WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD AND WIRELESS-PHONE USING HYBRID-DIVISION MULTIPLE ACCESS
Technical Field The present invention relates to a wireless communication method using hybrid division multiple' access and a wireless terminal apparatus therefor, and more particularly, to a wireless communication method and wireless terminal apparatus for allowing a code division multiple access (CDMA) signal and a time division multiple access (TDMA) signal to be used together through data transmission frames supporting hybrid division multiple access, thereby securing an independent channel between users of a wireless local access network (LAN) and increasing the number of available channels.
Generally, wireless communication methods for wireless switch of data are divided into a direct switch method using a switch and a wireless LAN method using a channel which is allocated according to a protocol between users.
In the direct switch method using a switch, a communication channel between users can be protected from being used by other users, but extra switches must be used to increase the number of available channels. In the wireless LAN method, a time division multiple access (TDMA) method is used for allocation of a channel between users. The characteristics of the TDMA method limit the number of available channels, and a previously allocated channel cannot be protected from being intentionally used by another terminal or from being unintentionally interfered with.
Background Art
A TDMA method is usually used for a wireless LAN method because a wireless LAN system using the TDMA method can secure
more available channels than* a wireless LAN system using a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) method and has a simpler system structure than a wireless LAN system using a code division multiple access (CDMA) method. In other words, while the wireless LAN system using the FDMA method is advantageous in having a simple structure because an operation can be performed even if time is not synchronized between apparatuses, it is disadvantageous in having less available channels than a wireless LAN system using another method. Meanwhile, the wireless LAN system using the CDMA method is advantageous in securing an independent channel for a user by positively removing interference between users but is disadvantageous in having a complex structure. Moreover, unlike signals modulated according to other methods, a signal modulated according to the CDMA method has multiple levels like an analog signal, so the signal modulated according to the CDMA method cannot be used together with the signals modulated according to the other methods in one system. For example, the wireless LAN system using the TDMA method cannot process a signal that has been modulated according to the CDMA method.
Disclosure of the Invention
To overcome the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication method and wireless terminal apparatus for allowing a code division multiple access (CDMA) signal and a time division multiple access (TDMA) signal to be used together through data transmission frames supporting hybrid division multiple access, thereby securing an independent channel between users of a wireless local access network (LAN) and increasing the number of available channels. To achieve the object of the present invention, there is provided a
wireless communication method using hybrid division multiple access. The wireless communication method includes a first step of designating a receiving terminal, transmitting a call request signal to the receiving terminal, and waiting for a response of the receiving terminal; a second step of modulating data to be transmitted according to a CDMA method when receiving a call response signal including channel information allocated to the receiving terminal from the receiving terminal; a third step of converting the CDMA data obtained through modulation in the second step into a binary-CDMA signal; a fourth step of dividing the binary-CDMA signal into information blocks having a predetermined length and adding synchronous information for time-division transmission and frequency stabilizing time information for frequency-division transmission to each of the information blocks, thereby generating data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access; and a fifth step of transmitting the data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access to the receiving terminal based on channel information included in the call response signal received from the receiving terminal.
There is also provided a wireless terminal apparatus for supporting hybrid division multiple access. The wireless terminal apparatus includes an interface unit for performing interfacing with a user; a modulation unit for modulating data according to a CDMA method in order to transmit the data of different channels through a single time slot and generating data transmission frames in order to transmit CDMA data resulting from modulation according to hybrid division multiple access; a transmitting unit for transmitting the CDMA data from the modulation unit to the outside; a receiving unit for receiving data; a demodulation unit for demodulating the data received through the receiving unit; a relay processing unit for when receiving data including a relay request signal through the receiving unit, analyzing the relay request signal, extracting destination receiving terminal information, and
relaying the data to a destination receiving terminal through the transmitting unit; and a controller for controlling the modulation unit, the relay processing unit, and the demodulation unit according to processing commands input from the user through the interface unit.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a procedure of generating a binary-code division multiple access (CDMA) signal according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2A is a waveform diagram for explaining the procedure of generating a binary-CDMA signal according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a procedure of generating a data transmission frame for hybrid division multiple access according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3A is a diagram of a data format of the data transmission frame for hybrid division multiple access according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a relay procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention. ,
FIG. 5 is a diagram of examples of a data transmission format used for wireless communication in a wireless communication method according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6A is a schematic block diagram of a modulation unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a schematic block diagram of a demodulation unit
according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6C is a schematic block diagram of a relay processing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 7 through 8B are diagrams of examples of a setting of frames for wireless communication according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Best mode for carrying out the Invention
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.
