Granted Patent B2

US 12,225,520 · App. 17/492,073 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Inventors: Gerd Kilian (Erlangen, DE); Josef Bernhard (Erlangen, DE); Dominik Soller (Erlangen, DE); Günter Rohmer (Erlangen, DE); Frank Nachtrab (Erlangen, DE); Jakob Kneißl (Erlangen, DE); Stefan Ereth (Erlangen, DE); Michael Schlicht (Erlangen, DE)

Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.

H04W72/1215H04B1/692H04W16/14H04B2001/6908H04B1/713H04W88/06

Abstract

Claims (87)

1. A participant of a communication system, the participant comprising:

a transceiver,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data using a first radio network and a second radio network in a frequency band,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data in the first radio network according to a first time/frequency hopping pattern in a first frequency range of the frequency band,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data in the second radio network according to a second time/frequency hopping pattern in a second frequency range of the frequency band,

wherein the first time/frequency hopping pattern and the second time/frequency hopping pattern are different,

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range overlap at least partially,

wherein the first radio network is an asynchronous radio network in which participants of the communication system are able to transmit data to a base station at any points in time,

wherein the second radio network is a synchronous radio network in which exclusive resources to transmit the data are allocated to the participants,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit an asynchronous uplink data transmission to a base station of the communication system using the first radio network and to receive a downlink data transmission from the base station synchronized in time with the transmitted uplink data transmission using the first radio network, the downlink data transmission comprising signaling information,

wherein the transceiver is configured to receive, based on the signaling information, at least one beacon transmitted by the base station using the second radio network to switch to the second radio network,

wherein the signaling information comprise information on a point in time and/or a frequency channel of the at least one beacon.

2. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to switch during operation between a first operating mode in which the transceiver transmits data using the first radio network, and a second operating mode in which the transceiver transmits data using the second radio network.

3. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to acquire information used for communication in the second radio network, using the first radio network, and/or

wherein the transceiver is configured to acquire information used for communication in the first radio network, using the second radio network.

4. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data to a base station or an other transceiver of the communication system at a first point in time using the first radio network and to transmit data to the base station or the other transceiver at a second point in time using the second radio network.

5. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data using the first radio network and to receive data using the second radio network,

or wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data using the second radio network and to receive data using the first radio network.

6. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the signaling information comprise information on at least one beacon transmission parameter, the at least one beacon transmission parameter being at least one of:

a time/frequency hopping pattern of the at least one beacon,

a calculation rule for the points in time and/or frequency channels and/or time/frequency hopping patterns of the transmission of the at least one beacon,

a time interval between successive transmissions of the beacon,

a calculation rule for the time intervals between successive transmissions of the beacon,

a cryptographic key for the transmission of the beacon, and

a calculation rule for generating a cryptographic key for the transmission of the at least one beacon.

7. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a new uplink data transmission to the base station using the first radio network upon non-reception of at least one beacon transmitted using the second radio system, and to receive a further downlink data transmission from the base station synchronized in time with the transmitted uplink data transmission using the first radio network, the further downlink data transmission comprising signaling information,

wherein the transceiver is configured to receive again, based on the signaling information, at least one beacon transmitted by the base station using the second radio network to switch again to the second radio network.

8. The participant according to claim 1 ,

wherein the data comprise a data packet, the transceiver being configured to transmit the data packet divided into a plurality of sub-data packets, the plurality of sub-data packets each being shorter than the data packet, the transceiver being configured to transmit the plurality of sub-data packets according to the respective time/frequency hopping pattern.

9. A base station 9 comprising:

a transceiver,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data using a first radio network and a second radio network in a frequency band,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data in the first radio network according to a first time/frequency hopping pattern in a first frequency range of the frequency band,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data in the second radio network according to a second time/frequency hopping pattern in a second frequency range of the frequency band,

wherein the first time/frequency hopping pattern and the second time/frequency hopping pattern are different,

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range overlap at least partially,

wherein the first radio network is an asynchronous radio network in which participants of the communication system are able to transmit data to the base station at any points in time,

wherein the second radio network is a synchronous radio network in which the base station allocates exclusive resources to transmit the data to the participants of the communication system,

wherein the transceiver is configured to receive an asynchronous uplink data transmission from a participant of the communication system using the first radio network and to transmit a downlink data transmission to the participant synchronized in time with the received uplink data transmission using the first radio network, the downlink data transmission comprising signaling information on a transmission of at least one beacon,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the at least one beacon for synchronizing participants of the second radio network using the second radio network,

wherein the signaling information comprise information on a point in time and/or a frequency channel of the at least one beacon.

10. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the at least one beacon only when required.

11. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the signaling information comprise information on at least one beacon transmission parameter, the at least one beacon transmission parameter being at least one of:

a time/frequency hopping pattern of the at least one beacon,

a calculation rule for the points in time and/or frequency channels and/or time/frequency hopping patterns of the transmission of the at least one beacon,

a time interval between successive transmissions of the beacon,

a calculation rule for the time intervals between successive transmissions of the beacon,

a cryptographic key for the transmission of the beacon, and

a calculation rule for generating a cryptographic key for the transmission of the at least one beacon.

12. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to emit a plurality of beacons using the second radio network at certain intervals,

wherein the signaling information comprise information on the transmission of at least one next beacon of the plurality of beacons.

13. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to renew and/or modify at least one cryptographic key used to encrypt data transmitted using the second radio network, using a cryptographically encrypted transmission in the first radio network.

14. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to simultaneously transmit data using the first radio network and the second radio network.

15. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit signaling information signaling a radio network to be used from the first radio network and the second radio network, to at least one participant of the communication system.

16. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to select one of the radio networks for transmitting data to be transmitted from the first radio network and the second radio network in dependence on transmission requirements of the data to be transmitted and/or in dependence on operating parameters of a participant of the communication system which is to receive the data.

17. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit signaling information signaling an availability of the first and/or second radio network, to at least one participant of the communication system using the first and/or second radio network.

18. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit information used for communication in the second radio network to at least one participant of the communication system using the first radio network, and/or

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit information used for communication in the first radio network to at least one participant of the communication system using the second radio network.

19. The base station according to claim 9 ,

wherein the transceiver is configured to temporarily cease operation of the first radio network or the second radio network.

20. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

transmitting data between participants and a base station of the communication system using a first radio network and a second radio network in a frequency band,

wherein, in the first radio network, data are transmitted according to a first time/frequency hopping pattern in a first frequency range of the frequency band,

wherein, in the second radio network, data are transmitted according to a second time/frequency hopping pattern in a second frequency range of the frequency band,

wherein the first time/frequency hopping pattern and the second time/frequency hopping pattern are different,

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range overlap at least partially,

wherein the first radio network is an asynchronous radio network in which participants of the communication system are able to transmit data to the base station at any points in time,

wherein the second radio network is a synchronous radio network in which exclusive resources to transmit the data are allocated to the participants,

transmitting an asynchronous uplink data transmission from a participant of the communication system to the base station using the first radio network,

transmitting a downlink data transmission from the base station to the participant synchronized in time with the received uplink data transmission using the first radio network, the downlink data transmission comprising signaling information on a transmission of at least one beacon,

transmitting a beacon from the base station to the participants for synchronizing the participants of the second radio network, using the second radio network,

wherein the signaling information comprise information on a point in time and/or a frequency channel of the at least one beacon.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (59)