Mobile ad-hoc network and methods for performing functions therein based upon weighted quality of service metrics

• US 20030202468A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stingray IP Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Billhartz, Thomas Jay, Cain, Joseph Bibb, Kennedy, Robert Alex
• Granted Patent: US 7,764,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is provided for communicating between a source node and a destination node in a mobile ad-hoc network. The method may include transmitting a quality-of-service (QoS) route request from the source node to the destination node via a plurality of intermediate nodes therebetween to discover routing to the destination node based upon a plurality of QoS parameters. Responsive to the QoS route request, a plurality of potential routes between the source node and the destination node may be determined along with a QoS metric corresponding to each of the QoS parameters for each potential route. Further, the QoS parameters may be ranked in an order of importance, and each of the QoS metrics weighted based upon the ranking of QoS parameters. As such, the weighted QoS metrics may be compared, and one of the potential routes may be selected based thereon for the transmission of message data.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a source node and a destination node in a mobile ad-hoc network comprising a plurality of intermediate nodes between the source node and the destination node, the method comprising:

transmitting a quality-of-service (QoS) route request from the source node to the destination node via the plurality of intermediate nodes to discover routing to the destination node based upon a plurality of QoS parameters;

determining a plurality of potential routes between the source node and the destination node and a QoS metric corresponding to each of the QoS parameters for each potential route responsive to the QoS route request;

ranking the QoS parameters in an order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS metrics based upon the ranking of QoS parameters;

comparing the weighted QoS metrics and selecting one of the potential routes based thereon; and

transmitting message data from the source node to the destination node via the selected route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a weighted sum of the QoS metrics for each potential route;

and wherein comparing comprises comparing the weighted sums.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the QoS metrics comprise QoS link metrics and QoS node metrics.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the QoS link metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the QoS node metrics comprise at least one of battery life, mobility, communications capacity, and position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the plurality of potential routes comprises, at each intermediate node:

determining whether the node can support the requested QoS parameter of the QoS route request and, if so, forwarding the QoS route request to one of other intermediate nodes and the destination node; and

temporarily reserving node resources for QoS route requests having supportable QoS parameters to define a path of travel.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein determining the plurality of potential routes further comprises, at the destination node, upon receiving the QoS route request, generating a reply to the source node and sending the reply along the path of travel.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting route confirmations to the intermediate nodes on the selected route prior to transmitting message data.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, at each of the intermediate nodes and the destination node, detecting whether the node can continue to support the requested QoS parameter of the QoS route request and, if not, generating and sending a QoS error notification to the source node.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, at the source node, selecting at least one standby route.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

grouping the nodes into a source cluster including the source node, a destination cluster including the destination cluster, and at least one intermediate cluster therebetween including intermediate nodes;

establishing an adjacent cluster target node in the at least one intermediate cluster for providing a point of access therefor, each potential route including the adjacent cluster target node.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing the adjacent cluster target node comprises:

determining target routes between the source node and a plurality of potential target nodes in the at least one intermediate cluster and a QoS target metric corresponding to each of a plurality of QoS target parameters for each target route;

ranking the QoS target parameters in a target order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS target metrics based upon the ranking of QoS target parameters; and

comparing the weighted QoS target metrics and selecting the adjacent cluster target node based thereon.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating a weighted sum of the QoS target metrics for each potential route;

and wherein comparing comprises comparing the weighted sums of the target metrics.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the QoS target metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

15. A method for communicating between a source node and a destination node in a mobile ad-hoc network comprising a plurality of intermediate nodes between the source node and the destination node, the method comprising:

grouping the nodes into a source cluster including the source node, a destination cluster including the destination node, and at least one intermediate cluster therebetween including intermediate nodes;

determining target routes between the source node and a plurality of potential target nodes in the at least one intermediate cluster and a QoS metric corresponding to each of a plurality of QoS parameters for each target route;

ranking the QoS parameters in an order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS metrics based upon the ranking of QoS parameters;

comparing the weighted QoS metrics and selecting an adjacent cluster target node based thereon;

selecting a route between the source node and the destination node through the at least one intermediate cluster and including the adjacent cluster target node; and

transmitting message data from the source node to the destination node via the selected route.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating a weighted sum of the QoS metrics for each potential route;

and wherein comparing comprises comparing the weighted sums.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the QoS metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising selecting at least one standby route.

19. A node organization method for a mobile ad-hoc network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

grouping the plurality of nodes into clusters;

determining quality of service (QoS) node metrics for each node in each cluster, each QoS node metric corresponding to a QoS node parameter;

ranking the QoS node parameters in a node order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS node metrics based upon the ranking of QoS node parameters; and

comparing the weighted QoS node metrics for each node in a given cluster with one another and selecting a given cluster leader node for the cluster based thereon.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising generating a weighted sum of the QoS node metrics for each node;

and wherein comparing comprises comparing the weighted sums for each node in the given cluster with one another.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

providing an additional node to be included in the mobile ad-hoc network;

establishing a route from the additional node to at least one node in each of the clusters;

determining QoS link metrics for each route, each QoS link metric corresponding to a QoS link parameter;

ranking the QoS link parameters in a link order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS link metrics based upon the ranking of QoS link parameters; and

comparing the weighted QoS link metrics and associating the additional node with one of the clusters based thereon.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the QoS link metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising generating a weighted sum of the QoS link metrics for each route;

and wherein comparing the weighted QoS link metrics comprises comparing the weighted sums of the QoS link metrics.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein establishing a note from the additional node to each cluster leader node.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the QoS node metrics comprise at least one of battery life, mobility, communications capacity, and position.