1 , an arbitrary terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a transmitting terminal) designates a receiving terminal and transmits a call request signal to the designated receiving terminal in step S100, and waits for a response signal from the receiving terminal in step S200.
Here, the call request signal includes a predetermined preamble for time synchronization and a call request including receiving terminal information, as shown in (a) of FIG. 5. The step S100 of designating a receiving terminal and transmitting a call request signal to it is a process which is typically performed for wireless call connection.
The receiving terminal having received the call request signal generates and transmits a call response signal including channel information allocated to the receiving signal. On receiving the call response signal, the transmitting terminal modulates data to be transmitted according to a code division multiple access (CDMA) method in step S300. In other words, if the receiving terminal transmits a call response signal made by adding an acknowledgement (ACK) signal including its channel information to the call request signal, as shown in
(b) of FIG. 5, the transmitting terminal modulate data to be transmitted according to the number of transmitting codes which are permitted for the transmitting terminal. A wireless communication system to which a wireless communication method according to the present invention is applied allocates common transmitting codes (referred to as "modulation codes") to all terminals and sets different numbers of available transmitting codes for different terminals according to its system characteristics such as system operating characteristics and system performance. Accordingly, the number of transmitting codes set for the transmitting terminal indicates the number of transmitting codes set for the transmitting terminal according to the system characteristics of a wireless communication system to which the transmitting terminal belongs. Consequently, the number of codes indicates the number of available channels of each terminal. For example, when 16 transmitting codes are allocated to a base station which exchanges data with a plurality of wireless terminals for wireless communications, and when 8 transmitting codes are allocated to each of the plurality of terminals, the base station can use 16 transmitting channels, and each of the terminals can use 8 transmitting channels. If the transmitting terminal modulates the data to be transmitted according to the CDMA method, the CDMA data is converted into a binary form to generate a binary-CDMA signal in step S400. In other words, the modulated data of different channels are summed, and only the signs of the result of summation are taken to generate CDMA data in binary form. Here, in order to prevent the sum of modulated channel data from being "0", when the number of modulated channels is an even number, an extra virtual channel having a predetermined value is added to make the number of channels odd.
Then, the binary-CDMA signal is divided into information blocks having a predetermined length, and synchronous information for
time-division transmission and frequency stabilizing time information for frequency-division transmission are added to each of the information blocks, thereby generating data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access in step S500. Based on the channel information included in the call response signal received from the receiving terminal, the transmitting terminal transmits the data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access to the receiving terminal in step S600.
The hybrid division multiple access indicates a multiple access method in which existing frequency division multiple access, time division multiple access, and code division multiple access are combined, and the data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access indicate data transmission frames which can support the hybrid division multiple access.
The steps S300 through S600 are repeated until the call ends in step S700.
If there is no response from the receiving terminal within a predetermined period of time in step S200, a relay process is performed in step S800. The relay process of step S800 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the step S400 of generating a binary-CDMA signal according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, in order to generate the binary-CDMA signal, the transmitting terminal checks the number of input channels in step S410. It is determined whether the number of channels is an odd or even number in step S420. If it is determined that the number of channels is an even number, an extra virtual channel having a predetermined value is added in step S430. Here, the value of the added virtual channel is not considered.
As described( above, when the number of input channels is set to an odd number, the transmitting terminal multiples data of different
channels by different orthogonal codes to generate CDMA signals of different channels in step S440. Then, the transmitting terminal sums the CDMA signal of different channels and the value of the added virtual channel in step S450. Only the signs of the result of summation are taken to generate a binary-CDMA signal in step S460.
FIG. 2A is a waveform diagram for explaining a procedure of generating a binary-CDMA signal. In FIG. 2A, waveforms (a) through
(d) are those of signals of input channels to be modulated. A waveform
(e) is that of a signal of a virtual channel provided for making the number of channels an odd number. A waveform (f) is that of a signal obtained by summing the signals having the waveforms (a) through (e) of different channels. A waveform (g) is that of a signal obtained by converting the multi-level CDMA signal having the waveform (f) into a binary form according to the signs of the multi-level CDMA signal. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the step S500 of generating a data transmission frame for hybrid division multiple access according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, in order to generate the data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access, the transmitting terminal divides the binary-CDMA signal generated in step S400 into blocks having a predetermined length in step S510. In other words, the transmitting terminal dividing the binary-CDMA signal by a length of integer times of an orthogonal code used to generate a CDMA signal to generate a plurality of information blocks.
