公开(公告)号：US06854059B2

公开(公告)日：2005-02-08

申请号：US09876454

申请日：2001-06-06

申请人： Steven Holmsen Gardner

发明人： Steven Holmsen Gardner

IPC分类号： H04B3/54 ,  H04L9/08 ,  H04L9/32 ,  H04L9/36 ,  H04L12/28 ,  H04L12/46 ,  H04L29/06 ,  G06F9/00

CPC分类号： H04L63/0428 ,  H04B3/542 ,  H04B2203/5408 ,  H04B2203/5445 ,  H04L9/0891 ,  H04L63/062 ,  H04L63/083

摘要： An inventive Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol for powerline networking systems is described. The inventive MAC protocol controls access to and use of a physical medium (power lines) in a powerline networking system. The MAC protocol method and apparatus includes a method of providing “blanking intervals” in which devices using newer versions of the protocol “clear out” earlier version devices. The use of blanking intervals greatly eases backward compatibility of the network when the protocol is upgraded with new versions. The method of using blanking intervals is closely coupled to a technique of using “beacons.” The beacons are used to propagate blanking interval information throughout the network. The beacons also include a mechanism for informing devices of the expiration of blanking information. The MAC also includes a method of establishing and maintaining “virtual circuit” connections between selected devices on the network. The virtual circuits can be established in powerline networking systems not having a central controller. A method of assigning unique Logical Network Identifiers (LNIs) to logical networks in the powerline networking system is also described. The LNIs uniquely identify each of the logical networks in the network. A means for creating, managing and distributing network encryption keys is also described. The encryption keys are used by the devices in the powerline networking system to prevent data from being shared with unauthorized users.

摘要翻译： 描述了用于电力线网络系统的创新的媒体访问控制（MAC）协议。 本发明的MAC协议控制对电力线网络系统中的物理介质（电力线）的访问和使用。 MAC协议方法和装置包括提供“消隐间隔”的方法，其中使用较新版本的协议的设备“清除”较早版本的设备。 当协议升级新版本时，使用消隐间隔大大减轻了网络的向后兼容性。 使用消隐间隔的方法与使用“信标”的技术密切相关。 信标用于在整个网络中传播消隐间隔信息。 信标还包括用于向设备通知消隐信息到期的机制。 MAC还包括在网络上的所选设备之间建立和维护“虚拟电路”连接的方法。 可以在没有中央控制器的电力线网络系统中建立虚拟电路。 还描述了为电力线网络系统中的逻辑网络分配独特逻辑网络标识符（LNI）的方法。 LNI唯一地标识网络中的每个逻辑网络。 还描述了用于创建，管理和分发网络加密密钥的手段。 加密密钥由电力线网络系统中的设备使用，以防止未经授权的用户共享数据。

公开(公告)号：US6058289A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-02

申请号：US533682

申请日：1995-09-26

申请人： Steven Holmsen Gardner ,  Carl Thomas Hardin ,  James E. Petranovich

发明人： Steven Holmsen Gardner ,  Carl Thomas Hardin ,  James E. Petranovich

IPC分类号： H04B1/16 ,  H04W48/16 ,  H04W52/02 ,  H04Q7/08 ,  H04Q7/10 ,  H04Q7/12

CPC分类号： H04W48/16 ,  H04W52/0245 ,  Y02B60/50

摘要： A method and apparatus for efficient use of both power and bandwidth in a cellular communications system in which a Mobile Unit preferably enters Sleep-Mode when no communications have occurred between the Mobile Unit and the Base Station over a predetermined amount of time measured by an "Idle Timer". Upon expiry of a Wake Timer, the Mobile Unit awakes from Sleep-Mode to determine whether a message is pending. Concurrently, the Base Station transmits a "TEI-Notification" message directed to all Mobile Units to notify each Mobile Unit that has data pending. A system parameter determines the intervals at which the Base Station will transmit these notifications. Upon waking to receive a TEI-Notification message, the Mobile Unit determines whether the quality of the transmission is at least sufficient to allow the Mobile Unit to decipher the TEI-Notification message. If this minimal requirement is met, and the TEI-Notification message does not indicate that data is pending for the Mobile Unit, the Mobile Unit returns to sleep, even though the Mobile Unit may reside in a cell other than the cell associated with the Base Station currently assigned by the IS to communicate with the Mobile Unit. The Mobile Unit of the present invention does not monitor the forward channels on a regular basis, but rather waits until either the signal quality of the forward channel over which the Mobile Unit is receiving has degraded such that the TEI-Notification message can no longer be deciphered, or the TEI-Notification message indicates that a message is pending.

摘要翻译： 一种用于在蜂窝通信系统中有效使用功率和带宽的方法和装置，其中当移动单元和基站之间没有发生通信时，移动单元优选地进入睡眠模式，预定时间量由“ 空闲计时器“。 在唤醒定时器到期后，移动单元从休眠模式唤醒，以确定消息是否处于待机状态。 同时，基站发送指向所有移动单元的“TEI通知”消息，以通知具有数据待处理的每个移动单元。 系统参数确定基站将发送这些通知的间隔。 在醒来接收到TEI通知消息时，移动单元确定传输的质量是否至少足以允许移动单元解密TEI通知消息。 如果满足该最小要求，并且TEI通知消息不表示移动单元的数据未被处理，则移动单元返回睡眠，即使移动单元可以驻留在与基站相关联的小区之外的小区中 目前由IS分配的站与移动单元进行通信。 本发明的移动单元不经常监视前向信道，而是等待直到移动单元正在接收的前向信道的信号质量已经降低，使得TEI通知消息不再是 解密，或TEI通知消息指示消息正在等待。