Patent · US Expired

Hierarchical communications system

US7924783B1 · kind B1 · utility

146Cited by
76References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 28, 2000
Grant dateApr 12, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W92/02
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Two wireless local area networks exhibiting different characteristics link portable or mobile computer devices. An infrastructure network comprising radio base stations, and at least one portable computer device make up the first wireless network, which communicates using spread spectrum frequency hopping communication. A second local area network supports radio communication between a portable computer and peripheral devices with built-in transceivers. The networks use a reservation access protocol that facilitates frequency hopping synchronization, supports adaptive data rate selection based on communication quality, and prevents interference between the wireless networks. In a premises LAN, an infrastructure network comprises radio base stations and a backbone LAN. A higher-power LAN using frequency hopping comprises the infrastructure network and at least one mobile computing device. A lower-power LAN uses single-frequency spread spectrum communication between a mobile computing device and peripheral devices. A vehicular LAN supports short-range communication between vehicle and portable terminals.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.