Next, the transmitting terminal adds predetermined preamble information for synchronizing time among time-division frames to the front of each of the information blocks in step S520. In order to prevent data collision between time-division frames, delay time information is added the back of each of the information blocks in step S530. These types of information are necessary for transmitting each of the information blocks according to the TDMA method. In order to transmit
each of the information blocks according to the FDMA method, the transmitting terminal adds stabilizing time information to the front of each of the information blocks to which the above information has been added in step S540. In other words, the transmitting terminal adds time information, i.e., lock time, which is needed by a frequency mixer to stabilize a changed frequency.
FIG. 3A is a diagram of a data format of the data transmission frame for hybrid division multiple access according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3A, a data transmission frame according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a stabilizing area, i.e., lock time 31, a synchronous area, i.e., preamble 32, a data area, i.e., binary-CDMA data 33, and a delay area, i.e., dummy 34.
The lock time 31 stores predetermined time information needed by a frequency mixer to stabilize a frequency which is changed to form a channel. The preamble 32 stores predetermined preamble information for synchronizing time among time-division frames. The binary-CDMA data 33 stores the binary-CDMA signal obtained by converting a multi-level CDMA signal modulated using a plurality of orthogonal codes into a binary form according to the signs of multi-level CDMA signal. The dummy 34 stores time delay information for preventing data collision between time-division frames.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a relay procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention. The relay procedure includes requesting other neighboring terminals to relay data when there is no response from a relevant receiving terminal for a predetermined period of time after a transmitting terminal transmits a call request signal to the receiving terminal, and transmitting the data to the receiving terminal through a neighboring terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a "relay terminal") sending a
response signal to the request of relay.
Referring to FIG. 4, in order to perform the relay procedure, the transmitting terminal sends a relay request signal to other neighboring terminals in step S810. Here, the relay request signal has a form in which a relay request flag is embedded into a predetermined area of a usual call request signal, as shown in (c) of FIG. 5. After flooding the relay request signal, the transmitting terminal waits for a response in step S820.
When the transmitting terminal receives a relay response signal shown in (d) of FIG. 5 including channel information available for relay from one (a relay terminal) among the neighboring terminals that have received the relay request signal, it analyzes the relay response signal and extracts relay-related information such as channel information of the relay terminal in step S830 and transmits transmission data configured as data transmission frames for hybrid division multiple access to the receiving terminal based on the extracted information in steps S840 through S870. Here, once the relay terminal is selected, a procedure in which the transmitting terminal modulates the transmission data and transmits the data through the data transmission frames in steps S840 through S870 is performed in the same manner as the procedure of steps S300 through S600 of FIG. 1.
The steps S840 through S870 are repeated until the call ends in step S880.
If the relay terminal has communicated with another terminal, a relevant wireless communication system additionally allocates a relay code for generating a relay channel to the relay terminal. In other words, the wireless communication system can increase the number of available transmitting codes for each of the terminals. For example, if a maximum of 16 codes are permitted for each of the terminals, and if 8 codes are currently allocated to a certain terminal, the wireless
communication system can additionally allocate a code for relay to the relay terminal, and a maximum of 8 codes can be allocated to the relay terminal.
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, a wireless terminal apparatus according to the present invention includes an interface unit 100, a controller 200, an input unit 300, a modulation unit 400, a relay processing unit 500, a demodulation unit 600, an output unit 700, a transmitting unit 800, and a receiving unit 900.
The interface unit 100 provides interfacing with a user. The input unit 300 receives data to be. transmitted from the user, and the output unit 700 provides data which is received from another wireless terminal apparatus according to the present invention and demodulated to the user.
The modulation unit 400 modulates the data of multiple channels received through the input unit 300 according to the CDMA method in order transmit the data of multiple channels through a single time slot, and generates data transmission frames in order to transmit CDMA data resulting from modulation according to hybrid division multiple access.
The transmitting unit 800 transmits a modulated signal from the modulation unit 400 to the outside, and the receiving unit 900 receives data.
The demodulation unit 600 demodulates the data received through the receiving unit 900 and outputs demodulated data to the output unit 700.
When the relay processing unit 500 receives data including a relay request signal through the receiving unit 900, it analyzes the relay request signal, extracts destination receiving terminal information, and relays the data to a destination receiving terminal through the
transmitting unit 800.
The controller 200 controls the input unit 300, the modulation unit 400, the relay processing unit 500, the demodulation unit 600, and the output unit 700 according to processing commands input from the user through the interface unit 100.
