HK1187456A - Wtru and method for enabling multi-band transmission - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a method for enabling multi-band transmission, the WTRU comprising: a receiver; a first transmitter; a second transmitter; and a processor in communication with the receiver and the first and second transmitters, the processor configured to control the first transmitter to transmit on a first radio band, control the second transmitter to transmit on a second radio band, monitor a transmission medium to determine the presence of a beacon frame, create a beacon period (BP) depending on the determination, wherein the beacon frame includes synchronization information for aligning the BP start time on the first and second radio bands, wherein the first transmitter transmits the beacon frame on the first radio band and the second transmitter transmits the beacon frame on the second radio band.

Description

WTRU and method for enabling multi-band transmission

The application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application with application date of 2007, 12 and 4, application number of 200780044941.3, entitled method and device for starting multi-band transmission.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to wireless communication systems.

Background

Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is standardized under the ECMA368/369 specification. More particularly, the ECMA368/369 standard specifies a distributed Medium Access Control (MAC) layer and a Physical (PHY) layer for WTRUs that support data rates up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps). The PHY layer is designed to operate in the 3.1 to 10.6 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum and has been accepted as a next generation bluetooth, for exampleWireless Universal Serial Bus (WUSB), wireless firewire (IEEE 1394), and the like.

The ECMA368PHY layer uses multi-band orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MB OFDM) to transmit information. The ECMA368PHY layer specification operating spectrum is divided into 5 radio band groups, where each radio band, or equivalent carrier space, is 528 MHz. The first four band groups have three 528MHz radio bands and the fifth band group includes two 528MHz radio bands. The ability to operate in the first radio band group is mandatory. However, operation in other radio band groups is optional.

The ECMA368MAC layer has a fully distributed architecture and provides MAC services to upper layer protocols or adaptation layers. There is no central coordinating device and each device supports all MAC functions. Devices within radio range coordinate with each other using periodic beacon frames. These beacon frames provide network timing, scheduling, and capability information, as well as other information and functionality.

One way in which beacon frames provide information is via Information Elements (IEs) included in the beacon frames or command frames. This IE may include a Beacon Period (BP) switch IE and/or a Distributed Reservation Protocol (DRP) IE. More particularly, the BP switch IE may include an element ID field, a length field, a BP move countdown field, a beacon slot offset field, and a BP start (BPST) offset field.

In addition, the MAC superframe structure from ECMA368 includes a Beacon Period (BP) and Medium Access Slots (MAS).

One problem with the mechanisms and rates currently supported by the ECMA368/369 standard is that it is not sufficient to support some applications, such as high definition digital television (HDTV), which require data rates of 1Gbps or higher depending on the format of the HDTV. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for enabling multi-band transmission to enable high data rates in Next Generation (NG) UWB.

Disclosure of Invention

A method and apparatus for enabling multi-band transmission is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a beacon in a first radio band and transmitting the beacon in a second radio band. The beacon includes coordination information for transmissions on the first and second radio bands.

Drawings

The invention will be understood in more detail from the following description, given by way of example and understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows an example of a distributed wireless communication system including a plurality of WTRUs in communication with each other;

figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the WTRU of figure 1;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for enabling multi-band transmission; and

fig. 4 is a flow diagram of an alternative method of enabling multi-band transmission.

Detailed Description

The term "wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU)" as referred to below includes, but is not limited to, a User Equipment (UE), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, a cellular telephone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a computer, or any other type of user equipment capable of operating in a wireless environment. The term "base station" as referred to below includes, but is not limited to, a node-B, a site controller, an Access Point (AP), or any other type of interfacing device capable of operating in a wireless environment.

Figure 1 shows an example of a distributed wireless communication system 100 including a plurality of WTRUs 110. As shown in fig. 1, WTRUs 110 are all in communication with each other. However, although three WTRUs 110 are shown communicating with each other, it should be noted that any number of WTRUs 110 may be included in the distributed wireless communication system 100 and that each WTRU110 may or may not communicate with each other WTRU 110.

Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the WTRU 110. In addition to the modules that may be found in a typical WTRU, the WTRU110 includes a processor 115, a receiver 116, a transmitter 117, and an antenna 118. The processor 115 is configured to enable multi-band transmission in the manner of the examples described in detail below. The receiver 116 and the transmitter 117 are in communication with the processor 115. The antenna 116 is in communication with both the receiver 116 and the transmitter 117 to facilitate the transmission and reception of wireless data. Although only one transmitter, receiver, and antenna are depicted in the WTRU110 as shown in fig. 2, the WTRU110 may include multiple transmitters, receivers, and antennas.

Fig. 3 is a flow diagram of a method 300 of enabling multi-band transmission. Implementation of the method 300 provides a higher data rate for WTRUs implementing NG UWB technology. In addition, the bandwidth can be extended by using more than one radio band, which is now 528 MHz.

At step 310, the WTRU110 transmits beacons on more than one radio band. The beacon includes information relating to coordination of transmissions with the WTRU110 on more than one radio band. Transmissions may occur in adjacent radio bands or non-adjacent radio bands, and a radio band may include a single radio wave or a dual radio wave option.

The WTRU110 coordinates or synchronizes beacons through all radio bands (step 320). This synchronization may include aligning Beacon Period (BP) start times for different beacons on the respective bands. Alternatively, the WTRU110 may know the relative offsets among the BP start times in different bands. Because the BP extends longer than the beacon transmission duration, partial time overlap of the BP can occur. In addition, non-overlapping beacon transmissions may be achieved.

If the WTRU110 includes a single radio transmitter, the WTRU110 transmits on more than one radio band to increase the data rate. For example, the WTRU110 will transmit on adjacent radio bands. In this case, the WTRU110 synchronizes the beacons by aligning the beacon period start times in all radio bands in the Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) (step 320).

In another scenario, the WTRU110 may transmit on a first radio band and then switch, or "hop," to a second radio band where the WTRU110 monitors for beacons in the BP and transmits. An example of this assumption may include a case where the WTRU110 utilizes resources over multiple bands, such as half of a Medium Access Slot (MAS) over a first radio band and half over another, the WTRU110 comprising a single radio wave. In this case, BPs on different bands may not be aligned, but may have a known offset. The WTRU110 in this assumption is two beacons at different points in time. This assumption may also facilitate reserving resources via DRPs over multiple bands using one beacon, such as a primary beacon.

Alternatively, the WTRU110 may have only EBTs utilized during non-beacon periods (i.e., non-BPs). For example, the WTRU110 may utilize a single radio transmitter that transmits simultaneously on two adjacent bands with a single radio wave transmission occurring during the BP. This will initiate appropriate reception of the beacon transmission.

In another assumption, the WTRU110 may include more than one radio transmitter. Fig. 4 is an alternative method 400 of enabling multi-band transmission. As described in method 400, the WTRU110 includes multiple radio transmitters.

At step 410, separate radio waves, or radio transmitters, of the WTRU110 transmit independently on separate radio bands. For example, a first radio wave may be transmitted on one radio band, while a second radio wave may be transmitted on a second radio band. In this case, it is not necessary for BP synchronization or alignment, since the two beacons are transmitted on separate radio bands and do not collide with each other.

The WTRU110 monitors the transmission medium (step 420) for the presence of beacon frames (step 430). If no beacon frame exists (step 430), the WTRU110 creates a BP (step 440). More particularly, BP start time alignment in all bands of the EBT is utilized so that reservations for the EBT of the WTRU110 in all bands are aligned. One assumption that this will achieve is to reuse the BP switch IE to synchronize BPs across all radio bands.

