Temporary Coordinator Beacon for WPAN Network Expansion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Devices outside the transmission range of a piconet coordinator in wireless personal area networks (WPAN) using the IEEE 802.15.3 protocol face challenges in connecting to existing networks without causing interference, as they cannot detect a coordinator and must become a new PNC, leading to potential interference with neighboring piconets.
Innovation Solution
A method where a new device becomes a temporary network coordinator, broadcasts an initiation beacon, scans for available child network coordinators, selects one, acknowledges, and then transitions to become a slave, allowing connection to the existing network while avoiding handovers and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a new device becomes a new piconet coordinator when it cannot detect an existing coordinator, then the device can establish its own network, but this causes interference with neighboring piconets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary role called 'temporary network coordinator' that mediates between the new device and the existing piconet. This temporary coordinator broadcasts initiation beacons and facilitates connection to the existing network without causing direct interference, resolving the contradiction between establishing reliable connection and avoiding harmful interference.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a device scans for existing piconets, then it can find and join a network, but it cannot discover piconets beyond the transmission range of the coordinator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network discovery function by introducing intermediate devices (temporary network coordinators and child network coordinators) that act as relay points. These segmented nodes extend the discovery capability beyond the original coordinator's transmission range, allowing devices to discover and join piconets through a multi-hop discovery process.
3Reliability
If a device waits to detect a coordinator before joining, then it ensures proper network integration, but this increases connection time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the new device become a temporary network coordinator and broadcast initiation beacons before fully joining the network. This preliminary step allows the device to proactively initiate connection procedures and receive responses from existing piconets, reducing overall connection time while maintaining integration quality through structured handover protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
In a centralized radio network consisting of several devices one device acts as master or network coordinator and has a transmission range. Basically, other devices of the network are able to adopt the role of a coordinator. This ability is used to enlarge the area of the network to a size larger than the transmission range of the master. A device asks its parent PNC to become a child PNC when a newly turned on device acts as a temporary PNC and broadcasts an initiation beacon indicating that it looks for a child PNC. The child PNC reports that it is available. The new device determines one of the available child PNCs to be its new master. The acknowledgment for the selected child PNC may be broadcasted to inform all the devices in the transmission range of the new device. The new device quits the role of the temporary PNC and associates to the existing network.