IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0652247
(2007-01-10)
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등록번호 |
US-8498237
(2013-07-30)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Corson, M. Scott
- Li, Junyi
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
27 인용 특허 :
113 |
초록
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Methods and/or apparatus for communicating and/or using device capability information are described. Device capability information may be broadcast by a device using a first protocol. The protocol may be a beacon signal based protocol. The device information is used to select a second protocol and/o
Methods and/or apparatus for communicating and/or using device capability information are described. Device capability information may be broadcast by a device using a first protocol. The protocol may be a beacon signal based protocol. The device information is used to select a second protocol and/or a device configuration to be used to communicate user data. In some embodiments the first protocol is a low bit rate protocol supporting less than 300 bits per second while the second protocol is a much higher rate protocol supporting in some embodiments data rates in the range of kilobits per second or even much higher data rates. The second protocol normally uses signal phase to communicate information while the first protocol does not use signal phase in many but not necessarily all embodiments.
대표청구항
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1. A method of operating a first communications device, the method comprising: receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information, over the air from a second communications device, using a first communications protocol which uses a first modulation me
1. A method of operating a first communications device, the method comprising: receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information, over the air from a second communications device, using a first communications protocol which uses a first modulation method which is not used by said first communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andestablishing communications with the second device from which said capability information was received, said step of establishing communications including selecting a second communications protocol to use to communicate user data, said second communications protocol being selected from a set of communications protocols, each communications protocol in said set of communications protocols supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol and using a modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communications protocol supports a maximum bit rate less than 300 bits/second; and wherein said second communications protocol uses signal phase in communicating user data. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein signals transmitted in accordance with the first communications protocol are transmitted at an average per symbol transmission power level Pb that is at least twice the average transmission power level of data symbols transmitted in accordance with the second communications protocol. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received device capability information indicates a plurality of communications protocols supported by said second device. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of communications protocols indicated as being supported by said second communications device, by said received device capability information, does not include said first communications protocol. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting a second communications protocol includes selecting the highest bit rate communications protocol which is supported by said first device and which said received device information indicates is also supported by said second communications device. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second communications protocol is one of a GSM, CDMA and OFDM protocol. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein said first communications protocol is a communications protocol which supports a maximum bit rate less than 1/100th the maximum bit rate supported by said second communications protocol. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said beacon signal based protocol supports a maximum bit rate less than 100 bits/second; andwherein said second communications protocol supports a transmission bit rate of more than 10000 bits per second. 11. The method of 1, further comprising: receiving user data from said second communications signals from said second communications device during said established communications session; andwherein receiving at least some device capability information includes receiving beacon symbols transmitted by said second communications device at an average per beacon symbol transmission power level that is at least 100 times the average per symbol power level at which user data symbols received during said second communications sessions are transmitted by the second communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications protocol permits beacon symbols to be transmitted on less than 1/100th the tones available for beacon symbol transmission during any symbol transmission time period. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications protocol permits beacon symbols to be transmitted during less than 1/100th the transmission time periods in which user data may be transmitted. 14. The communications method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting beacon signal bursts during said established communications session, said beacon signal bursts communicating at least some first device capability information. 15. The communications method of claim 14, wherein said second communications protocol is one of a CDMA, OFDM and GSM communications protocol and wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based protocol. 16. The communications method of claim 14, wherein second communications protocol is a communications protocol which supports a bit rate at least 1000 times higher than the bit rate at which said device capability information is received by to the first communications device. 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising: responding to said received device capability information by transmitting a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed configuration to be used in a communications session with said second device. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: monitoring to detect beacon symbols transmitted by said second device in response to the communicated proposed configuration information. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein establishing communications with the second communications device further includes changing the configuration of the first communications device from the selected configuration to another configuration in response to information communicated by beacon symbols received from said second device. 20. The communications method of claim 18, further comprising: transmitting beacon signal bursts during said established communications session, said beacon signal bursts communicating at least some first device capability information. 21. A first communications device, comprising: a receiver for receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second communications device, using a first communications protocol which uses a first modulation method which is not used by said first communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; anda second communications protocol selection module for selecting a second communications protocol to use to communicate user data, said second communications protocol being selected from a set of communications protocols, each communications protocol in said set of communications protocols supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol and using a modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 22. The communications device of claim 21, wherein said first communications protocol supports a maximum bit rate less than 300 bits/second; and wherein said second communications protocol uses signal phase in communicating user data. 23. The communications device of claim 21, wherein signals transmitted in accordance with the first communications protocol are transmitted at an average per symbol transmission power level Pb that is at least twice the average transmission power level of data symbols transmitted in accordance with the second communications protocol. 24. