1-23. (canceled)
24. In ad hoc mesh networking utilizing a data communication device for each of a plurality of network nodes, each data communication device being configured to transition from a dormant state to an active state upon receipt of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device,
a method of activating and deactivating a mesh network for mesh network communications comprising:
transmitting a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier such that each data communication device identified by the wake-up identifier, upon receiving a wake-up broadcast which includes the wake-up identifier, will transition to an active state, and thereafter the data communication device will engage in mesh networking communications,
propagating, by each data communication device that receives a wake-up broadcast that includes the wake-up identifier, such wake-up broadcast,
periodically retransmitting a wake-up broadcast that includes the wake-up identifier such that each data communication device identified by the wake-up identifier, upon receiving a wake-up broadcast which includes the wake-up identifier, will transition to an active state, and thereafter the data communication device will engage in mesh networking communications, and
transmitting a second broadcast that includes a second identifier such that each data communication device identified by the second identifier, upon receiving the second broadcast, will cease its mesh networking communications and will return to the dormant state,
wherein each data communication device is configured such that, after receiving and propagating a wake-up broadcast, the data communication device will not propagate that wake-up broadcast again even if that wake-up broadcast is received again.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second broadcast is transmitted by a first transmitter of a two-way communications component of a data communication device.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein a second receiver of a data communication device is part of a wake-up transceiver of a data communication device, and wherein the second broadcast is transmitted by a second transmitter of the wake-up transceiver.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the second broadcast is received by the first receiver of the two-way communications component of a data communication device.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the second broadcast is received by a second receiver of a data communication device.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein a second receiver of a data communication device is part of a wake-up transceiver in the data communication device, and wherein the second broadcast is received by the second receiver of the wake-up transceiver.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the second receiver of a data communication device draws substantially less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than a two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast.
31. The method of claim 24, wherein a two-way communications component of each data communication device is off when in the dormant state.
32. The method of claim 24, wherein a second receiver of a data communication device draws less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than a two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast, the difference in current draw being at least an order of magnitude.
33. The method of claim 24, wherein a second receiver of a data communication device utilizes a stepped wake-up sequence based on at least two criteria, and wherein the last criteria before awakening a two-way communications component comprises identifying a wake-up identifier of the data communication device in a wake-up broadcast.
34. The method of claim 24, wherein a second receiver of a data communication device is part of a wake-up transceiver, the wake-up transceiver further comprising a second transmitter of the data communication device that is configured to transmit a wake-up broadcast for receipt by another wake-up receiver of another data communication device.
35. The method of claim 24, wherein the wake-up identifier represents a node performance characteristic.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the performance characteristic comprises one of the group of bit error rate; throughput of the node; strength of the radio frequency communication link; and range, determined using values such as Received Signal Strength Indication, or \u201cRSSI\u201d.
37. The method of claim 24, wherein the mesh network that is activated comprises a subset of nodes out of a plurality of available nodes, the selection of nodes being determined based on the wake-up identifier included in a wake-up broadcast that is transmitted.
38. The method of claim 24, wherein a portion of a time interval T of the mesh network during which mesh networking communications are performed is measured beginning with a time of a wake-up broadcast, whereby all nodes participating in the mesh network are synchronized for mesh communications.
39. In ad hoc mesh networking utilizing a data communication device for each of a plurality of network nodes, each data communication device being configured to transition from a dormant state to an active state upon receipt of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device
a method of activating two mesh networks for independent and separate mesh network communications comprising:
transmitting a first wake-up broadcast that includes a first wake-up identifier such that each data communication device identified by the first wake-up identifier, upon receiving the first wake-up broadcast, will transition to the active state, and thereafter engage in mesh networking communications via a first mesh network,
propagating, by each data communication device that receives the first wake-up broadcast, the first wake-up broadcast, and
transmitting a second wake-up broadcast that includes a second wake-up identifier such that each data communication device identified by the second wake-up identifier, upon receiving the second wake-up broadcast, will transition to the active state, and thereafter engage in mesh networking communications via a second mesh network,
wherein each data communication device is configured such that, after receiving and propagating a particular wake-up broadcast, the data communication device will not propagate that wake-up broadcast again even if that wake-up broadcast is received again,
wherein the second wake-up broadcast is transmitted after transmitting the first wake-up broadcast such that a portion of a first time interval T1 of the first mesh network, during which mesh networking communications are performed, does not overlap with a portion of a second time interval T2 of the second mesh network, during which mesh networking communications are performed.
