Coordinator Node for Heterogeneous Network Signal Format Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, especially in unlicensed frequency bands like ISM (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), disparate radio devices with incompatible signal formats face challenges in coordinating channel access, leading to inefficient bandwidth utilization and increased costs due to the need for separate networks for low bit rate terminals.
Innovation Solution
A coordinator node determines and broadcasts a channel access schedule, enabling communication among terminals with different signal formats, allowing indirect communication and efficient resource allocation across various terminals, even those with incompatible formats, by broadcasting beacons in multiple formats and allocating channel access time based on priority and bandwidth efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If disparate radio devices with incompatible signal formats operate in the same unlicensed frequency band, then network diversity and device compatibility are improved, but coordination of channel access becomes difficult and bandwidth utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordinator node as an intermediary that receives signals from transmitting terminals and forwards them to receiving terminals. The coordinator translates between different signal formats, enabling terminals with incompatible formats to communicate effectively. This mediator resolves the coordination difficulty while maintaining high bandwidth utilization by centralizing the translation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinator node performs multiple functions: it acts as a translator between different signal formats, a channel access scheduler, and a signal forwarder. By consolidating these diverse functions in a single node, the system achieves both device compatibility and efficient bandwidth utilization without requiring each terminal to support all signal formats.
2Reliability
If separate networks are created for low bit rate terminals, then communication reliability for specific terminal types is improved, but network complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges terminals with different bit rate requirements into a single heterogeneous network. The coordinator node combines high-bit-rate and low-bit-rate terminals in one network, eliminating the need for separate networks. This reduces network complexity while maintaining communication reliability through format translation and centralized coordination.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a coordinator translates between different signal formats, then device compatibility is improved, but processing complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coordinator performs format translation in advance before forwarding signals between terminals. By pre-translating signals into the appropriate format for the receiving terminal, the system avoids real-time translation delays during actual communication. This preliminary action reduces processing time while maintaining full signal format compatibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A method communicates data between terminals in heterogeneous communications network. A coordinator broadcasts periodically a first beacon in a first signal format. The first beacon defines a start of a contention period and a start of a contention free period. The coordinator also broadcasts a second beacon in a second signal format during the contention free period. The second beacon also defines the start of the contention period and the start of the contention free period.