Method and apparatus for managing communication resources using bootstrap slots
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsC. David Young, James A. Stevens, Roy W. Krueger, Michael S. Becker
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Abstract
A method and system for managing communication resources between nodes in a network, and more particularly to a dynamic distributed multi-channel time division multiple access (TDMA) slot assignment method is presented. The method and apparatus include a set of higher level heuristics that enable the wireless channel access scheme to address predetermined characteristics of the wireless channel access system. These predetermined heuristics include using bootstrap slots, adaptive broadcast cycles, channelized neighborhoods, standby slots, speculation slots, neighbor segregation, hard circuits, and soft circuits.
Claims14
A method for automatically managing communication channel resources between nodes having neighboring nodes in a network of nodes, wherein each node communicates during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising:
- communicating between nodes in the network using a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including time divisions having time frames, each time frame having a plurality of time slots, the plurality of time slots including bootstrap slots;
- storing, at each node, an assignment of bootstrap slots in a time frame of a time division to nodes in the network;
- dynamically adapting the assignment of bootstrap slots based on density of the network;
- wherein dynamically adapting the assignment of bootstrap slots includes:
- determining, at a node, which bootstrap slots are assigned to the neighboring nodes of that node;
- self-assigning, at that node, a first assignment of a bootstrap slot that is not assigned to its neighboring nodes;
- and
- transmitting, from that node to its neighboring nodes, a communication during that node's self-assigned bootstrap slot, the communication notifying its neighboring nodes of the first assignment of the bootstrap slot.
A communication system, comprising:
- a plurality of transceiver nodes arranged in a network and configured to communicate between transceiver nodes using a time division multiple access structure, each transceiver node having neighboring nodes,
- the time division multiple access structure including time divisions having time frames, each time frame having time slots, the time slots including bootstrap slots;
- an assignment table stored at each transceiver node, the assignment table including assignments of bootstrap slots to transceiver nodes;
- and
- a bootstrap slot assignment protocol to dynamically adapt the assignment table based on density of the network,
- wherein the bootstrap slot assignment protocol dynamically adapts the assignment table stored at a transceiver node by determining which bootstrap slots are assigned to that transceiver node's neighboring nodes, newly assigning to that transceiver node one of the bootstrap slots that are not assigned to the neighboring nodes, and transmitting a communication to the neighboring nodes in the newly assigned bootstrap slot, the communication representing a notification of the new assignment.
A method for automatically managing communication channel resources between nodes having neighboring nodes in a network of nodes, wherein each node communicates during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising:
- communicating between nodes using a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including specific time slots during which each node communicates, the specific time slots including bootstrap slots;
- assigning a bootstrap slot to each node;
- storing a table of assigned bootstrap slots at each node;
- and
- adapting the table based on a characteristic of the network;
- wherein adapting the table includes:
- determining which of the bootstrap slots are assigned to a node's neighboring nodes;
- newly assigning to that node a bootstrap slot that is not assigned to that node's neighboring nodes;
- and
- transmitting, from that node, a communication during the newly assigned bootstrap slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.