Time slot synchronized, flexible bandwidth communication system
View Patent ↗One or more frame slots to each transceiver are allocated for communication within each message cycle. The number of frame slots allocated can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate variable traffic loads per transceiver, and an offset of the frame slots within the message cycle is preferably predefined to provide a uniform distribution among the transceivers. The design of the transceiver is independent of the particular application, having at least one programmable parameter that controls the number of frame slots allocated within the message cycle. By controlling the number of frame slots allocated to a transceiver, the amount of inactive time, and hence battery life, can be controlled. When a conflict occurs among multiple transceivers having pending messages at the same frame slot, the allocation of the frame slot to a transceiver is based at least in part on the resultant lag time to each transceiver.
1. A communication system comprising:
a base station that is configured to communicate messages in a plurality of frame slots within a message cycle, wherein the base station is configured to transmit the messages based on a single DSS spreading code; and
a plurality of transceivers, each transceiver being configured to be activated at an assigned frame slot offset and at an assigned frame slot interval within the message cycle, to facilitate communication of messages between the base station and the transceiver during a number of frame slots within the message cycle based on the offset and interval, at least two of the transceivers having different frame slot offsets and frame slot intervals, wherein each of the transceivers are configured to decode the messages based on the single DSS spreading code and a substantially fixed code-phase that is associated with each transceiver, and wherein a common code-phase is concurrently associated with multiple transceivers.
2. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the base station is configured to assign the frame slot interval to at least one transceiver of the plurality of transceivers, based on a bandwidth parameter associated with the at least one transceiver.
3. The communication system of claim 2 , wherein the offset of each transceiver is based on a substantially unique identifier of the transceiver.
4. The communication system of claim 3 , wherein the unique identifier corresponds to one of a serial number and a MAC address.
5. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the offset of each transceiver is based on a substantially unique identifier of the transceiver.
6. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein multiple transceivers share a common offset, and each message includes an address field that identifies one or more intended recipients of the message.
7. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the base station is configured to communicate an indicator of an intended activation rate to one or more of the transceivers, and the transceivers are configured to modify the interval based on the indicator of the intended activation rate.
8. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein an assignment of the code-phase associated with each transceiver is such that different code-phases are assigned to transceivers having a common offset.
9. The communication system of claim 8 , wherein the assignment of the code-phase and the fixed identifier of the transceiver is based on a substantially unique fixed identifier of each transceiver.
10. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the assignment of the code-phase is based on a first set of bits of the fixed identifier, and the assignment of the offset is based on a second set of bits of the fixed identifier.
11. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the base station is configured to prioritize the messages based on a latency factor that is based on the interval assigned to each corresponding transceiver.
12. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the base station is coupled to the transceivers via a satellite.
13. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the base station is configured to transmit synchronization messages that serve to maintain synchronization between the base station and each transceiver.
14. A base station comprising:
a timer that is configured to partition a message cycle into a number of frame slots,
a transmitter that is configured to transmit the messages based on a single DSS spreading code and a code-phase of the spreading code associated with each of one or more remote devices, wherein a common code-phase is concurrently associated with multiple remote devices; and
a controller that is configured to:
receive messages from one or more service units, each message being addressed to one or more remote devices,
allocate each message to one or more slot queues based on the addressed remote device, and
control the transmitter to transmit the messages in each slot queue during a corresponding frame slot,
wherein
each of the one or more remote devices has an associated frame slot offset and frame slot interval, and the controller allocates each message based on one or more defined frame slots based on the offset and interval, and
at least two of the remote devices have differing frame slot offsets and frame slot intervals, and
an assignment of the code-phase associated with each remote device is such that different code-phases are assigned to remote devices having a common offset.
15. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the base station is configured to assign the frame slot interval of each remote device based on a desired duty cycle of the remote device.
16. The base station of claim 15 , wherein the desired duty cycle of the remote device is based on at least one of a desired bandwidth and a desired power consumption at the remote device.
17. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the frame slot offset of each remote device is based on a substantially unique identifier of the remote device.
18. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to prioritize the messages allocated to each slot queue that exceeds a capacity of the frame slot, based on a latency factor that is based on the frame slot interval of each addressed remote device.
19. The base station of claim 14 , wherein an assignment of the code-phase and the offset associated with each remote device are based on a substantially unique fixed identifier of each remote device.
20. The base station of claim 19 , wherein the code-phase is based on a first set of bits of the fixed identifier, and the offset is based on a second set of bits of the fixed identifier.
21. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the transmitter is configured to communicate with the remote devices via a satellite.
22. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit synchronization messages that serve to maintain synchronization between the base station and each remote device.