Communications between connected devices

• US 10,334,602 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARCTIC Semiconductor Corp
• Original Assignee: SiTune Corporation
• Inventors: Veyseh, Marzieh, Toosi, Vahid Mesgarpour
• Primary Examiner(s): Crutchfield, Christopher M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Tito Q
• Application Number:
  US15/925,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments relate generally to method, system and apparatus for wireless communications between multiple wireless sensor nodes for wireless sensor networks. More specifically, disclosed are system and method that enable wireless communications between devices using different wireless transmission protocols, via one or more multi-channel intermediate devices.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method, comprising:

for an individual node of a plurality of nodes and at a plurality of times points, determining first noise level in a plurality of channels of a frequency band, the plurality of channels available to the individual node;

determining, in the individual node, that a first set of the plurality of channels is available for transmission at the end of the plurality of time points and based at least in part on the first noise level;

providing, to a hub, a listing of the first set of the plurality of channels;

determining, by the hub, that a second set of the plurality of channels, from the first set of the plurality of channels, is unavailable for transmission based at least in part on measurements of second noise level by the hub;

eliminating, the second set of the plurality of channels from the listing of the first set of the plurality of channels to provide a third set of the plurality of channels;

determining that additional nodes of the plurality of nodes provided a respective set of the plurality of channels in which respective unavailable channels are eliminated;

determining that the respective set of the plurality of channels include the third set of the plurality of channels;

associating count values for the respective set of the plurality of channels; and

assigning a select channel from the respective set of the plurality of channels to the individual node, the select channel for transmission by the individual node and having an associated count value that is a smallest value from the count values.

2. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the associated count value and the count values to reflect the assignment of the select channel.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a channel assignment for each of the plurality of nodes following the assignment of the select channel to the individual node, the channel assignment excluding further assignment of the select channel.

4. The processor-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the channel assignment for individual ones of the plurality of nodes is an ordered process beginning with the select channel assigned to the individual node and continuing with subsequent channels from the respective set of the plurality of channels that have an order of increasing values from the smallest value being assigned to a next node of the plurality of nodes till the individual node is reached.

5. The processor-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

assigning subsequent channels having an order of increasing values from the smallest value to a next node of the plurality of nodes, the assigning causing a change in the count values for the respective set of the plurality of channels;

determining that there are remaining ones of the plurality of nodes that do not have an assigned channel;

sorting the respective set of the plurality of channels by changed count values after the assigning of the subsequent channels has been completed to generate a sorted list with a new smallest count value among the changed count values;

assigning to the remaining ones of the plurality of nodes a channel with the new smallest count value.

6. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the plurality of channels available to the individual node based at least in part on at least one of a predetermined channel setting or a medium access protocol.

7. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a coordinator is operable to select a channel from the respective set of the plurality of channels for the individual node over the select channel to reduce contention in data communication.

8. The processor-implemented method of claim 7, the channel selected from the respective set of the plurality of channels for the individual node over the select channel is shared with another node.

9. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the individual node, signals that are at least in a frequency range corresponding to the select channel.

10. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting, by the individual node on a pre-defined control channel, an update to the plurality of channels available to the individual node.

11. A system, comprising:

a network of at least one hub and a plurality of nodes;

at least one processor in the network; and

memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

for an individual node of the plurality of nodes and at a plurality of times points, determine first noise level in a plurality of channels of a frequency band, the plurality of channels available to the individual node;

determine, in the individual node, that a first set of the plurality of channels is available for transmission at the end of the plurality of time points and based at least in part on the first noise level;

provide, to the at least one hub, a listing of the first set of the plurality of channels;

determine, by the at least one hub, that a second set of the plurality of channels, from the first set of the plurality of channels, is unavailable for transmission based at least in part on measurements of second noise level by the hub;

eliminate the second set of the plurality of channels from the listing of the first set of the plurality of channels to provide a third set of the plurality of channels;

determine that additional nodes of the plurality of nodes provided a respective set of the plurality of channels in which respective unavailable channels are eliminated;

determine that the respective set of the plurality of channels include the third set of the plurality of channels;

associate count values for the respective set of the plurality of channels; and

assign a select channel from the respective set of the plurality of channels to the individual node, the select channel for transmission by the individual node and having an associated count value that is a smallest value from the count values.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

update the associated count value and the count values to reflect the assignment of the select channel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

determine a channel assignment for each of the plurality of nodes following the assignment of the select channel to the individual node, the channel assignment excluding further assignment of the select channel.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the channel assignment for individual ones of the plurality of nodes is an ordered process beginning with the select channel assigned to the individual node and continuing with subsequent channels from the respective set of the plurality of channels that have an order of increasing values from the smallest value being assigned to a next node of the plurality of nodes till the individual node is reached.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

assign subsequent channels having an order of increasing values from the smallest value to a next node of the plurality of nodes, the assigning causing a change in the count values for the respective set of the plurality of channels;

determine that there are remaining ones of the plurality of nodes that do not have an assigned channel;

sort the respective set of the plurality of channels by changed count values after the assigning of the subsequent channels has been completed to generate a sorted list with a new smallest count value among the changed count values;

assign to the remaining ones of the plurality of nodes a channel with the new smallest count value.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

determine the plurality of channels available to the individual node based at least in part on at least one of a predetermined channel setting or a medium access protocol.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein a coordinator is operable to select a channel from the respective set of the plurality of channels for the individual node over the select channel to reduce contention in data communication.

18. The system of claim 17, the channel selected from the respective set of the plurality of channels for the individual node over the select channel is shared with another node.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

transmit, by the individual node, signals that are at least in a frequency range corresponding to the select channel.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

broadcast, by the individual node on a pre-defined control channel, an update to the plurality of channels available to the individual node.