System and method for optimal listen before transmit in wireless communications
AssigneeSilver Spring Networks, Inc.
InventorGeorge H. Flammer, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting data in a listen before talk (LBT) wireless transmission regime. A digital radio receiver is configured to simultaneously receive and decode digital data transmissions from multiple radio channels. A digital radio transmitter is configured to listen to the multiple radio channels prior to transmitting digital data on a selected one of the multiple channels, based on locally determined channel occupancy. Optimal LBT efficiency is achieved within the set of multiple channels, thereby improving overall transmission efficiency between the transmitter and the receiver.
Claims21
A method for transmitting one or more data packets via a radio signal, the method comprising:
- assessing channel occupancy information based on sampled and quantified energy measured for each channel within a range of frequencies;
- identifying a first clear channel in the set of channels based on the channel occupancy information;
- determining that a data transmission operation is permitted via the first clear channel;
- configuring a transmitter circuit to transmit a first data packet via the first clear channel using a first modulation technique to modulate sequential bits from the first data packet based on one or more characteristics of the first clear channel;
- and
- transmitting the first data packet via the first clear channel to a first target node.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a signal processing unit, cause the processing unit to transmit one or more data packets via a radio signal by performing the steps:
- assessing channel occupancy information based on sampled and quantified energy measured for each channel within a range of frequencies;
- identifying a first clear channel in the set of channels based on the channel occupancy information;
- determining that a data transmission operation is permitted via the first clear channel;
- configuring a transmitter circuit to transmit a first data packet via the first clear channel using a first modulation technique to modulate sequential bits from the first data packet based on one or more characteristics of the first clear channel;
- and
- transmitting the first data packet via the first clear channel to a first target node.
A wireless network device, comprising:
- a radio transmitter circuit configured to generate a radio signal based on a carrier signal and a received signal;
- and
- a signal processing unit that is coupled to the radio transmitter circuit and configured to:
- assess channel occupancy information based on sampled and quantified energy measured for each channel within a range of frequencies;
- identify a first clear channel in the set of channels based on the channel occupancy information;
- determine that a data transmission operation is permitted via the first clear channel;
- configure a transmitter circuit to transmit a first data packet via the first clear channel using a first modulation technique to modulate sequential bits from the first data packet based on one or more characteristics of the first clear channel;
- determine that the first clear channel is still clear after a predetermined listen before transmit duration;
- and
- transmit the first data packet via the first clear channel to a first target node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.