40. The method of claim 39, further comprising transmitting a third broadcast that includes a third identifier such that each data communication device identified by the first wake-up identifier, upon receiving the third broadcast, will cease its mesh networking communications and will return to the dormant state.
41. The method of claim 40, further comprising transmitting a fourth broadcast that includes a fourth identifier such that each data communication device identified by the second wake-up identifier, upon receiving the fourth broadcast, will cease its mesh networking communications and will return to the dormant state.
42. In ad hoc mesh networking utilizing a data communication device for each of a plurality of network nodes, each data communication device being configured to transition from a dormant state to an active state upon receipt of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device
a method of activating two mesh networks for independent and separate mesh network communications comprising:
transmitting a first wake-up broadcast that includes a first wake-up identifier such that each data communication device identified by the first wake-up identifier, upon receiving the first wake-up broadcast, will transition to the active state, and thereafter engage in mesh networking communications via a first mesh network,
propagating, by each data communication device that receives the first wake-up broadcast, the first wake-up broadcast, and
transmitting a second wake-up broadcast that includes a second wake-up identifier such that each data communication device identified by the second wake-up identifier, upon receiving the second wake-up broadcast, will transition to the active state, and thereafter engage in mesh networking communications via a second mesh network,
wherein each data communication device is configured such that, after receiving and propagating a particular wake-up broadcast, the data communication device will not propagate that wake-up broadcast again even if that wake-up broadcast is received again,
transmitting a third broadcast that includes a third identifier such that the each data communication device identified by either of the first wake-up identifier or the second wake-up identifier, upon receiving the third broadcast, will cease its mesh networking communications and will return to the dormant state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A wireless communication receiving apparatus, comprising:
an antenna for receiving via first and second wireless communication channels a composite communication symbol that represents first and second communication symbols which correspond to respective results of first and second coding operations performed by a transmitter apparatus on a bit stream and an interleaved version of the bit stream, respectively;
a probability generator coupled to said antenna and responsive to said composite communication symbol for generating, for each of said first and second communication symbols, a corresponding plurality of probabilities that the communication symbol has respective ones of a plurality of possible values of the communication symbol;
first and second SISO decoders respectively corresponding to said first and second coding operations and coupled to said probability generator for respectively receiving therefrom the pluralities of probabilities corresponding to said first and second communication symbols; and
said probability generator operable for generating at least one of said pluralities of probabilities also in response to SISO information received by said probability generator from at least one of said SISO decoders.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said probability generator is operable for generating each of said pluralities of probabilities in response to SISO information received by said probability generator from a respective one of said SISO decoders.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said probability generator is operable for generating said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said first communication symbol in response to SISO information received from said second SISO decoder, and wherein said probability generator is operable for generating said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said second communication symbol in response to SISO information received from said first SISO decoder.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said SISO information from said second SISO decoder includes a further plurality of probabilities that said second communication symbol has respective ones of said plurality of possible values of said second communication symbol, and wherein said SISO information from said first SISO decoder includes a further plurality of probabilities that said first communication symbol has respective ones of said plurality of possible values of said first communication symbol.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said first communication symbol is received at an a priori output probability terminal of said first SISO decoder, and said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said second communication symbol is received at an a priori output probability terminal of said second SISO decoder.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said further pluralities of probabilities are pluralities of a posteriori output probabilities respectively produced by said first and second SISO decoders.