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the received device capability information indicates a plurality of communications protocols supported by said second device. 25. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the plurality of communications protocols indicated as being supported by said second communications device, by said received device capability information, does not include said first communications. 26. The communications device of claim 21, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol; andwherein said second communications protocol is one of a GSM, CDMA and OFDM protocol. 27. The communications device of claim 26, wherein said first communications protocol is a communications protocol which supports a maximum bit rate less than 1/100th the maximum bit rate supported by said second communications protocol. 28. The communications device of 21, further comprising: a user data recovery module for recovering user data from communications signals communicated using said second communications protocol; anda beacon symbol detection module for detecting beacon symbols in a received signal, said beacon symbol detection module using received signal energy to distinguish beacon symbols from user data symbols, said beacon symbols being received with at least a 10 dB power differential on average relative to user data symbols received from the same device as said beacon symbols. 29. The communication device of claim 28, further comprising: a beacon signal information recovery module for recovering information communicated using beacon symbols wherein at least some information is communicated by at least one of time and frequency of received beacon symbols. 30. The communications device of claim 21, further comprising: a transmitter for transmitting beacon signals used to communicate at least some device capability information. 31. The communications device of claim 30, wherein at least one of said beacon signals is an OFDM beacon signal including at least one beacon signal burst, said beacon signal burst including at least one beacon symbol. 32. The communications device of claim 31, further comprising: a beacon signal generation module for generating beacon signals including at least some high power beacon symbols and a plurality of intentional signal nulls. 33. A first communications device, comprising: means for receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second communications device, using a first communications protocol which uses a first modulation method which is not used by said first communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andmeans for selecting a second communications protocol to use to communicate user data, said second communications protocol being selected from a set of communications protocols, each communications protocol in said set of communications protocols supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol and using a modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 34. The communications device of claim 33, wherein signals transmitted in accordance with the first communications protocol are transmitted at an average per symbol transmission power level Pb that is at least twice the average transmission power level of data symbols transmitted in accordance with the second communications protocol. 35. The communications device of claim 33, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol; andwherein said second communications protocol is one of a GSM, CDMA and OFDM protocol. 36. The communications device of claim 33, further comprising: means for transmitting beacon signals used to communicate at least some device capability information. 37. The communications device of claim 36, wherein at least one of said beacon signals is an OFDM beacon signal including at least one beacon signal burst, said beacon signal burst including at least one beacon symbol. 38. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a first communications device to implement a method of communicating with another communications device, the method comprising: receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second communications device, using a first communications protocol which uses a first modulation method which is not used by said first communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andestablishing communications with the second device from which said capability information was received, said step of establishing communications including selecting a second communications protocol to use to communicate user data, said second communications protocol being selected from a set of communications protocols, each communications protocol in said set of communications protocols supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol and using a modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein signals transmitted in accordance with the first communications protocol are transmitted at an average per symbol transmission power level Pb that is at least twice the average transmission power level of data symbols transmitted in accordance with the second communications protocol. 40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein the first communications protocol permits beacon symbols to be transmitted during less than 1/100th the transmission time periods in which user data may be transmitted. 41. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, further embodying machine executable instructions for: transmitting beacon signal bursts during said established communications session, said beacon signal bursts communicating at least some first device capability information. 42. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, further embodying machine executable instructions for: responding to said received device capability information by transmitting a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed configuration to be used in a communications session with said second device. 43. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 42, further embodying machine executable instructions for: monitoring to detect beacon symbols transmitted by said second device in response to the communicated proposed configuration information. 44. An apparatus comprising: a processor configured to: receive, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second communications device, using a first communications protocol which uses a first modulation method which is not used by said first communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andcontrol the establishment of communications with the second device from which said capability information was received, said step of establishing communications including selecting a second communications protocol to use to communicate user data, said second communications protocol being selected from a set of communications protocols, each communications protocol in said set of communications protocols supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol and using a modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein signals transmitted in accordance with the first communications protocol are transmitted at an average per symbol transmission power level Pb that is at least twice the average transmission power level of data symbols transmitted in accordance with the second communications protocol. 46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said processor is further configured to: control the transmission of beacon signal bursts during said established communications session, said beacon signal bursts communicating at least some apparatus capability information. 47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said processor is further configured to: respond to said received device capability information by controlling the transmission of a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed configuration to be used in a communications session with said second device. 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said apparatus is a mobile handheld communications device; andwherein said processor is further configured to monitor to detect beacon symbols transmitted by said second device in response to the communicated proposed configuration information. 