US 6,349,210 B1 · Method and apparatus for broadcasting messages in channel reservation communication systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for broadcasting messages in accordance with the presentinvention transmits a broadcast message within a wireless communication system or network utilization of redundant Request-to-Send type or broadcast notice messages or packets BRTS). A source node repeatedly transmits a sequence of these messages over a system reservation channel with each message containing a sequence identifier. The sequence identifier of each succeeding message has a value immediately preceding the identifier of the previously transmitted broadcast notice message. A destination node receives the messages and determines the transmission time of the broadcast message based on each received message identifier. Subsequent transmission and reception of the final broadcast notice message in the sequence, the broadcast message is transmitted by the source node to the destination node over a data channel identified in the transmitted messages. The quantity of broadcast notice messages may be dynamically adjusted to maintain system performance at a desired level.

Claims32

Dependent claims

In a communications network, a communication unit to transmit and receive messages within said network comprising:

a transmitter to transmit an outgoing message to at least one other communication unit within said network;
a receiver to receive an incoming message from at least one other communication unit within said network;
and
a processor to control said transmission and reception of said outgoing and incoming messages, wherein said processor includes:
a broadcast notification module to facilitate transmission of a sequence of plural broadcast notification messages to said at least one other communication unit prior to transmission of a pending broadcast message to notify said at least one other communication unit of said pending broadcast message, wherein said broadcast notification messages within said sequence include information enabling said at least one other communication unit to determine when transference of said pending broadcast message to said at least one other communication unit is to occur;
and
a broadcast transmission module to facilitate transmission of said pending broadcast message to said at least one other communication unit subsequent to transmission of said sequence of plural broadcast notification messages.

4 more elements

In a communications network, a communication unit to transmit and receive messages within said network comprising:

a transmitter to transmit an outgoing message to at least one other communication unit within said network;
a receiver to receive an incoming message from at least one other communication unit within said network;
and
a processor to control said transmission and reception of said outgoing and incoming messages, wherein said processor includes:
a broadcast notification module to facilitate transmission of a plurality of broadcast notification messages in a particular transmission sequence to said at least one other communication unit, wherein said broadcast notification messages notify said at least one other communication unit of a pending broadcast message, and wherein each said broadcast notification message includes an identifier indicating a position of that notification message within said transmission sequence;
a broadcast transmission module to facilitate transmission of said pending broadcast message to said at least one other communication unit subsequent to transmission of said plurality of broadcast notification messages within said transmission sequence;
and
a message control module to prioritize transmission of said pending broadcast message with respect to other messages received from said network, said message control module including:
a broadcast notification handler to generate a corresponding processor task to process a broadcast notification message received from a new network source and to provide a broadcast notification message received from said network and associated with an existing processor task to that task to facilitate processing of said received broadcast notification message;
a network message handler to process a network message associated with a network message notification received from said network in response to determining that said associated network message can be processed within an interval prior to transmission of said pending broadcast message;
and
a network message module to facilitate transmission of an acknowledgment in response to receiving said associated network message from said network.

9 more elements

In a communications network, a communication unit to transmit and receive messages within said network comprising:

a transmitter to transmit an outgoing message to at least one other communication unit within said network;
a receiver to receive an incoming message from at least one other communication unit within said network;
and
a processor to control said transmission and reception of said outgoing and incoming messages, wherein said processor includes:
a broadcast notification module to facilitate transmission of a plurality of broadcast notification messages in a particular transmission sequence to said at least one other communication unit, wherein said broadcast notification messages notify said at least one other communication unit of a pending broadcast message, and wherein each said broadcast notification message includes an identifier indicating a position of that notification message within said transmission sequence;
a broadcast transmission module to facilitate transmission of said pending broadcast message to said at least one other communication unit subsequent to transmission of said plurality of broadcast notification messages within said transmission sequence;
and
a message control module to prioritize reception of a first broadcast message with respect to processing of other messages, said message control module including:
a broadcast message handler to facilitate transmission of a second broadcast message and to store said second broadcast message in a storage unit for subsequent transmission in response to current processing for reception of said first broadcast message;
a broadcast notification handler to generate a corresponding processor task to process a broadcast notification message received from a new network source and to provide a broadcast notification message received from said network and associated with an existing processor task to that task for processing of said received broadcast notification message;
a network message handler to process a network message associated with a message notification received from said network in response to determining that said associated network message can be processed within an interval prior to reception of each broadcast message associated with a received broadcast notification message corresponding to an existing processor task;
and
a network message module to facilitate transmission of an acknowledgment in response to receiving said associated network message from said network.

10 more elements

In a communications network, a communication unit to transmit and receive messages within said network comprising:

a transmitter to transmit an outgoing message to at least one other communication unit within said network;
a receiver to receive an incoming message from at least one other communication unit within said network;
and
a processor to control said transmission and reception of said outgoing and incoming messages, wherein said processor includes:
a broadcast notification module to facilitate transmission of a plurality of broadcast notification messages in a particular transmission sequence to said at least one other communication unit, wherein said broadcast notification messages notify said at least one other communication unit of a pending broadcast message, and wherein each said broadcast notification message includes an identifier indicating a position of that notification message within said transmission sequence;
a broadcast transmission module to facilitate transmission of said pending broadcast message to said at least one other communication unit subsequent to transmission of said plurality of broadcast notification messages within said transmission sequence;
a notification reception module to facilitate reception of said broadcast notification messages and to determine a reception time for said pending broadcast message based on said identifier of each received broadcast notification message, wherein said notification reception module includes a message control module to prioritize transmission and reception of broadcast messages, and wherein said message control module includes a transmission interrupt module to interrupt transmission of a first broadcast message and store said first broadcast message in a storage unit for subsequent transmission in response to determining that a second broadcast message associated with a broadcast notification message received from said network can be received within an interval prior to transmission of said first broadcast message;
and
a broadcast reception module to facilitate reception of said pending broadcast message by said determined reception time.

6 more elements

In a communications network, a method of transmitting and receiving broadcast messages within said network comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a plurality of broadcast notification messages in a particular transmission sequence to at least one communication unit within said network, wherein said broadcast notification messages notify said at least one communication unit of a pending broadcast message, and wherein each said broadcast notification message includes an identifier indicating a position of that notification message within said transmission sequence;
(b) transmitting said pending broadcast message to said at least one communication unit subsequent to transmission of said plurality of broadcast notification messages within said transmission sequence;
(c) receiving said broadcast notification messages at said at least one communication unit and determining a reception time for said pending broadcast message based on said identifier of each received broadcast notification message, wherein step (c) further includes:
(c.1) prioritizing reception of a first broadcast message with respect to processing of other messages, wherein step (c.1) further includes:
(c.1.1) facilitating transmission of a second broadcast message and storing said second broadcast message in a storage unit for subsequent transmission in response to current processing for reception of said first broadcast message;
(c.1.2) generating a corresponding processor task to process a broadcast notification message received from a new network source and providing a broadcast notification message received from said network and associated with an existing processor task to that task for processing of said received broadcast notification message;
(c.1.3) processing a network message associated with message notification received from said network in response to determining that said associated network message can be processed within an interval prior to reception of each broadcast message associated with a received broadcast notification message corresponding to an existing processor task;
and
(c.1.4) transmitting an acknowledgment in response to receiving said associated network message from said network;
and
(d) receiving said pending broadcast message at said at least one communication unit by said determined reception time.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for broadcasting messages in channel reservation communication systems

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Method and apparatus for broadcasting messages in channel reservation communication systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32