Multi-hop power management in a wireless mesh network
First Claim
1. A mesh network device deployed in a wireless mesh network (WMN), the mesh network device comprising:
- a first radio coupled to an omnidirectional antenna;
a second radio selectively coupled to any one of a plurality of directional antennas;
a third radio selectively coupled to any one of the plurality of directional antennas;
an application processor coupled to the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio, wherein the application processor;
stores a first interference threshold parameter indicative of an amount of acceptable radio-frequency interference at the mesh network device;
stores a first signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) threshold parameter indicative of an acceptable data transmission rate for the mesh network device;
measures radio-frequency (RF) noise samples using at least one of the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio, during a pre-determined period of no-activity in the WMN, the RF noise samples are indicative of RF power measured at the at least one of the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio at a specified frequency;
estimates a first noise floor value from the RF noise samples;
determines a first path loss value (G1,2) for a first communication channel between the second radio and a radio of a second mesh network device, wherein the first path loss value (G1,2) is indicative of a first amount of interference affecting transmissions on the first communication channel;
determines a second path loss value (G1,3) for a second communication channel between the third radio and a radio of a third mesh network device, wherein the second path loss value (G1,3) is indicative of a second amount of interference affecting transmissions on the second communication channel, wherein the first amount of interference and the second amount of interference form a first set of interference metrics for the mesh network device;
obtains, from the second mesh network device, second data comprising a second noise floor value for the second mesh network device, a second set of interference metrics for the second mesh network device, a second interference threshold parameter for the second mesh network device, and a second SINR threshold parameter for the second mesh network device;
obtains, from the third mesh network device, third data comprising a third noise floor value for the second mesh network device, a third set of interference metrics for the third mesh network device, a third interference threshold parameter for the third mesh network device, and a third SINR threshold parameter for the third mesh network device; and
calculates a first transmit power level for the mesh network device, a second transmit power level for the second mesh network device, and a third transmit power level for the third mesh network device that results in a minimum data transmission rate of data transmissions over each hop of a network path that traverses the mesh network device, the second mesh network device, and the third mesh network device, wherein the application processor calculates the first transmit power, the second transmit power level, and the third transmit power level using the first noise floor value, the first set of interference metrics, the first interference threshold parameter, the first SINR threshold parameter, the second data, and the third data;
sends information that represents the second transmit power level to the second mesh network device via the second radio; and
sends information that represents the third transmit power level to the third mesh network device via the third radio.
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Abstract
Technology for multi-hop power management is described. In one embodiment, processing logic obtains a noise floor value, an interference threshold parameter, a data rate threshold parameter, and a set of channel interference metrics from each of a first mesh network device, a second mesh network device, and a third mesh network device, respectively. The processing logic identifies a network path that traverses the three mesh network devices. The processing logic calculates a first transmit power level for the first mesh network device, a second transmit power level for the second mesh network device, and a third transmit power level for the third mesh network device. Data transmissions by each of the mesh network device at the respective transmit power levels ensure a minimum data transmission rate over each hop of the network path.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mesh network device deployed in a wireless mesh network (WMN), the mesh network device comprising:
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a first radio coupled to an omnidirectional antenna; a second radio selectively coupled to any one of a plurality of directional antennas; a third radio selectively coupled to any one of the plurality of directional antennas; an application processor coupled to the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio, wherein the application processor; stores a first interference threshold parameter indicative of an amount of acceptable radio-frequency interference at the mesh network device; stores a first signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) threshold parameter indicative of an acceptable data transmission rate for the mesh network device; measures radio-frequency (RF) noise samples using at least one of the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio, during a pre-determined period of no-activity in the WMN, the RF noise samples are indicative of RF power measured at the at least one of the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio at a specified frequency; estimates a first noise floor value from the RF noise samples; determines a first path loss value (G1,2) for a first communication channel between the second radio and a radio of a second mesh network device, wherein the first path loss value (G1,2) is indicative of a first amount of interference affecting transmissions on the first communication channel; determines a second path loss value (G1,3) for a second communication channel between the third radio and a radio of a third mesh network device, wherein the second path loss value (G1,3) is indicative of a second amount of interference affecting transmissions on the second communication channel, wherein the first amount of interference and the second amount of interference form a first set of interference metrics for the mesh network device; obtains, from the second mesh network device, second data comprising a second noise floor value for the second mesh network device, a second set of interference metrics for the second mesh network device, a second interference threshold parameter for the second mesh network device, and a second SINR threshold parameter for the second mesh network device; obtains, from the third mesh network device, third data comprising a third noise floor value for the second mesh network device, a third set of interference metrics for the third mesh network device, a third interference threshold parameter for the third mesh network device, and a third SINR threshold parameter for the third mesh network device; and calculates a first transmit power level for the mesh network device, a second transmit power level for the second mesh network device, and a third transmit power level for the third mesh network device that results in a minimum data transmission rate of data transmissions over each hop of a network path that traverses the mesh network device, the second mesh network device, and the third mesh network device, wherein the application processor calculates the first transmit power, the second transmit power level, and the third transmit power level using the first noise floor value, the first set of interference metrics, the first interference threshold parameter, the first SINR threshold parameter, the second data, and the third data; sends information that represents the second transmit power level to the second mesh network device via the second radio; and sends information that represents the third transmit power level to the third mesh network device via the third radio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method comprising:
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obtaining, from a first mesh network device, first data, the first data comprising a first noise floor value, a first interference threshold parameter, a first data rate threshold parameter, and a first set of channel interference metrics; obtaining, from a second mesh network device, second data, the second data comprising a second noise floor value, a second interference threshold parameter, a second data rate threshold parameter, and a second set of channel interference metrics; obtaining, from a third mesh network device, third data, the third data comprising a third noise floor value, a third interference threshold parameter, a third data rate threshold parameter, and a third set of channel interference metrics; identifying a network path that traverses the first mesh network device, the second mesh network device, and the third mesh network device; and calculating a first transmit power level for the first mesh network device, a second transmit power level for the second mesh network device, and a third transmit power level for the third mesh network device using the first data, the second data, and the third data, wherein transmitting data by each of the first mesh network device at the first transmit power level, the second mesh network device at the second transmit power level, and the third mesh network device at the third transmit power level ensures at least a specified minimum data rate over each hop in the network path. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer system, comprising:
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a memory to store instructions of a power manager; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor to; obtain first data comprising a first interference threshold parameter, a first data rate threshold parameter, and a first set of channel interference metrics from a first mesh network device; obtain second data comprising a second interference threshold parameter, a second data rate threshold parameter, and a second set of channel interference metrics from a second mesh network device; obtain third data comprising a third interference threshold parameter, a third data rate threshold parameter, and a third set of channel interference metrics from a third mesh network device; identify a network path that traverses the first mesh network device, the second mesh network device, and the third mesh network device; calculate a first transmit power level for the first mesh network device, a second transmit power level for the second mesh network device, and a third transmit power level for the third mesh network device using the first data, the second data, and the third data; and send information that represents the first transmit power level to the first mesh network device, information that represents the second transmit power level to the second mesh network device, and information that represents the third transmit power level to the third mesh network device, wherein data transmissions by each of the first mesh network device at the first transmit power level, the second mesh network device at the second transmit power level, and the third mesh network device at the third transmit power level ensure a minimum data rate over each hop in the network path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification