Embedded routing algorithms under the internet protocol routing layer of a software architecture protocol stack in a mobile Ad-Hoc network

• US 20020191573A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strong Force IoT Portfolio 2016, LLC (Strong Force Intellectual Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Eric D., Whitehill, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0034 where the transmitter decides based on inferences, e.g. use of implicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/203 Details of error rate determination, e.g. BER, FER or WER
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/208 involving signal re-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A novel software architecture protocol stack with embedded routing algorithms under the Internet Protocol (IP) routing layer in order to provide high quality distribution of multimedia (voice, video, and data) services. These routing algorithms may include Logical Link Control, Adaptive Transmission Protocol, Neighbor Discovery, Traffic Control, Ad-Hoc Routing, Flow Processing, Intelligent Access and Admission Control. These routing algorithms when implemented further provide for advantages in speed of service, reliability of service, self-healing in case of catastrophic failure of an infrastructure component, load-balancing and geographic reuse.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a transmitter, which is adapted for use in a wireless mobile ad-hoc communication network, to transmit at least one packet of information, the method comprising:

identifying a quality of service (QoS) associated with said packet;

controlling said transmitter to attempt to transmit said packet to a node in said wireless mobile ad-hoc communication network; and

controlling said transmitter to attempt to retransmit said packet to said node in said wireless mobile ad-hoc communication network at least one period of time from said attempt to transmit based on said QoS associated with said packet, when it is determined that said attempt to transmit said packet to said node has failed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

before performing said controlling steps, placing said packet in a transmission queue at a position to await transmission based on said QoS associated with said packet.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

a said data packet having an associated said QoS having a higher value is placed at a position in said transmission queue for transmission ahead of another said data packet having another associated said QoS having a lower value.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

a said data packet containing voice data is placed at a position in said transmission queue for transmission ahead of a said data packet containing streaming media, and said data packet containing steaming media is placed at a position in said transmission queue for transmission ahead of a said data packet containing non-voice data or non-streaming media data.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the length between said periods of time is less for a said data packet having an associated said QoS having a higher value than a said data packet having another associated said QoS having a lower value.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a duration of time beginning when said attempt to transmit occurs; and

repeating said step of controlling said attempt to retransmit at said periods of time until said duration of time exceeds a desired duration of time for said QoS associated with said packet.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

discarding said packet when said duration of time exceeds said desired duration of time for said QoS associated with said packet.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the length of said duration of time decreases as a magnitude of said QoS associated with said packet increases.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the length of said duration of time for a said data packet containing voice data is less than the length of said duration of time for a said data packet containing streaming media, and the length of said duration of time for a said data packet containing steaming media is less than the length of said duration of time for a said data packet containing non-voice data or non-streaming media data.

10. A method for controlling a node in a wireless ad-hoc communication network to identify the presence of other nodes in the network, comprising:

controlling said node to transmit at least one message to be received by those of said other nodes within a broadcast range of said node;

controlling said node to receive responses to said at least one message transmitted by said those of said other nodes; and

determining respective identities of said those of said other nodes relative to said node, and at least one route for said node to communicate with another network, based on said responses.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said determining determines said respective identities of said those of said other nodes based on respective power levels at which said node receives said respective responses.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said determining further includes determining respective locations of said those of said other nodes based on said respective responses.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

at least one of said messages transmitted by said node includes information pertaining to a location of said node and an indication of the suitability of said node to act as a position reference.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said determining step determines a plurality of said routing paths available for routing said data packet between said source node to said destination node.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

removing at least one of said nodes from said group of available nodes based on a change in characteristics of said at least one of said nodes, or a change in position of said source node, or both.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein each said respective characteristic associated with each respective node includes as indication as to whether said respective node is at least one of the following types of nodes:

an access node capable of providing said source node access to another network or another portion of said network;

a neighboring node of said source node;

a neighbor of at least one neighboring node of said source node;

a terminal node which is actively a source or sink of data traffic; and

a wireless router which is not a neighboring node of said source node.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said including includes a node in said group of available nodes based on the following priority:

an access node having the highest priority, followed by a neighboring node, a neighbor of said neighboring node, a terminal node, and a wireless routing having the lowest priority.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

removing at least one of said nodes based on the following priority;

an access node having the lowest priority for removal, followed by a neighboring node, a neighbor of said neighboring node, a terminal node, and a wireless routing having the highest priority for removal.

21. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

determining a respective characteristic of a respective said node based on at least one message received by said source node from said respective said node.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said message includes information pertaining to the power and data rates of connections between nodes neighboring said source node and other nodes.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said node receives said response message that was routed from said access node through at least one of said other nodes.

25. A method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

controlling said node to send at least one data packet to said access node via at least one of said other nodes.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

said controlling step controls said node to send said at least one data packet to said access node as a unicast message.

14. A method for routing at least one data packet between a source node and a destination node in a mobile ad-hoc routing network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

determining at least one routing path for routing said data packet between said source node and said destination node based on an amount of energy allowed to be expended by said source node to transmit said data packet, a number of other said nodes permitted as hops between said source node and said destination node, an amount of data congestion in an area of said network including said source and destination nodes, and an amount of power remaining in a power source of said source node; and

controlling said source node to transmit said data packet to said destination node along said determined routing path.

16. A method for determining at least one route for routing at least one data packet between a source node and a destination node in a mobile ad-hoc communication network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

identifying those of said nodes that said source node can use to route said data packet to said destination node based on respective characteristics of said respective nodes;

including said those of said nodes in a group of available nodes; and

determining a route including at least one of said available nodes identified in said identifying step for routing said data packet from said source node to said destination node.

23. A method for enabling a node in a wireless ad-hoc communication network to identify an access node via which said node is able to access another network or another portion of said network, the method comprising:

controlling said node to send a message to other nodes in said network, said message including a request for identification of a said access node with which said node is associated; and

identifying a certain said access node as being associated with said node based on information contained in a response message received by said node from said access node.