SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVE NETWORK TECHNIQUE USING ISOCHRONOUS TRANSMISSION

Abstract

A network including a plurality of nodes each configured as transmitters, receivers, or transceivers. At least one of the nodes may be configured to wirelessly transmit a repeating isochronous signal for reception by one or more of the other nodes. The isochronous phase and/or frequency of the repeating isochronous transmission may be variably adjusted to reduce signal interference.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a plurality of network nodes configured in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating some of the components of one of the nodes illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary message format that may be employed by the nodes of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a signal diagram illustrating an exemplary transmission of a repeating isochronous signal by one of the nodes of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a signal diagram illustrating an exemplary burst communication employed by two of the nodes of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is signal diagram illustrating another exemplary burst communication employed by two of the nodes of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a signal diagram illustrating an exemplary burst transfer data error associated with a burst communication;

FIG. 8 is a signal diagram illustrating an exemplary burst transfer request error associated with a burst communication; and

FIG. 9 is a signal diagram illustrating an exemplary channel searching technique operable to be employed by one or more of the nodes of FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A wireless network node, comprising: a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit a repeating isochronous signal and receive a signal; anda processing system coupled with the transceiver, the processing system operable to variably adjust the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal based on a transmission characteristic of the received signal.

2. The node of claim 1, wherein the transmission characteristic is selected from the group consisting of isochronous frequency, isochronous phase, power, amplitude, duration, modulation, and combinations thereof.

3. The node of claim 1, wherein the adjustment performed by the processing system further includes adjusting the isochronous frequency of the repeating isochronous signal.

4. The node of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to randomly adjust the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal.

5. The node of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to adjust the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal over a plurality of transceiver transmissions.

6. The node of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit the repeating isochronous signal during a transmission window and receive the received signal only during a guard window, the guard window being in proximity in time to the transmission window.

7. A method of transmitting network communications, the method comprising: wirelessly transmitting a repeating isochronous signal;receiving a signal; andvariably adjusting the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal based on a transmission characteristic of the received signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission characteristic is selected from the group consisting of isochronous frequency, isochronous phase, power, amplitude, duration, modulation, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 7, further including adjusting the isochronous frequency of the repeating isochronous signal.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal is randomly adjusted.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal is adjusted over a plurality of transmissions.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the repeating isochronous signal is transmitted during a transmission window and the received signal is received only during a guard window, the guard window being in proximity in time to the transmission window.

13. A wireless network node, comprising: a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit a first repeating isochronous signal and receive a second repeating isochronous signal; anda processing system coupled with the transceiver, the processing system operable to estimate an isochronous frequency of the second repeating isochronous signal and adjust the isochronous frequency of the first repeating isochronous signal based on the estimated isochronous frequency of the second repeating isochronous signal.

14. The node of claim 13, wherein the processing system is operable to limit interference with the second repeating isochronous signal by adjusting the isochronous frequency of the first repeating isochronous signal.

15. The node of claim 13, wherein the processing system is operable to adjust the isochronous frequency of the first repeating isochronous signal over a plurality of transceiver transmissions.

16. The node of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit the first repeating isochronous signal during a transmission window and receive the second repeating isochronous signal only during a guard window, the guard window being in proximity in time to the transmission window.

17. A wireless network, comprising: a first wireless network node including— a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit a repeating isochronous signal and receive a signal; anda first processing system coupled with the transceiver, the first processing system operable to variably adjust the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal based on a transmission characteristic of the received signal; anda second wireless network node including— a receiver operable to wirelessly receive the repeating isochronous signal, anda second processing system coupled with the receiver, the second processing system operable to define an activation window and control the receiver to receive the repeating isochronous signal during the activation window.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein the second processing system is operable to activate the receiver at the beginning of the activation window and deactivate the receiver at the end of the activation window.

19. The network of claim 17, wherein the second processing system is further operable to identify a transmission characteristic of the repeating isochronous signal and define the activation window based on the identified transmission characteristic.

20. The network of claim 19, wherein the transmission characteristic of the repeating isochronous signal is selected from the group consisting of isochronous frequency, isochronous phase, power, amplitude, duration, modulation, and combinations thereof.

21. The network of claim 19, wherein the second processing system is further operable to adjust the activation window by detecting changes in the identified transmission characteristic of the repeating isochronous signal.

22. The network of claim 17, wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit the repeating isochronous signal during a transmission window and receive the received signal only during a guard window, the guard window being in proximity in time to the transmission window.

23. The network of claim 17, wherein the receiver is further operable to transmit signals for reception by the transceiver of the first wireless network node.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein the first network node is operable to utilize at least one signal transmitted by the second network node to variably adjust the isochronous phase of the repeating isochronous signal.