Network protocol

• US 20030099221A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: MILLENNIAL NET, INC. (PHC Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Rhee, Sokwoo
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system includes wireless network devices and a terminal device. The wireless network devices include a base station and plural repeater devices for routing data. The terminal device runs a network protocol to establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices. The terminal device enters a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method performed by a device, comprising:

establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; and

entering a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

sending communications to the wireless network indicating a presence of the device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

sending a first communication to the wireless network;

awaiting a first confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the first communication;

sending a second communication to the wireless network if the first confirmation message is received, the second communication being larger than the first communication;

awaiting a second confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the second communication;

sending a third communication to the wireless network if the second confirmation message is received, the third communication being larger than the second communication; and

awaiting a third confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the third communication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first communication comprises an identifier for the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second communication comprises an identifier for the device and an identifier for a node on the wireless network with which the device would like to communicate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the third communication comprises parameters associated with the device, including status of input/output channels on the device and a data packet generation rate of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

sending N (N>

1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network further comprises:

receiving a confirmation message following each of the N communications.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the N communications following the first one of the N communications is sent only if a confirmation message is received in response to an immediately preceding one of the N communications.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing plural master nodes comprises:

identifying N (N>

1) nodes on the wireless network having fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network; and

storing data corresponding to the N nodes in memory.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node, the device communicating to the wireless network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the primary master node has fewer hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network than does the secondary master node.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plural master nodes stores the data from the wireless network, and the device receives the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring data traffic on the wireless network; and

changing a rate at which the device sends data to the wireless network based on the data traffic.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless network comprises:

comparing response times of nodes on the wireless network to a predetermined response time.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless network comprises:

using carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol to monitor data traffic in a channel of the wireless network.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein, if data traffic on the wireless network exceeds a predetermined level, changing comprises reducing a rate at which the data is sent to the wireless network.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring data traffic on the wireless network; and

if a data packet collision is detected on the wireless network, waiting a random period of time before sending data to the wireless network, the random period of time being determined based on hardware noise on the wireless network.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining the random period of time by counting hardware noise pulses on a channel of the wireless network.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network, the device waiting a period between each of the multiple times;

increasing the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and

checking the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network, the device waiting the increased period between each of the multiple times.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless network.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein checking and increasing are performed in a media access control (MAC) layer of a network protocol stack.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending data to the wireless network;

detecting a collision in a time slot of a channel of the wireless network; and

shifting a time at which the data is sent to the wireless network so as to avoid the collision.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the data is sent to the wireless network periodically and shifting comprises shifting the time at which the data is sent in each period.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a priority to data; and

transmitting the data based on the priority.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises changing a length of a time slot assigned to the data.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein changing the length of the time slot comprises extending the time slot for higher priority data.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises transmitting higher priority data before lower priority data.

32. A system comprising:

(i) wireless network devices comprising;

a base station; and

plural repeater devices for routing data; and

(ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to;

establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and

enter a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein, in establishing the presence, the terminal device:

sends communications to the wireless network indicating a presence of the terminal device; and

receives confirmation from the wireless network.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein, in establishing the presence, the terminal device:

sends a first communication to the wireless network;

awaits a first confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the first communication;

sends a second communication to the wireless network if the first confirmation message is received, the second communication being larger than the first communication;

awaits a second confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the second communication;

sends a third communication to the wireless network if the second confirmation message is received, the third communication being larger than the second communication; and

awaits a third confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the third communication.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first communication comprises an identifier for the wireless network.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the second communication comprises an identifier for the terminal device and an identifier for a node on the wireless network with which the terminal device would like to communicate.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the third communication comprises parameters associated with the terminal device, including status of input/output channels on the terminal device and a data packet generation rate of the terminal device.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein, in establishing the presence, the terminal device:

sends N (N>

1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein, in establishing the presence, the terminal device further:

receives a confirmation message following each of the N communications.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the terminal device sends each of the N communications following the first one of the N communications only if the terminal device receives a confirmation message in response to an immediately preceding one of the N communications.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein, in establishing the presence, the terminal device:

establishes plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising other devices on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the terminal device to the wireless network.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein, in establishing the plural master nodes, the terminal device:

identifies N (N>

1) devices on the wireless network having fewest numbers of hops from the terminal device to the base station; and

stores data corresponding to the N devices in memory.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and

the terminal device communicates with the wireless network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the primary master node has fewer hops from the terminal device to the base station than does the secondary master node.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the at least one of the plural master nodes stores data from the wireless network, and the terminal device receives the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes.

47. The system of claim 32, wherein the terminal device:

monitors data traffic on the wireless network; and

changes a rate at which the terminal device sends data to the wireless network based on the data traffic on the wireless network.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein, in monitoring data traffic on the wireless network, the terminal device:

compares response times of repeater devices on the wireless network to a predetermined response time.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein, in monitoring data traffic on the wireless network, the terminal device:

uses carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol to monitor data traffic in a channel of the wireless network.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the terminal device reduces a rate at which the data is sent to the wireless network if data traffic on the wireless network exceeds a predetermined level.

51. The system of claim 32, wherein the terminal device:

monitors data traffic on the wireless network; and

if a data packet collision is detected on the wireless network, waits a random period of time before sending data to the wireless network, the random period of time being based on hardware noise on the wireless network.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the terminal device determines the random period of time by counting hardware noise pulses on a channel of the wireless network.

