates that the header station has completed a transmission session with all or some of the mobile communication units within the cell associated with the header station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
Method as set forth in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the steps of receiving and initiating are accomplished in parallel by a group of header stations, and wherein the method includes an initial step of selecting particular ones of the header stations for membership within the group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
Method as set forth in Claim 3 wherein the initial step of selecting includes the steps of: determining which communication cells, if any, overlap one another; and selecting for membership within the group only those header stations having a communication cell that does not overlap a communication cell of another header station within the group.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Method as set forth in Claim 4 and further comprising a step of forming a plurality of groups of header stations such that all header stations are assigned to at least one group.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
Method as set forth in Claim 1 or one of the Claims 2 to 5 wherein the steps of receiving and initiating are accomplished in parallel by a group of header stations, and wherein the method includes an initial step of selecting particular ones of the header stations for membership within a one of the plurality of groups, the step of selecting including the steps of: determining which communication cells overlap other communication cells; deriving a graph structure having vertices corresponding to the communication cells, the vertices being interconnected as a function of whether a given communication cell overlaps another communication cell; and executing a graph coloring technique to group the vertices into a plurality of groups, wherein each group is comprised of one or more communications cells that do not overlap other members of the group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
Method as set forth in Claim 6 and including a step of storing a data structure expressive of the groups, the data structure being stored within a network controlling means; and further including a step of employing the network controlling means to periodically send the first message to header stations that comprise each of the groups.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method as set forth in Claim 1 or anyone of the Claims 2 to 7 wherein the step of receiving receives a high priority message from a wired token ring network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
Method as set forth in anyone of the Claims 2 to 7 wherein the second message is sent after a predetermined interval of time having a duration that is independent of an amount of wireless communication traffic that is assigned to a given header station or wherein the second message is sent after a variable interval of time having a duration that is dependent upon an amount of wireless communication traffic that is assigned to a given header station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
138 words
Method as set forth in Claim 1 or anyone of the Claims 2 to 9 wherein the steps of receiving and initiating are accomplished in parallel by a group of header stations, and wherein the method includes an initial step of selecting particular ones of the header stations for membership within one of the plurality of groups, the initial step of selecting including the steps of: determining which communication cells overlap other communication cells; deriving a graph structure having vertices corresponding to the communication cells, the vertices being interconnected as a function of whether a given communication cell overlaps another communication cell; and scheduling activations of the communications cells by grouping the vertices into a plurality of groups, wherein each group is comprised of one or more communications cells that do not overlap other members of the group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
Method as set forth in Claim 10 wherein the method further includes the steps of: operating the network to determine an amount of message traffic associated with each communication cell; and rescheduling activations of the communications cells as a function of the determined amount of message traffic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
Method as set forth in Claim 1 or anyone of the Claims 2 to 11 wherein the first message is generated by a network control means at periodic intervals of variable duration, the first message being generated as a function of an amount of wireless communication occurring within the communication cells or wherein the first message is generated by a network control means at periodic intervals having a fixed duration, the first message being generated as a function of a predetermined schedule.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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