FIG. 6A is a schematic block diagram of the modulation unit 400 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6A, the modulation unit 400 includes a CDMA signal generator 410, a channel determiner 420, a signal converter 430, a group code generator 440, a multiplier 450, a TDMA processor 460, and an FDMA processor 470.
The CDMA signal generator 410 multiples data of different channels received through the input unit 300 by different orthogonal codes to modulate the data, thereby generating CDMA signals of the different channels.
The channel determiner 420 checks the number of channels of the CDMA signals output from the CDMA signal generator 410 and adds an extra virtual channel having a predetermined value when the number of channels is an even number. The addition of the virtual channel is for preventing the sum of channel values from being "0" when the number of channels is an even number. The value of the virtual channel is not important.
The signal converter 430 adds the CDMA signals received through the channel determiner 420 to the value of the added virtual channel and takes only the signs of the result of summation, thereby generating a binary-CDMA signal. For example, after the CDMA signals and the values of all virtual channels are added together, the signs of the result of addition are checked in units of frames (per unit time), and a binary-CDMA signal represented by "1" and "0" is generated on the assumption that data in a frame having a positive value is "1" and data in
a frame having a negative value is "0".
The group code generator 440 generates a group code shared by users belonging to the same group in order to prevent interference between groups. The multiplier 450 multiplies the binary-CDMA signal output from the signal converter 430 by the group code generated by the group code generator 440.
The TDMA processor 460 divides the output signal of the multiplier 450 into information blocks having a predetermined length and adds predetermined data to each of the information blocks to transmit the information blocks according to the TDMA method. Here, the TDMA processor 460 adds predetermined preamble information, i.e., preamble, for synchronizing time among time-division frames to the front of each of the information blocks and adds delay time information, i.e., dummy, for preventing data collision between time-division frames to the back of each of the information blocks.
The FDMA processor 470 adds predetermined data to each of the information blocks that have been output from the TDMA processor 460 to transmit the information blocks according to the FDMA method. In other words, the FDMA processor 470 adds predetermined stabilizing time information, i.e., lock time, which is needed by a frequency mixer to stabilize a frequency changing for channel formation, to the front of each of the information blocks output from the TDMA processor 460.
FIG. 6B is a schematic block- diagram of the demodulation unit 600 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6B, the demodulation unit 600 includes a sync comparator 610, a group code generator 620, a multiplier 630, and a CDMA demodulator 640.
The sync comparator 610 compares a synchronous signal contained in the data received through the receiving unit 900 of FIG. 6
with a predetermined synchronous signal, i.e., a signal stored in the sync comparator 610, and receives the data only when the synchronous signals are the same.
The group code generator 620 generates a group code shared by users belonging to the same group in order to prevent interference between groups. The group code generated by the group code generator 620 is the same as that used during modulation.
The multiplier 630 multiplies data received from the sync comparator 610 by the group code generated by the group code generator 620 to extract a pure modulated signal only and transmits the modulated signal to the CDMA demodulator 640. The CDMA demodulator 640 demodulates the modulated signal.
FIG. 6C is a schematic block diagram of the relay processing unit 500 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6C, the relay processing unit 500 includes a relay controller 510, a signal analyzer 520, and a response processor 530.
When the signal analyzer 520 receives data including a relay request signal from the receiving unit 900 of FIG. 6, it analyzes the relay request signal for a relay process and extracts destination receiving terminal information.
When the relay controller 510 receives the relay request signal from the signal analyzer 520, it determines whether relay corresponding to the relay request signal is possible, sets a relay channel for relaying the data to a destination receiving terminal, and controls a relay process. In other words, the relay controller 510 checks the number of codes allocated to the present terminal and a transmitting channel available according to the number of codes. When the transmitting channel has already been occupied by another call, the relay controller 510 additionally allocates the present terminal a code necessary for forming a relay channel.
When the relay controller 510 determines that the relay is possible, the response processor 530 transmits a relay response signal under the control of the relay controller 510 and controls the transmitting unit 800 to relay the data to the destination receiving terminal based on the destination receiving terminal information extracted by the signal analyzer 520.
FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example of allocation of channels for wireless communications among a single base station 10 and four terminals 20 through 50 connected to the base station 10. Referring to FIG. 7, entirely 6 frames 1 through 6 (indicating time slots resulting from division for TDMA) are allocated for data transmission among the base station 10 and the terminals 20 through 50. The two frames 1 and 2 are allocated for generation of a transmitting channel of the base station 10, and the remaining four frames 3 through 6 are allocated for generation of transmitting channels of the respective terminals 20 through 50.