The WTRU110 coordinates beacon synchronization on all bands (step 450). In one example, a WTRU110 equipped for EBT transmits beacon frames on a given radio band according to its own BP (step 460). Other WTRUs 110 receiving this beacon frame align their respective BPs with a BP switch IE. For example, prior to transitioning to a new BP, the WTRU110 may transmit a beacon on its previous BP on which a BP switch IE is added to indicate movement to the new BP. An EBT equipped with WTRU110 may transmit simultaneously on all radio bands or sequentially from radio band to radio band. Thus, the result is that the BPs in all bands are aligned with the BPs of the EBT WTRU 110. This requires multiple superframes to perform in this situation.

Alternatively, the WTRU110 may introduce a new EBT BP switch IE to other WTRUs in the system to instruct them to synchronize their BP to a specified value at the time specified by the EBT BP switch IE. Thus, the new EBT switch IE includes on the fields the new beacon period timing and the time to change BP. Thus, the WTRU110 may provide EBT capabilities, such as a default channel and a default extension channel, on the transmitted beacon.

Although the features and elements of the present invention are described in the preferred embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the preferred embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements of the present invention. The methods or flow charts provided in the present invention may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for execution by a general purpose computer or a processor. Examples of the computer-readable storage medium include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), registers, buffer memory, semiconductor memory devices, magnetic media such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical media, and optical media such as CD-ROM discs and Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs).

For example, suitable processors include: a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a conventional processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) circuit, any Integrated Circuit (IC), and/or a state machine.

A processor in association with software may be used to implement a radio frequency transceiver for use in a Wireless Transmit Receive Unit (WTRU), User Equipment (UE), terminal, base station, Radio Network Controller (RNC), or any host computer. The WTRU may be implemented in hardware and/or softwareThe modules being used in combination, e.g. camera, video camera module, videophone, speakerphone, vibration device, loudspeaker, microphone, television transceiver, hands-free headset, keyboard, BluetoothA module, a Frequency Modulation (FM) radio unit, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display unit, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display unit, a digital music player, a media player, a video game player module, an internet browser, and/or any Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) module or Ultra Wideband (UWB) module.

Examples

1. A method for enabling multi-band transmission.

2. The method as in embodiment 1 further comprising transmitting on a first radio band.

3. The method according to any preceding embodiment, further comprising transmitting on a second radio band.

4. A method as in any preceding embodiment, further comprising transmitting coordinated beacons on the first and second radio bands.

5. A method as in any preceding embodiment, further comprising aligning beacon period start times on the first and second radio bands.

6. The method according to any preceding embodiment, further comprising switching from the first radio band to the second radio band and monitoring for a beacon on the second radio band prior to transmitting the beacon on the second radio band.

7. The method of any preceding embodiment, wherein the first radio band is adjacent to the second radio band.

8. The method according to any preceding embodiment, wherein the first radio band is not adjacent to the second radio band.

9. The method of any preceding embodiment, further comprising a first radio wave of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) transmitting on a first radio band.

10. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, further comprising transmitting a second radio wave of the WTRU over a second radio band.

11. A method as in any preceding embodiment, further comprising monitoring a transmission medium to determine the presence of a beacon frame.

12. The method of any preceding embodiment, further comprising creating a Beacon Period (BP) in accordance with the determining.

13. The method according to any preceding embodiment, further comprising coordinating beacon synchronization over the first and second radio bands.

14. The method according to any preceding embodiment, further comprising transmitting a beacon frame.

15. The method according to any preceding embodiment, further comprising aligning beacon period start times of the first and second radio bands.

16. The method according to any preceding embodiment, further comprising configuring a BP switch Information Element (IE) to include synchronization information.

17. The method of any preceding embodiment, further comprising adding an Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) BP switch IE to a beacon frame, wherein the EBT BP switch IE comprises a field indicating a new beacon timing value and a time to change to a new BP.

18. The method of any preceding embodiment, wherein the beacon frames are transmitted simultaneously on the first and second radio bands.

19. The method according to any preceding embodiment, wherein the beacon frames are transmitted sequentially over the first and second radio bands.

