High performance wireless networks using distributed control

• US 20040090943A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamic MESH Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mesh Dynamics Incorporated
• Inventors: da Costa, Francis, Dayanandan, Sriram
• Granted Patent: US 7,420,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A design and proof of concept of a new type of WLAN, complete with simulation and results from the simulation has been described. Each AP Node is implemented as a self-contained embedded OS unit, with all algorithms resident in its Operating system. The normal day-to-day functioning of the AP node is based entirely on resident control algorithms. Upgrades are possible through a simple secure communications interface supported by the OS kernel for each AP node. Benefits provided by a wireless network, as proposed in this invention, are that: it installs out of the box; the network is self-configuring; the network is redundant in that mesh network formalism is supported, ensuring multiple paths; load balancing is supported; there is no single point of failure; allows for decentralized execution; there is a central control; it is network application aware; there is application awareness; there is automatic channel allocation to manage and curtail RF interference, maximize non interference bandwidth and enable seamless roaming between adjoining wireless sub networks (BSS) and it supports the wireless equivalent for switching—for seamless roaming requirements.

Claims

1. A dynamic wireless network comprising:

a) an access server that controls overall operating parameters of said wireless network;

b) a first set of control algorithms on said access server for establishing and communicating operating parameters for said wireless network;

c) at least one root node in communication with said access server;

d) a plurality of wireless access point devices capable of communication with said root node and access server;

e) a second set of control algorithms running on at least one of said plurality of access point devices for operating said access point devices within the parameters defined by said access server, and

wherein said plurality of access point devices alter their relationship to one another to function optimally within the operating parameters of the network established by said access server.

2. The dynamic wireless network as in claim 1 wherein said root node serves as an interface between said access point devices and an outside link, wherein the outside link can be an Ethernet, token ring, phone line or serial cable.

3. The dynamic wireless network as in claim 1 wherein all access point devices serve as root nodes connected to an outside link, wherein the outside link can be an Ethernet, token ring, phone line or serial cable.

4. The dynamic wireless network of claim 1 wherein code unnecessary for essential functions of the control algorithm and its accompanying operating system is removed from the control algorithm, resulting in decreased size.

5. The dynamic wireless network of claim 1 wherein the access point devices are capable of generating encryption keys for providing a secure network.

6. A control system for managing wireless LANs comprising:

a) readily available information for defining characteristics of a wireless network;

b) a set of control algorithms to use said readily available information to select a best routing path of each of a node of the network;

c) implementation of said control algorithms in a low footprint to extend capabilities of a plurality of existing low cost wireless access point nodes and a plurality of other wireless enabled communication devices; and

d) a plurality of settings passed from a network management system (NMS) for dynamically tuning the network or any node of the network, wherein a self-configuring, dynamically expandable wireless network is provided.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the control algorithms are specially designed to run effectively within a small footprint embedded system.

8. The system of claim 6 implemented with a minimal footprint so as to run on a multitude of wireless enabled devices, including low cost, resource limited hardware.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the low footprint, is generated as a result of a library of components of a plurality of operating system services with which a plurality of self standing executables is generated to include only components of an operating system essential for an operation of an application.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the control algorithms are implemented to run on at least two readily available pieces of data, comprising a signal strength of a wireless radio of nearby nodes in the network and a number of hops of nearby nodes to a wired connection.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the control algorithms run above a MAC layer of the communication device and is thereby both hardware and protocol agnostic.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the control algorithms are capable of being embedded in wireless communication devices running on different operating systems but managed by one NMS.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein the control algorithms common to all devices in the network are instrumental in changing the network characteristics, based on a plurality of settings passed to said algorithms from a NMS.

14. The system of claim 6 wherein the implementation of the low footprint algorithms include the functionality of bridging, switching, load balancing in addition to a plurality of performance characteristics of the network related to latency and signal throughput.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the performance characteristics of the network is tuned to be low latency, or high throughput or somewhere in between low latency and high throughput.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein performance of the network is predicated on a plurality of low footprint control layer algorithms running in wireless access point nodes.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the running of the control algorithms in each device results in a low footprint distributed control system approach wherein said approach is more scaleable than centralized control systems, when the number of nodes of the network increases.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the low footprint distributed control approach comprises an ability for control algorithms to be upgraded remotely using a simple upgrade protocol, thereby allowing a modifiable and extensible implementation of the system.

19. The system of claim 6 wherein the control algorithms manage the RF Interference of neighboring wireless devices by sensing and exchanging information regarding Radio channels in operation in the vicinity and selecting non interfering radio channels based on a algorithm described.

20. The system of claim 6 wherein the control algorithms manage the RF Interference of neighboring wireless devices in a multi hop wireless network and maintain seamless roaming for stations as they move from one BSS to an adjoining BSS.

21. The system of claim 6 wherein the control algorithms monitor the health of the wireless network and inform the NMS if node congestion occurs or the network has not been designed to be fail safe and redundant.

22. A method for implementing a control system for managing Wireless LANs comprising:

a) defining characteristics of a wireless network using readily available information;

b) utilizing control algorithms to use said readily available information to select a best routing path of each of a node of the network;

c) implementing said control algorithms in a low footprint to extend capabilities of a plurality of existing low cost wireless access point nodes and a plurality of other wireless enabled communication devices; and

d) dynamically tuning the network or any node of the network by a plurality of settings passed from a network management system,

wherein a self-configuring, dynamically expandable wireless network is provided.