Method and apparatus for managing synchronization groups in wireless communication system

1. A method of managing a plurality of groups, included in a wireless communication network, by a synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of the plurality of groups, comprising:

scanning an adjacent group different from a group to which the node belongs;

determining whether the group to which the node belongs is a master group or a slave group regarding a role of the group; and

performing a group merging process with the adjacent group to merge the group to which the node belongs and the adjacent group into one united group if, as a result of the determination, the group to which the node belongs is determined to be a slave group.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing group merging with the adjacent group if, as a result of the determination, the node is determined to be the slave group, comprises:

changing a synchronization reference time of the slave group into a synchronization reference time of the master group; and

changing a group identifier (ID) of the slave group into a group ID of the master group.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein scanning an adjacent group different from a group to which the node belongs comprises:

receiving a control signal from an adjacent node; and

comparing a group identifier (ID), a frame start time, and a frame index, included in the control signal, with a group ID of the group to which the node belongs and a frame start time and a frame index allocated to the group to which the node belongs, respectively, and determining whether a group to which the adjacent node belongs is the adjacent group based on a result of the comparison.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the control signal is transmitted in a first subframe of a superframe that is a multiple of a predetermined transmission period of the control signal, and

the receiving a control signal from an adjacent node comprises receiving the control signal in an idle frame having a location changed for each period.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining whether the group to which the node belongs is a master group or a slave group regarding a role of the group comprises:

comparing a group ID value of the adjacent group with a group ID value of the group to which the node belongs and determining a group having a greater value as the master group as a result of the comparison; and

comparing the frame start time or the frame index, included in the control signal, with the frame start time or the frame index allocated to the group to which the node belongs and determining a group having an earlier value as the master group as a result of the comparison, if, as a result of the comparison, the group ID value of the adjacent group is identical with the group ID value of the group to which the node belongs.

6. A method of managing a plurality of groups, included in a wireless communication network, by a synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of the plurality of groups, comprising:

scanning an adjacent group different from a group to which the node belongs;

determining whether the group to which the node belongs is a master group or a slave group regarding a role of the group; and

performing group merging with the adjacent group if, as a result of the determination, the group to which the node belongs is determined to be a slave group,

wherein the performing group merging with the adjacent group comprises:

changing a frame start time of the slave group and a frame index of the slave group into a frame start time of the master group and a frame index of the master group, respectively; and

changing a group identifier (ID) of the slave group into a group ID of the master group.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the changing a frame start time of the slave group into a frame start time of the master group comprises:

obtaining the frame start time of the master group;

calculating a pause duration for a frame start time identical with the frame start time of the master group;

generating a group configuration update message in which a time when the frame start time is to be changed and the calculated pause duration are set; and

sending the group configuration update message to all nodes within the slave group.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the changing a frame index of the slave group into a frame index of the master group comprises:

obtaining the frame index of the master group;

generating a group configuration update message in which a time when the frame index is to be changed and the frame index of the master group into which the frame index of the slave group is to be changed are set; and

sending the group configuration update message to all nodes within the slave group.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the changing a group ID of the slave group into a group ID of the master group comprises:

obtaining the group ID of the master group;

generating a group configuration update message in which a time when the group ID is to be changed and the obtained group ID of the master group is set as a group ID into which the group ID of the slave group is to be changed; and

sending the group configuration update message to all nodes within the slave group.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the changing a frame reference time of the slave group into a synchronization reference time of the master group a frame start time of the slave group and a frame index of the slave group comprises:

receiving a group configuration update message from a node within the slave group;

extracting a group configuration change time, pause duration for changing a frame start time, a new frame index, and a new group ID from the received group configuration update message; and

changing a group configuration using the pause duration, the new frame index, and the new group ID after the group configuration change time and operating using the changed group configuration.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the changing a frame start time of the slave group and a frame index of the slave group further comprises determining one of a plurality of group configuration update messages as a valid message if a node within the slave group receives the plurality of group configuration update messages.