In other words, a plurality of time slots (the frames 1 and 2) are allocated to the base station 10 for generation transmitting channels, and 16 codes are allocated to each of the time slots. Accordingly, the base station 10 transmits data to the first terminal 20 using the upper first through eighth codes of the frame 1, transmits data to the second terminal 30 using the lower ninth through sixteenth codes of the frame 1 , transmits data to the third terminal 40 using the upper first through eighth codes of the frame 2, and transmits data to the fourth terminal 50 using the lower ninth through sixteenth codes of the frame 2. In addition, the base station 10 uses the frame 1 to receive data transmitted from the first and second terminals 20 and 30 and uses the frame 2 to receive data transmitted from the third and fourth terminals 40 and 50.
Eight codes are allocated to each of the frames 3 through 6. The frame 3 is allocated to generate a transmitting channel of the first
terminal 20. The frame 4 is allocated to generate a transmitting channel of the second terminal 30. The frame 5 is allocated to generate a transmitting channel of the third terminal 40. The frame 6 is allocated to generate a transmitting channel of the fourth terminal 50. In addition, each of the terminals 20 through 50 uses the frame allocated thereto in order to receive data transmitted from another terminal or the base station 10. Here, in the case where the second terminal 30 relays communication between the first terminal 20 and the third terminal 40, if the second terminal 30 does not perform communication itself, it performs relay using 8 codes currently allocated. However, if the second terminal 30 is communicating with the fourth terminal 50 using the 8 codes currently allocated, a present wireless communication system additionally allocates 8 codes for relay to the second terminal 30 so that the second terminal 30 can perform relay using the additionally allocated codes.
This can be realized by using data frames for hybrid division multiple access allowing data, which is modulated using a plurality of codes, to be transmitted through a single frame.
FIG. 8A is a diagram of an example of channel allocation for communication between two terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8A, four frames 1 through 4 are allocated for wireless communication between a fifth terminal 60 and a sixth terminal 70, and two frames each of which is allocated four codes represented by differently patterned blocks are allocated to each of the terminals 60 and 70 for generation of a transmitting channel thereof because 8 channels are generally needed for voice communication. Here, if a terminal is added, four codes are additionally allocated to each of the frames, and a single frame is allocated to each of the terminals so that communication among a maximum of 4 terminals can be accomplished. In the example of FIG. 8A, the frames 1 and 3 are used
for generating a transmitting channel of the fifth terminal 60, and the frames 2 and 4 are used for generating a transmitting channel of the sixth terminal 70.
FIG. 8B is a diagram of an example in which a terminal relays communication between two other terminals. Referring to FIG. 8B, in order to make an eighth terminal 71 relay wireless communication between a seventh terminal 61 and a ninth terminal 81 , four frames 1 through 4 are allocated, and a frame which is allocated eight codes represented by differently patterned blocks is allocated to each of the terminals 61, 71, and 81 for generation of a transmitting channel thereof. Here, the eighth terminal 71 needs two transmitting channels in order to perform relay. In other words, the eighth terminal 71 needs a transmitting channel for transmitting data from the seventh terminal 61 to the ninth terminal 81 and a transmitting channel for transmitting data from the ninth terminal 81 to the seventh terminal 61. Accordingly, the eighth terminal 71 is allocated the two frames 2 and 4.
In other words, the frame 1 is allocated to the seventh terminal 61 to generate a transmitting channel for allowing the seventh terminal 61 to transmit data to the eighth terminal 71, and the frame 2 is allocated to the eighth terminal 71 to generate a transmitting channel allowing the eighth terminal 71 to relay the data to the ninth terminal 81. Meanwhile, the frame 3 is allocated to the ninth terminal 81 to generate a transmitting channel for allowing the ninth terminal 81 to transmit data to the eighth terminal 71, and the frame 4 is allocated to the eighth terminal 71 to generate a transmitting channel allowing the eighth terminal 71 to relay the data to the seventh terminal 61.
The above description just concerns embodiments of the present invention. The present invention is not restricted to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made thereto within the scope defined by the attached claims. For example, the shape and
structure of each member specified in the embodiments can be changed.
Industrial Applicability
The present invention employs hybrid division multiple access in which CDMA is integrated into a wireless LAN based on TDMA, thereby securing independent channels among users and providing reliable communication for the users. In addition, the present invention allocates a plurality of channels to a single time slot for wireless communication and applies different methods of using the allocated channels to different time slots, thereby using a wireless communication system in various types. For example, in the case where a terminal is requested from another terminal to perform relay, the present invention allows the terminal to perform relay while allowing the terminal to maintain existing communication.