Allocating channels in a mobile ad hoc network

• US 20040203820A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• 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, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• 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 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A mobile ad hoc network includes a plurality of wireless mobile nodes and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting the plurality of nodes together over a plurality of channels. The method includes each node monitoring link performance on a first channel, link performance being based upon at least one quality of service (QoS) threshold, and each node scouting one or more other available channels when the monitored link performance on the first channel falls below the QoS threshold. The QoS threshold is preferably based upon at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, and priority.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic channel allocation in a mobile ad hoc network comprising a plurality of wireless mobile nodes and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting the plurality of nodes together over a plurality of channels, the method comprising:

at each node, monitoring link performance on a first channel, link performance being based upon at least one quality of service (QoS) threshold; and

at each node, scouting one or more other available channels when the monitored link performance on the first channel falls below the QoS threshold.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the QoS threshold is based upon at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, and priority.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein scouting comprises:

switching to a second channel; and

broadcasting a channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein scouting further comprises:

processing replies to the channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

at each node, switching back to the first channel and broadcasting a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold;

or

at each node, switching to subsequent channels and broadcasting channel activity queries to determine the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the previous channel is below the QoS threshold.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein scouting comprises:

switching to another channel; and

passively monitoring the link performance for the second channel.

7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising:

at each node, switching back to the first channel and broadcasting a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold;

or

at each node, switching to subsequent channels and passively monitoring the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the previous channel is below the QoS threshold.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising at each node, storing link performance information of each of the plurality of channels.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising at each node, storing channel information for neighboring nodes.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein scouting comprises periodically monitoring other channels for link performance.

11. A method for dynamic channel allocation in a mobile ad hoc network comprising a plurality of wireless mobile nodes and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting the plurality of nodes together over a plurality of channels, the method comprising:

at each node, monitoring link performance on a first channel, link performance being based upon at least one quality of service (QoS) threshold;

at each node, scouting the plurality of channels when the monitored link performance on the first channel falls below the QoS threshold;

at each node, storing link performance information of each of the plurality of channels; and

at each node, storing channel information for neighboring nodes.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the QoS threshold is based upon at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, and priority.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein scouting comprises:

switching to a second channel; and

broadcasting a channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein scouting further comprises:

processing replies to the channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising:

at each node, switching back to the first channel and broadcasting a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold;

or

at each node, switching to subsequent channels and broadcasting channel activity queries to determine the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the previous channel is below the QoS threshold.

16. A method according to claim 11 wherein scouting comprises:

switching to another channel; and

passively monitoring the link performance for the second channel.

17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising:

at each node, switching back to the first channel and broadcasting a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold;

or

each node switching to subsequent channels and passively monitoring the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the previous channel is below the QoS threshold.

18. A method according to claim 11 wherein scouting comprises periodically monitoring other channels for link performance.

19. A method for dynamic channel allocation in a mobile ad hoc network comprising a plurality of wireless mobile nodes and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting the plurality of nodes together over a plurality of channels, the method comprising:

at each node, monitoring link performance on a first channel, link performance being based upon at least one quality of service (QoS) threshold;

at each node, switching to a second channel when the monitored link performance on the first channel falls below the QoS threshold;

at each node, broadcasting a channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel; and

at each node, processing replies to the channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the QoS threshold is based upon at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, and priority.

21. A method according to claim 19 further comprising:

at each node, switching back to the first channel and broadcasting a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold;

or

at each node, switching to subsequent channels and broadcasting channel activity queries to determine the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the second channel is below the QoS threshold.

22. A method according to claim 19 further comprising at each node, storing link performance information of each of the plurality of channels.

23. A method according to claim 22 further comprising at each node, periodically monitoring other channels for link performance.

24. A method according to claim 19 further comprising at each node, storing channel information for neighboring nodes.

25. A mobile ad hoc network comprising:

a plurality of mobile nodes; and

a plurality of wireless communication links connecting the plurality of mobile nodes together over a plurality of channels;

each mobile node comprising

a communications device to wirelessly and unidirectionally or bi-directionally communicate with other nodes of the plurality of nodes via the wireless communication links, and

a controller to route communications via the communications device, and comprising

a link performance monitor to monitor link performance on a first channel, link performance being based upon at least one quality of service (QoS) threshold, and

a channel scouting unit to scout one or more other available channels when the monitored link performance on the first channel falls below the QoS threshold.

26. A network according to claim 25 wherein the QoS threshold is based upon at least one of available bandwidth, error rate, end-to-end delay, end-to-end delay variation, hop count, expected path durability, and priority.

27. A network according to claim 25 wherein the channel scouting unit switches to a second channel, and broadcasts a channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

28. A network according to claim 27 wherein the channel scouting unit processes replies to the channel activity query to determine the link performance for the second channel.

29. A network according to claim 28 wherein the channel scouting unit switches back to the first channel and broadcasts a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold, or switches to subsequent channels and broadcasts channel activity queries to determine the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the previous channel is below the QoS threshold.

30. A network according to claim 25 wherein the channel scouting unit switches to another channel, and passively monitors the link performance for the second channel.

31. A network according to claim 30 wherein the channel scouting unit switches back to the first channel and broadcasts a channel change message if the link performance on the second channel is above the QoS threshold, or switches to subsequent channels and passively monitors the link performance for those channels if the link performance on the previous channel is below the QoS threshold.

32. A network according to claim 25 further comprising a link performance information memory to store link performance information of each of the plurality of channels.

33. A network according to claim 25 further comprising a channel information memory to store channel information for neighboring nodes.