12. A method of managing a plurality of groups, included in a wireless communication network, by a synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of the plurality of groups, comprising:

scanning an adjacent group different from a group to which the node belongs;

determining whether the group to which the node belongs is a master group or a slave group regarding a role of the group;

performing group merging with the adjacent group if, as a result of the determination, the group to which the node belongs is determined to be a slave group; and

instructing a node belonging to a non-GPS (non-Global Positioning System) synchronization group on a change of a frame start time, a frame index, and a group identifier (ID) if the node that is a GPS-enabled node enters the non-GPS synchronization group.

13. A method of managing a plurality of groups, included in a wireless communication network, by a synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of the plurality of groups, comprising:

scanning an adjacent group different from a group to which the node belongs;

determining whether the group to which the node belongs is a master group or a slave group regarding a role of the group;

performing group merging with the adjacent group if, as a result of the determination, the group to which the node belongs is determined to be a slave group;

periodically changing a group identifier (ID) of the group of the node if the group of the node is a non-GPS (non-Global Positioning System) synchronization group; and

sending the changed group ID to the non-GPS synchronization group.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein periodically changing a group ID of the group of the node if the group of the node is a non-GPS synchronization group comprises determining a group ID into which the group ID of the group of the node is to be changed based on whether or not the group includes a GPS-enabled node and a size of the group.

15. A synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of a plurality of groups included in a wireless communication network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a control signal from an adjacent node; and

a controller for

determining whether or not a group to which the adjacent node belongs is different from a group to which the node belongs based on the control signal, and

changing a frame start time and a synchronization reference time of the group to which the node belongs into a frame start time and a synchronization reference time of the group to which the adjacent node belongs, if the group to which the adjacent node belongs is a master group and the group to which the node belongs is a slave group, to merge the group to which the adjacent node belongs and the group to which the node belongs into one united group.

16. The synchronization group management apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller obtains the frame start time and the synchronization reference time of the master group through the control signal.

17. The synchronization group management apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a transmitter,

wherein the controller generates a group configuration update message in which a frame start time and a frame index into which a frame start time and a frame index of the node are to be changed are set, and

the transmitter sends the group configuration update message to a node within the slave group.

18. The synchronization group management apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller compares a group identifier (ID) value of the adjacent group with a group ID value of the group to which the node belongs, determines a group having a greater value as the master group as a result of the comparison, compares a frame start time or a frame index included in the control signal with a frame start time or a frame index allocated to the group to which the node belongs if, as a result of the comparison, the group ID value of the adjacent group is identical with the group ID value of the group to which the node belongs, and determines a group having a earlier value as the master group as a result of the comparison.

19. A synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of a plurality of groups included in a wireless communication network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a control signal from an adjacent node;

a controller for

determining whether or not a group to which the adjacent node belongs is different from a group to which the node belongs based on the control signal,

changing a frame start time and a synchronization reference time of the group to which the node belongs into a frame start time and a synchronization reference time of the group to which the adjacent node belongs, if the group to which the adjacent node belongs is a master group and the group to which the node belongs is a slave group, and

periodically changing a group identifier (ID) of the node if the group to which the node belongs is a non-GPS (non-Global Positioning System) synchronization group, and

a transmitter for transmitting a group configuration update message, comprising the changed group ID, to the non-GPS synchronization group.

20. A synchronization group management apparatus of a node belonging to any of a plurality of groups included in a wireless communication network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a group configuration update message from a node within a group identical with the group to which the node belongs, and

a controller for

determining whether or not a group to which the adjacent node belongs is different from a group to which the node belongs based on the control signal, and

changing a frame reference time, a frame index, and a group identifier (ID) of the group to which the node belongs into a frame start time, a frame index, and a group ID of the group to which the adjacent node belongs based on the received group configuration update message, if the group to which the adjacent node belongs is a master group and the group to which the node belongs is a slave group.