20. The method of any preceding embodiment wherein the beacon frame includes the EBT capabilities of the WTRU.

21. The method of any preceding embodiment, wherein EBT capabilities comprise any one of: a default channel and a default extension channel.

22. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to perform a method as in any of the previous embodiments.

23. The WTRU of embodiment 22 further comprising a receiver.

24. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-23 further comprising a transmitter.

25. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-24 further comprising a processor in communication with the receiver and transmitter.

26. A WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-25 wherein a processor is configured to transmit on a first radio band, transmit a beacon on a second radio band, and transmit coordinated beacons on the first and second radio bands.

27. A WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-26 wherein the processor is further configured to align beacon period start times on the first and second radio bands.

28. A WTRU as in any of embodiments 22-27 wherein the processor is further configured to switch from a first radio band to a second radio band and monitor for a beacon on the second radio band before transmitting the beacon on the second radio band.

29. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-28 further comprising a first transmitter.

30. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-29 further comprising a second transmitter.

31. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-30 further comprising a processor in communication with the receiver and the first and second transmitters.

32. A WTRU as in any of embodiments 22-31 wherein a processor is configured to control a first transmitter to transmit on a first radio band, control a second transmitter to transmit on a second radio band, monitor a transmission medium to determine the presence of a beacon frame, create a Beacon Period (BP) based on the determination, coordinate beacon synchronization on the first and second radio bands, and transmit the beacon frame.

33. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-32 wherein the processor is further configured to configure a BP switch Information Element (IE) to include synchronization information.

34. A WTRU as in any of embodiments 22-33 wherein the processor is further configured to add an Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) BP switch IE to the beacon frame, wherein the EBTBP switch IE includes a field to indicate a new beacon timing value and a time to change to a new BP.

35. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-34 wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) capability of the WTRU in the beacon frame.

36. The WTRU as in any one of embodiments 22-35 wherein EBT capabilities include any one of: a default channel and a default extension channel.

Claims (12)

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), comprising:

a receiver;

a first transmitter;

a second transmitter; and

a processor in communication with the receiver, the first and second transmitters, the processor configured to control the first transmitter to transmit on a first radio band, control the second transmitter to transmit on a second radio band, monitor a transmission medium to determine the presence of a beacon frame, create a Beacon Period (BP) based on the determination, wherein the beacon frame includes synchronization information for aligning the BP start times on the first and second radio bands, wherein the first transmitter transmits the beacon frame on the first radio band and the second transmitter transmits the beacon frame on the second radio band.

2. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to configure a BP switch Information Element (IE) to include the synchronization information.

3. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to add an Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) BP switch IE to the beacon frame, wherein the EBT BP switch IE includes a field to indicate a new beacon timing value and a time to change to a new BP.

4. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) capability of the WTRU in the beacon frame.

5. The WTRU of claim 4, wherein the EBT capabilities include any one of: a default channel and a default extension channel.

6. A method for enabling multi-band transmission, the method comprising:

a first transmitter of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) transmitting on a first radio band;

a second transmitter of the WTRU transmitting on a second radio band;

monitoring a transmission medium to determine the presence of a beacon frame; and

creating a beacon period, BP, according to the determination;

wherein the beacon frame includes synchronization information for aligning the BP start times on the first and second radio bands, wherein the first transmitter transmits the beacon frame on the first radio band and a second transmitter transmits the beacon frame on the second radio band.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring a BP translation Information Element (IE) to include the synchronization information.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising adding an Extended Bandwidth Transmission (EBT) BP transition IE to the beacon frame, wherein the EBT BP transition IE comprises a field to indicate a new beacon timing value and a time to change to a new BP.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the beacon frames are transmitted simultaneously on the first and second radio bands.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the beacon frames are transmitted sequentially on the first and second radio bands.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the beacon frame includes EBT capabilities of the WTRU.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the EBT capabilities comprise any one of: a default channel and a default extension channel.