Intelligent integration of mmWave technology in a heterogeneous wireless communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9572079-B2
Application number	US-201113996639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2011
Priority date	Dec 15, 2011
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A system and method are provided for intelligently incorporating a mmWave communication link in a heterogeneous cellular/Wi-Fi networking environment. The combination improves overall data transmission capacity of the heterogeneous networking environment, and also provides superior user Quality of Experience. The combination of the mmWave communication link with the cellular/Wi-Fi communication system is integrated in a synergistic manner that allows each of the individual communication technologies to complement the other. Using highly-directional beamforming antennas the mmWave communication link provides wide area network coverage by deploying a plurality of directional beams in sectors to complement the coverage area of the wide area network systems operating in other frequency bands.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for integrating different communication techniques in a wireless network environment, comprising:
receiving a response from a client device regarding its communication capabilities in the wireless network environment,
wherein the communication capabilities obtained from the client device comprise which wireless communication links the client device is capable of communicating with;
determining based on the response provided by the client device whether the client device is capable of conducting communications across a mmWave communication link;
obtaining a data transmission request from the client device;
determining, with a processor, which one of a low data rate wireless communication link and a high data rate wireless communication link is used to transmit data requested by the data transmission request based on the response regarding communicating capabilities of the client device and a content of the data requested by the data transmission request;
wherein the content of the data requested by the data transmission request is a data download that would benefit from high data rate transmission to the client device;
obtaining information from the client device regarding whether the client device is being operated in a fixed or mobile mode;
in response to the client device being operated in a mobile mode, then monitor sector position of the mobile device using a low data rate wireless communication link; and
transmitting the data requested by data transmission request to the client device via the determined one of the low data rate wireless communication link and the high data rate wireless communication link;
selecting, by the processor, one of a plurality of fixed directional beam patterns for transmitting the data requested by data transmission request to the client device via the mmWave communication link based on the obtained position of the client device;
wherein return transmissions from the client device are received via at least one of a cellular or a Wi-Fi communication link;
using the at least one of the cellular or the Wi-Fi communication link to update the position of the client device when the information indicates that the client device is operating in the mobile mode of operation;
determining, with the processor, an optimal point for handoff of mmWave communications between the one of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns and an other of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns based on the updated position of the client device;
storing data content in a segregated manner in at least one data storage device, wherein the data content is segregated according to whether the data content is transmitted by the low data rate wireless communication link or the high data rate wireless communication link.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the low data rate wireless communication link is at least one of the cellular or the Wi-Fi communication link; and
the high data rate wireless communication link is the millimeter wave (mmWave) communication link.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mmWave communication link comprises a plurality of fixed directional beam patterns.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the processor determines that the mmWave communication link is used to transmit data requested by the data transmission request, and
the method further comprises:
obtaining a position of the client device within the wireless network environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the content of the data requested by the data transmission request includes one of a movie download, a high-quality HD download, a 3D stereo streaming download, or an other data download, the processor determines that the high data rate wireless communication link is used to transmit the data requested by the data transmission request.

6. A system for integrating different communication techniques in a wireless network environment, comprising:
at least one low data rate wireless communication link;
at least one high data rate wireless communication link;
a processor at a network node, the processor being programmed to
receive a response from a client device regarding its communication capabilities in the wireless network environment;
obtain communicating capabilities from the response of the client device operating in the wireless network environment, wherein the communicating capabilities obtained from the client device comprise which wireless communication links the client device is capable of communicating with,
determine based on the response provided by the client device whether the client device is capable of conducting communications across a mmWave communication link;
obtain a data transmission request from the client device,
determine which one of a low data rate wireless communication link and a high data rate wireless communication link is used to transmit data requested by the data transmission request based on the obtained communicating capabilities of the client device and a content of the data requested by the data transmission request,
wherein the content of the data requested by the data transmission request is a data download that would benefit from high data rate transmission to the client device;
obtain information from the client device regarding whether the client device is being operated in a fixed or mobile mode of operation,
use the low data rate wireless communication link to update a position of the client device when the information indicates that the client device is operating in the mobile mode of operation, and
direct the transmitting of the data requested by data transmission request to the client device via the determined one of the low data rate wireless communication link and the high data rate wireless communication link;
wherein the mmWave communication link comprises a plurality of fixed directional beam patterns;
wherein the processor is further programmed to obtain a position of the client device, and when directing the transmitting of the data requested by data transmission request to the client device via the mmWave communication link, to select one of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns based on the obtained position of the client device;
wherein the processor is further programmed to determine an optimal point for handoff of the mmWave communication link between the one of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns and an other of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns based on the updated position of the client device;
wherein when the content of the data requested by the data transmission request includes a request for one of a movie download, a high-quality HD download, a 3D stereo streaming download, or an other data download, the processor determines that the high data rate wireless communication link should be used to transmit data requested by the data transmission request.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the low data rate wireless communication link is at least one of a cellular or a Wi-Fi communication link; and
the high data rate wireless communication link is the millimeter wave (mmWave) communication link.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising at least one client device communicating with the network node via the at least one of the cellular or the Wi-Fi communication link, and the mmWave communication link.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein, regardless of whether the at least one client device receives the data requested by data transmission request via the at least one of the cellular or the Wi-Fi communication link, or the mmWave communication link, the at least one client device transmits information to the network node via the at least one of the cellular or the

Assignees

• Somayazulu Vallabhajosyula Z
• Cordeiro Carlos
• Li Guoqing
• Sadeghi Bahareh Bahar
• Sadri Ali S
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Somayazulu Vallabhajosyula Z
• Cordeiro Carlos
• Li Guoqing
• Sadeghi Bahareh Bahar
• Sadri Ali S

Classifications

• H04W72/54

  based on quality criteria · CPC title

• H04B7/0617

  for beam forming · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W28/18

  Negotiating wireless communication parameters · CPC title

• H04W88/06 Primary

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title