49. A method of operating a first mobile communications device to communicate with another mobile communications device, the method comprising: receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second mobile communications device using a first communications protocol, said first communications protocol using beacon signal bursts to communicate device capability information and a first modulation method which is not used by said first mobile communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andselecting a first mobile communications device configuration to be used when communicating user data to said second communications device, based on the received device capability information, said first mobile communications device configuration being selected from a plurality of supported device configurations, each of said supported device configurations using a different modulation method than said first modulation method and supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol, a second communications protocol being supported by the selected first mobile communications device configuration, said second communications protocol being different from said first communications protocol and using a second modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 50. The method of claim 49, further comprising: transmitting signals communicating user data to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol, said user data including at least one of voice, text or image data. 51. The method of claim 49, further comprising: configuring the first mobile communications device to operate in accordance with the selected device configuration; andmonitoring for signals communicated in accordance with the second communications protocol from the said second communications device to the first communications device. 52. The method of claim 50, wherein said first communication protocol supports a maximum bit rate less than 300 bits/second; and wherein the first communications protocol does not use signal phase to communicate information. 53. The method of claim 50, wherein the first communications protocol supports a lower maximum data rate than said second communications protocol, the method further comprising: communicating session establishment information to the second communications device using said first communications protocol. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based protocol and wherein said second communications protocol is one of an OFDM signal protocol, CDMA signal protocol and GSM signal protocol. 55. The method of claim 50, wherein selecting a first mobile communications device configuration includes: selecting a set of protocol stack elements including at least one lower level communications protocol used by said first mobile communications device in combination with said second communications protocol. 56. The method of claim 55, wherein transmitting signals to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol includes transmitting user data to the second device using said second communications protocol, said user data including one of audio data, text data and image data. 57. The method of claim 56, wherein said first communications protocol is not used to communicate user data. 58. The method of claim 50, wherein said device capability information is communicated as a value corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined sets of device capabilities. 59. The method of claim 50, further comprising: responding to said received device capability information by transmitting a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed configuration to be used in a communications session with said second device. 60. The method of claim 59, wherein transmitting signals to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol includes transmitting user data to the second device using said second communications protocol, said user data including one of audio data, text data and image data. 61. The communications method of claim 60, further comprising: transmitting beacon signal bursts during said established communications session, said beacon signal bursts communicating at least some first device capability information. 62. The method of claim 60, further comprising: responding to said received device capability information by transmitting a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed device configuration. 63. The method of claim 59, further comprising: monitoring to detect beacon symbols transmitted by said second device in response to the communicated proposed device configuration. 64. The method of claim 63, wherein establishing communications with the second communications device further includes changing the configuration of the first communications device from the selected configuration to another configuration in response to information communicated by beacon symbols received from said second device. 65. A first mobile communications device for communicating with another mobile communications device, comprising: a receiver for receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating a signal including at least some device capability information over the air from a second mobile communications device using a first communications protocol, said first communications protocol using beacon signal bursts to communicate device capability information and a first modulation method which is not used by said first mobile communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; anda device configuration selection module for selecting between a plurality of possible device configurations, based on the received device capability information, a first mobile communications device configuration to be used when communicating user data to said second communications device, each of said possible device configurations using a different modulation method than said first modulation method and supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol, a second communications protocol being supported by the selected first mobile communications device configuration, said second communications protocol being different from said first communications protocol and using a second modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 66. The first mobile communications device of claim 65, further comprising: a transmitter for transmitting signals communicating user data to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol, said user data including at least one of voice, text or image data. 67. The first mobile communications device of claim 65, further comprising: a configuration control module for configuring the first mobile communications device to operate in accordance with the selected device configuration; anda second communication protocol processing module for processing received signals communicated in accordance with the second communications protocol from the said second communications device to the first communications device. 68. The first mobile communications device of claim 66, wherein said first communication protocol supports a maximum bit rate less than 300 bits/second; and wherein the first communications protocol does not use signal phase to communicate information. 69. The first mobile communications device of claim 66, wherein the first communications protocol supports a lower maximum data rate than said second communications protocol; and wherein said first mobile communications device communicates session establishment information to the second communications device using said first communications protocol. 70. The first mobile communications device of claim 69, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based protocol and wherein said second communications protocol is one of an OFDM signal protocol, CDMA signal protocol and GSM signal protocol. 71. The first mobile communications device of claim 66, further comprising: a storage device including a stored set of values, different values in said stored set corresponding to different sets of device capability information;anda device capability information recovery module for recovering communicated device capability information by determining the set of device capability information corresponding to a value obtained from a received beacon signal. 