53. The system of claim 32, wherein the terminal device and at least one of the repeater devices:

checks a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and waits a period between each of the multiple times;

increases the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and

checks the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and waits the increased period between each of the multiple times.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless network.

56. The system of claim 53, wherein checking and increasing the time are performed in a media access control layer of a network protocol stack.

57. The system of claim 32, wherein the terminal device:

sends data to the wireless network;

detects a collision in a time slot of a channel of the wireless network; and

shifts a time at which the data is sent to the wireless network so as to avoid the collision.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the terminal device sends the data periodically and shifts the time at which the data is sent in each period.

59. The system of claim 32, wherein the terminal device assigns a priority to data sent to the wireless network, the terminal device and at least one of the plural repeater devices transmitting the data based on the priority.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises changing a length of a time slot assigned to the data.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein changing the length of the time slot comprises extending the time slot for higher priority data.

62. The system of claim 59, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises transmitting higher priority data before lower priority data.

63. The system of claim 32, wherein, at least one of the plural repeater devices:

establishes plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising devices on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes providing a path for transmission of data over the wireless network.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein, in establishing the plural master nodes, the at least one of the plural repeater devices:

identifies N (N>

1) devices on the wireless network having fewest numbers of hops to the base station; and

stores data corresponding to the N devices in memory.

65. The system of claim 63, wherein:

the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and

the at least one of the plural repeater devices communicates over the wireless network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the primary master node has fewer hops to the base station than does the secondary master node.

67. A machine-readable medium that stores instruction which, when executed, cause a device to:

initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless network; and

enter a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

68. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

sending communications to the wireless network indicating a presence of the device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless network.

69. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

sending a first communication to the wireless network;

awaiting a first confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the first communication;

sending a second communication to the wireless network if the first confirmation message is received, the second communication being larger than the first communication;

awaiting a second confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the second communication;

sending a third communication to the wireless network if the second confirmation message is received, the third communication being larger than the second communication; and

awaiting a third confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the third communication.

70. The machine-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the first communication comprises an identifier for the wireless network.

71. The machine-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the second communication comprises an identifier for the device and an identifier for a node on the wireless network with which the device would like to communicate.

72. The machine-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the third communication comprises parameters associated with the device, including status of input/output channels on the device and a data packet generation rate of the device.

73. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

sending N (N>

1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications.

74. The machine-readable medium of claim 73, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network further comprises:

receiving a confirmation message following each of the N communications.

75. The machine-readable medium of claim 74, wherein each of the N communications following the first one of the N communications is sent only if a confirmation message is received in response to an immediately preceding one of the N communications.

76. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises:

establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless network.

77. The machine-readable medium of claim 76, wherein establishing plural master nodes comprises:

identifying N (N>

1) nodes on the wireless network having fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network; and

storing data corresponding to the N nodes in memory.

78. The machine-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes.

79. The machine-readable medium of claim 76, wherein:

the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and

the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause the device to communicate to the wireless network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

80. The machine-readable medium of claim 79, wherein the primary master node has fewer hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network than does the secondary master node.

81. The machine-readable medium of claim 76, wherein:

at least one of the plural master nodes stores the data from the wireless network; and

the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause the device to receive the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes.

82. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions which, when executed cause the device to:

monitor data traffic on the wireless network; and

change a rate at which the device sends data to the wireless network based on the data traffic.

83. The machine-readable medium of claim 82, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless network comprises:

comparing response times of nodes on the wireless network to a predetermined response time.

84. The machine-readable medium of claim 82, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless network comprises:

using carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol to monitor data traffic in a channel of the wireless network.

85. The machine-readable medium of claim 82, wherein, if data traffic on the wireless network exceeds a predetermined level, changing comprises reducing a rate at which the data is sent to the wireless network.

86. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

monitor data traffic on the wireless network; and

if a data packet collision is detected on the wireless network, wait a random period of time before sending data to the wireless network, the random period of time being determined based on hardware noise on the wireless network.

87. The machine-readable medium of claim 86, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

determine the random period of time by counting hardware noise pulses on a channel of the wireless network.

88. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

check a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and wait a period between each of the multiple times;

increase the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and

check the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and wait the increased period between each of the multiple times.

89. The machine-readable medium of claim 88, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve.

90. The machine-readable medium of claim 88, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless network.

91. The machine-readable medium of claim 88, wherein checking and increasing are performed in a media access control (MAC layer of a network protocol stack.

92. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

send data to the wireless network;

detect a collision in a time slot of a channel of the wireless network; and

shift a time at which the data is sent to the wireless network so as to avoid the collision.

93. The machine-readable medium of claim 92, wherein the data is sent to the wireless network periodically and shifting comprises shifting the time at which the data is sent in each period.

94. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

assign a priority to data; and

transmit the data based on the priority.

95. The machine-readable medium of claim 94, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises changing a length of a time slot assigned to the data.

96. The machine-readable medium of claim 95, wherein changing the length of the time slot comprises extending the time slot for higher priority data.

97. The machine-readable medium of claim 94, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises transmitting higher priority data before lower priority data.

98. An apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

at least one processor that executes the instructions to;

establish a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the apparatus; and

enter a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

99. The apparatus of claim 98, wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor and a second processor, the first processor operating at a higher clock speed than the second processor, the first processor running a coordinating protocol to allocate functions to the first processor and the second processor, the functions including establishing the presence in the wireless network.

100. An apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the apparatus; and

means for entering a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.