26. A node organization method for a mobile ad-hoc network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

grouping the plurality of nodes into clusters;

providing an additional node to be included in the mobile ad-hoc network;

establishing a route from the additional node to at least one node in each of the clusters;

determining QoS link metrics for each route, each QoS link metric corresponding to a QoS link parameter;

ranking the QoS link parameters in a order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS link metrics based upon the ranking of QoS link parameters; and

comparing the weighted QoS link metrics and associating the additional node with one of the clusters based thereon.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising generating a weighted sum of the QoS link metrics for each route;

and wherein comparing the weighted QoS link metrics comprises comparing the weighted sums of the QoS link metrics.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the QoS link metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising designating a cluster leader node for each of the clusters;

and wherein establishing comprises establishing a route from the additional node to each cluster node.

30. A mobile ad-hoc network comprising:

a source node;

a destination node; and

a plurality of intermediate nodes between said source node and said destination node;

said source node for

transmitting a quality-of-service (QoS) route request to said destination node via said plurality of intermediate nodes to discover routing to said destination node based upon a plurality of QoS parameters,

receiving a plurality of potential routes to said destination node and a QoS metric corresponding to each of the QoS parameters for each potential route responsive to the QoS route request,

ranking the QoS parameters in an order of importance,

weighting each of the QoS metrics based upon the ranking of QoS parameters,

comparing the weighted QoS metrics and selecting one of the potential routes based thereon, and

transmitting message data to said destination node via the selected route.

31. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 30 wherein said source node generates a weighted sum of the QoS metrics for each potential route and compares the weighted QoS metrics by comparing the weighted sums.

32. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 30 wherein the QoS metrics comprise QoS link metrics and QoS node metrics.

33. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 32 wherein the QoS link metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

34. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 32 wherein the QoS node metrics comprise at least one of battery life, mobility, communications capacity, and position.

35. A mobile ad-hoc network comprising:

a source node;

a destination node; and

a plurality of intermediate nodes between said source node and said destination node;

said nodes being grouped into a source cluster including said source node, a destination cluster including said destination node, and at least one intermediate cluster therebetween including intermediate nodes;

said source node for

determining target routes to potential target nodes in the at least one intermediate cluster and a QoS metric corresponding to each of a plurality of QoS parameters for each target route,

ranking the QoS parameters in an order of importance,

weighting each of the QoS metrics based upon the ranking of QoS parameters,

comparing the weighted QoS metrics and selecting an adjacent cluster target node based thereon,

selecting a route to said destination node through said at least one intermediate cluster and including said adjacent cluster target node, and

transmitting message data to said destination node via the selected route.

36. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 35 wherein said source node generates a weighted sum of the QoS metrics for each potential route and compares the weighted QoS metrics by comparing the weighted sums.

37. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 35 wherein the QoS metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.

38. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 35 wherein said source node further selects at least one standby route to said destination node.

39. A mobile ad-hoc network comprising:

a plurality of nodes grouped into clusters;

said nodes in each of said clusters selecting a cluster leader node therefrom by

determining quality of service (QoS) node metrics for each node in each cluster, each QoS node metric corresponding to a QoS node parameter;

ranking the QoS node parameters in a node order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS node metrics based upon the ranking of QoS node parameters; and

comparing the weighted QoS node metrics for each node in a given cluster with one another and selecting the cluster leader node for the given cluster based thereon.

40. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 39 wherein said nodes in each cluster further generate a weighted sum of the QoS node metrics for each node and compare the weighted sums for each node in the given cluster leader node therefor.

41. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 40 wherein the QoS node metrics comprise at least one of battery life, mobility, communications capacity, and position.

42. A mobile ad-hoc network comprising:

a plurality of nodes grouped into clusters; and

an additional node for selecting one of said clusters to associate with by

establishing a route to at least one node in each of the clusters;

determining QoS link metrics for each route, each QoS link metric corresponding to a QoS link parameter;

ranking the QoS link parameters in a order of importance;

weighting each of the QoS link metrics based upon the ranking of QoS link parameters; and

comparing the weighted QoS link metrics and selecting said cluster for association therewith based thereon.

43. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 42 wherein said additional node generates a weighted sum of the QoS link metrics for each route and compares the weighted QoS link metrics by comparing the weighted sums of the QoS link metrics to select said cluster for association therewith.

44. The mobile ad-hoc network of claim 43 wherein the QoS link metrics comprise at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, priority, unidirectionality or bidirectionality, and link capacity.