7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said further pluralities of probabilities are pluralities of a posteriori output probabilities respectively produced by said first and second SISO decoders.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one plurality of probabilities corresponds to said first communication symbol and said at least one SISO decoder is said second SISO decoder.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said SISO information received from said second SISO decoder includes a further plurality of probabilities that said second communication symbol has respective ones of said plurality of possible values of said second communication symbol.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said further plurality of probabilities includes a posteriori probabilities produced by said second SISO decoder.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an a posteriori input probability terminal of at least one of said SISO decoders is coupled via one of an interleaver and a de-interleaver to an a priori input probability terminal of the other of said SISO decoders.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an a posteriori input probability terminal of the other of said SISO decoders is coupled via one of an interleaver and a de-interleaver to an a priori input probability terminal of said at least one SISO decoder.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, including one of an interleaver and a de-interleaver connected between one of said SISO decoders and said probability generator.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, including one of an interleaver and a de-interleaver connected between said probability generator and the other of said SISO decoders.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, including an interleaver connected between said one SISO decoder and said probability generator and a de-interleaver connected between said one SISO decoder and said probability generator.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, including an interleaver connected between the other of said SISO decoders and said probability generator and a de-interleaver connected between the other of said SISO decoders and said probability generator.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said de-interleaver coupled between said probability generator and said one SISO decoder is connected to an a priori output probability terminal of said one SISO decoder and said de-interleaver coupled between said probability generator and the other of said SISO decoders is connected to an a priori output probability terminal of the other of said SISO decoders, and wherein said interleaver coupled between said one SISO decoder and said probability generator is connected to an a posteriori output probability terminal of said one SISO decoder and said interleaver coupled between the other of said SISO decoders and said probability generator is connected to an a posteriori output probability terminal of the other of said SSO decoders.
18. A method of wireless communication, comprising:
receiving via first and second wireless communication channels a composite communication symbol that represents first and second communication symbols which correspond to respective results of first and second coding operations performed by a transmitter apparatus on a bit stream and an interleaved version of the bit stream, respectively;
for each of said first and second communication symbols, and responsive to the composite communication symbol, generating a corresponding plurality of probabilities that the communication symbol has respective ones of a plurality of possible values of the communication symbol;
applying to first and second SISO decoders, which SISO decoders respectively correspond to said first and second coding operations, the pluralities of probabilities that correspond to said first and second communication symbols, respectively; and
said generating step including generating at least one of said pluralities of probabilities also in response to SISO information produced by at least one of the SISO decoders.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said generating step includes generating each of said pluralities of probabilities in response to SISO information produced by a respective one of said SISO decoders.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said generating step includes generating said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said first communication symbol in response to SISO information produced by said second SISO decoder, and generating said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said second communication symbol in response to SISO information produced by said first SISO decoder.
21. The method of claim 20, including said second SISO decoder producing its associated SISO information as a further plurality of probabilities that said second communication symbol has respective ones of said plurality of possible values of said second communication symbol, and said first SISO decoder producing its associated SISO information as a further plurality of probabilities that said first communication symbol has respective ones of said plurality of possible values of said first communication symbol.
22. The method of claim 21, including providing said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said first communication symbol as a priori output probabilities for use by the first SISO decoder, and providing said plurality of probabilities corresponding to said second communication symbol as a priori output probabilities for use by the second SISO decoder.
23. The method of claim 21, including the second SISO decoder producing its associated further plurality of probabilities as a plurality of a posteriori output probabilities, and the first SISO decoder producing its associated further plurality of probabilities as a plurality of a posteriori output probabilities.
24. The method of claim 18, wherein said at least one plurality of probabilities corresponds to said first communication symbol and said at least one SISO decoder is said second SISO decoder.
25. The method of claim 24, including said second SISO decoder producing its associated SISO information as a further plurality of probabilities that said second communication symbol has respective ones of said plurality of possible values of said second communication symbol.
26. The method of claim 25, including said second SISO decoder producing said further plurality of probabilities as a posteriori output probabilities.
27. The method of claim 18, including one of said SISO decoders producing a posteriori input probabilities, and performing one of interleaving and de-interleaving on said a posteriori input probabilities produced by said one SISO decoder to provide a priori input probabilities for input to the other of said SISO decoders.
28. The method of claim 27, including the other of said SISO decoders producing a posteriori input probabilities, and performing one of interleaving and de-interleaving on said last-mentioned a posteriori input probabilities to provide a priori input probabilities for input to said one SISO decoder.