Wireless communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022022009-A1
Application number	US-202117378078-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2021
Priority date	Jul 16, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A central communication unit (13), comprising:transmitter means arranged to transmit a single global downlink frame (17) addressed to all of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame comprising a plurality of data packets, each addressed to a respective one of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame supplying a common reference time so that, after receiving the global downlink frame (17), each subscriber communication unit can start transmitting an uplink frame (18) at the end of a waiting interval starting at the common reference time and having a duration equal to a respective waiting duration that is associated with said subscriber communication unit; andreceiver means arranged to receive in succession the uplink frames (18) transmitted by each of the subscriber communication units.

First claim

1 . A central communication unit arranged to communicate wirelessly during successive communication cycles (C 1 , C 2 , C 3 ) with a plurality of subscriber communication units, the central communication unit comprising:
transmitter means arranged, during each communication cycle, to transmit a single global downlink frame addressed to all of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame comprising a plurality of data packets, each addressed to a respective one of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame supplying a common reference time to all of the subscriber communication units so that, after receiving the global downlink frame, each subscriber communication unit can start transmitting an uplink frame at the end of a waiting interval starting at the common reference time and having a duration equal to a respective waiting duration that is associated with said subscriber communication unit, the waiting durations all being different and being defined in such a manner as to avoid collisions between the uplink frames; and receiver means arranged, during said communication cycle, to receive in succession the uplink frames transmitted by each of the subscriber communication units.

2 . The central communication unit according to claim 1 , wherein the common reference time is an end-of-reception moment of the global downlink frame by the subscriber communication units cease receiving.

3 . The central communication unit according to claim 1 , wherein each data packet of the global downlink frame addressed to a subscriber communication unit includes an acknowledgement that makes it possible to verify whether an uplink frame transmitted by said subscriber communication unit during a preceding communication cycle was, or was not, received correctly.

4 . The central communication unit according to claim 1 , wherein each data packet of the global downlink frame addressed to a subscriber communication unit includes the waiting duration that is associated with said subscriber communication unit.

5 . The central communication unit according to claim 1 , wherein the central communication unit is configurable to be a master central unit or else to be a shadow central unit, the central communication unit being arranged, when it is a shadow central unit, to monitor a master central unit without itself transmitting global downlink frames, and to take the place of the master central unit in the event of a failure of the master central unit.

6 . The central communication unit according to claim 5 , wherein the central communication unit is arranged, when it is a shadow central unit, to acquire the global downlink frames transmitted by the master central unit, and to take the place of the master central unit when the master unit is no longer transmitting global downlink frames.

7 . The central communication unit according to claim 5 , wherein the central communication unit is arranged to cooperate with one or more other central communication units in such a manner that the central communication units act together in autonomous manner to be configured so as to define one master central unit and one or more shadow central units.

8 . The central communication unit according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver means include monitor means arranged to interrupt the transmission of download global frames by the transmitter means when the transmission of global downlink frames is faulty.

9 . Electronic equipment incorporating a central communication unit according to claim 1 .

10 . A communication method performed in the central communication unit according to claim 1 , and comprising the following successive steps performed during communication cycles:
during each communication cycle, transmitting a single global downlink frame addressed to all of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame comprising a plurality of data packets, each addressed to a respective one of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame supplying a common reference time to all of the subscriber communication units so that, after receiving the global downlink frame, each subscriber communication unit can start transmitting an uplink frame at the end of a waiting interval starting at the common reference time and having a duration equal to a respective waiting duration that is associated with said subscriber communication unit, the waiting durations all being different and being defined in such a manner as to avoid collisions between the uplink frames; and during said communication cycle, receiving in succession the uplink frames transmitted by each of the subscriber communication units.

11 . The communication method according to claim 10 , further comprising the steps, during each communication cycle, of starting a time counter and of transmitting the global downlink frame when the current value of the time counter reaches a predetermined reference duration (Tref) of the communication cycle.

12 . A computer program including instructions that cause the central communication unit according to claim 1 to execute a communication method performed in the central communication unit, the communication method comprising the following successive steps performed during communication cycles:
during each communication cycle, transmitting a single global downlink frame addressed to all of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame comprising a plurality of data packets, each addressed to a respective one of the subscriber communication units, the global downlink frame supplying a common reference time to all of the subscriber communication units so that, after receiving the global downlink frame, each subscriber communication unit can start transmitting an uplink frame at the end of a waiting interval starting at the common reference time and having a duration equal to a respective waiting duration that is associated with said subscriber communication unit, the waiting durations all being different and being defined in such a manner as to avoid collisions between the uplink frames; and
during said communication cycle, receiving in succession the uplink frames transmitted by each of the subscriber communication units.

13 . A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 12 .

14 . A subscriber communication unit arranged to communicate wirelessly during successive communication cycles with a central communication unit, the subscriber communication unit having an identifier that is specific thereto and comprising:
receiver means arranged, during each communication cycle, to receive a global downlink frame transmitted by the central communication unit, to use the identifier to identify and acquire a data packet that is addressed thereto in the global downlink frame, and to determine a common reference time from the global downlink frame; and transmitter means arranged, at the end of a waiting interval starting at the common reference time and having a waiting duration that is associated with said subscriber communication unit, to transmit an uplink frame to the central communication unit.

15 . The subscriber communication unit according to claim 14 , wherein the common reference time is the end-of-reception moment at which the subscriber communication unit ceases receiving the global downlink frame.

16 . The subscriber communication unit according to claim 14 , wherein the waiting duration that is associated with the subscriber communication unit is incorporated in the data packet that is addressed thereto in the global downlink frame.

Assignees

• Safran Electronics & Defense

Inventors

• Toillon Patrice
• Jeandon Thiebault
• Moreau Cédric

Classifications

• H04W72/23

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W74/006 Primary

  in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal · CPC title

• H04W24/04

  Arrangements for maintaining operational condition · CPC title

• H04W4/06 Primary

  Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services · CPC title

• H04L1/1607

  Details of the supervisory signal · CPC title