72. A first mobile communications device for communicating with another mobile communications device, comprising: means for receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating a signal including at least some device capability information over the air from a second mobile communications device using a first communications protocol, said first communications protocol using beacon signal bursts to communicate device capability information and a first modulation method which is not used by said first mobile communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andmeans for selecting between a plurality of possible device configurations, based on the received device capability information, a first mobile communications device configuration to be used when communicating user data to said second communications device, each of said possible device configurations using a different modulation method than said first modulation method and supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol, a second communications protocol being supported by the selected first mobile communications device configuration, said second communications protocol being different from said first communications protocol and using a second modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 73. The first mobile communications device of claim 72, further comprising: means for transmitting signals communicating user data to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol, said user data including at least one of voice, text or image data. 74. The first mobile communications device of claim 72, further comprising: configuration control means for configuring the first mobile communications device to operate in accordance with the selected device configuration; andsecond communication protocol processing means for processing received signals communicated in accordance with the second communications protocol from the said second communications device to the first communications device. 75. The first mobile communications device of claim 73, wherein the first communications protocol supports a lower maximum data rate than said second communications protocol; and wherein said first mobile communications device communicates session establishment information to the second communications device using said first communications protocol. 76. The first mobile communications device of claim 73, further comprising: storage means including a stored set of values, different values in said stored set corresponding to different sets of device capability information; anddevice capability information recovery means for recovering communicated device capability information by determining the set of device capability information corresponding to a value obtained from a received beacon signal. 77. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a first mobile communications device to implement a method of communicating with another communications device, the method comprising: receiving, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second mobile communications device using a first communications protocol, said first communications protocol using beacon signal bursts to communicate device capability information and a first modulation method which is not used by said first mobile communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andselecting a first mobile communications device configuration to be used when communicating user data to said second communications device, based on the received device capability information, said first mobile communications device configuration being selected from a plurality of supported device configurations, each of said supported device configurations using a different modulation method than said first modulation method and supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol, a second communications protocol being supported by the selected first mobile communications device configuration, said second communications protocol being different from said first communications protocol and using a second modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 78. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 77, further embodying machine executable instructions for: transmitting signals communicating user data to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol, said user data including at least one of voice, text or image data. 79. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 77, further embodying machine executable instructions for: configuring the first mobile communications device to operate in accordance with the selected device configuration; andmonitoring for signals communicated in accordance with the second communications protocol from the said second communications device to the first communications device. 80. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 78, further embodying machine executable instructions for: responding to said received device capability information by transmitting a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed configuration to be used in a communications session with said second device. 81. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 80, further embodying machine executable instructions for: monitoring to detect beacon symbols transmitted by said second device in response to the communicated proposed device configuration. 82. An apparatus comprising: a processor configured to: receive, via an antenna, a radio signal communicating at least some device capability information over the air from a second mobile communications device using a first communications protocol, said first communications protocol using beacon signal bursts to communicate device capability information and a first modulation method which is not used by said first mobile communications device to communicate user data, the first modulation method using at least one of signal frequency or time to communicate information but not using signal phase to communicate information; andselect an apparatus configuration to be used when communicating user data to said second communications device, based on the received device capability information, said apparatus configuration being selected from a plurality of supported device configurations, each of said supported device configurations using a different modulation method than said first modulation method and supporting a higher bit rate than said first communications protocol, a second communications protocol being supported by the selected first mobile communications device configuration, said second communications protocol being different from said first communications protocol and using a second modulation method which is different from said first modulation method. 83. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein said processor is further configured to: control the transmission of signals communicating user data to the second mobile communications device in accordance with the second communications protocol, said user data including at least one of voice, text or image data. 84. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein said processor is further configured to: configure the apparatus to operate in accordance with the selected device configuration; andmonitor for signals communicated in accordance with the second communications protocol from the said second communications device to the apparatus. 85. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein said processor is further configured to: respond to said received device capability information by controlling the transmission of a signal including beacon burst, said signal communicating a proposed configuration to be used in a communications session with said second device. 86. The apparatus of claim 85, wherein said apparatus is a handheld mobile communications device; andwherein said first mobile communications device processor is further configured to monitor to detect beacon symbols transmitted by said second device in response to the communicated proposed device configuration. 87. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communication protocol supports a maximum bit rate less than 300 bits/second. 88. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a communications session establishing communications with the second device from which said capability information was received includes: communicating session establishment information to the second communications device using said first communications protocol. 89. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least some device capability information was communicated in a first frequency band, the method further comprising: communicating with the second communications device via signals transmitted in said first frequency band which are in accordance with said second communications protocol. 90. The method of claim 1, further comprising: using said antenna to receive signals communicated by said second communications device in accordance with said second communications protocol. 91. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulation method uses both signal frequency and time to communicate information but does not use signal phase to communicate information. 92. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulation method uses at least signal frequency to communicate information but does not use signal phase to communicate information.
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