Mobile ad hoc network system and operating method thereof

• US 20050157661A1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Ki-Hyoung
• Granted Patent: US 7,450,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile ad-hoc network system includes: a plurality of mobile terminals; and a central control means for setting an optimal route among terminals, performing connection with an infrastructure network and connecting networks using different wireless access technologies. By including the central control means, the ad-hoc network system can overcome the limitation of the related art ad-hoc network and provide a network service with high quality and stability to each terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile ad-hoc network system comprising:

a plurality of mobile terminals; and

a central control means for creating a network map by collecting identifiers and state information of the mobile terminals and setting a transmission route among terminals based on the created map.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central control means comprises:

a means for storing registration information including an identifier of each mobile terminal, state information of each mobile terminal and identifiers of neighbor terminals, and creating the network map by using the registration information;

a means for setting and updating a transmission route among terminals based on the created map; and

a means for providing route information to a mobile terminal when the mobile terminal requests the information on the path to a destination.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for creating the network map calculates a link cost among terminals by using the registration information and creates the network map based on the calculated link cost.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the central control means further comprises:

a means for performing transmission route reservation for a terminal that wants to perform data transmission so that terminals in a data transmission route cannot be allocated to a different path.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the central control means further comprises:

a means for providing a security key to a terminal requesting high level security in order to maintain security of a network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the central control means further comprises:

a multi-MAC protocol means for enabling mobile terminals based on IEEE802.11, Hyper LAN, Bluetooth, Home RF, WPAN and cellular mobile communication to be wirelessly connected.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the central control means further comprises:

an access means for supporting connection of an arbitrary terminal with the infra network or a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service).

8. A data transmission method of the mobile ad-hoc network system comprising:

requesting route information from a central control means when data is generated to be transmitted in a terminal

transmitting the route information of the central control means to the terminal; and

transmitting the data of the terminal to a destination according to the route information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

registering information of a new terminal with the central control means and updating route information of each terminal set in the central control means when the new terminal enters a network area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the registration information includes an identifier of the new terminal, state information of the terminal, and a list of identifiers of neighbor terminals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the state information of the terminal includes a battery charge state information.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the central control means calculates a link cost among terminals based on registration information of terminals, and creates a network map based on the calculated link cost.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the central control means generates route information to the destination based on the network map and provides the route information to the terminal, when a terminal requests a route to a destination.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the route information includes a list of IP address of terminals.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the terminal requests a QoS level or a security level selectively, when the terminal requests the route information from the central control means.

16. A data transmission method of a terminal of a mobile ad-hoc network system comprising:

requesting a central control means to send route information to a destination when data is generated to be transmitted; and

receiving corresponding route information from the central control means and transmitting the generated data according to the received route information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when the terminal enters a network area further comprising:

requesting neighbor terminal to send information on the central control means and then locating the central control means; and

registering its predetermined information with the central control means.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration information includes an identifier of the terminal, state information of the terminal and a list of identifiers of neighbor terminals.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the state information of the terminal includes battery charge state information.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein when a new terminal is detected further comprising:

broadcasting a certain message including its identification information;

comparing information of a response message with its stored information when the response message to the certain message is received;

updating the stored information with the information of the response message if the information of the response message is not the same as the stored information; and

transmitting the updated information to a central control means for updating information of the central control means.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the certain message includes an identifier of the terminal and information on a distance to the central control means.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the terminal broadcasts the message after the lapse of predetermined time, if information of the response message is the same as the stored information.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the terminal broadcasts the message again, if the terminal fails to receive a response message to the message within a predetermined time.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the terminal sets the smallest value of values obtained by adding each distance value of neighbor terminals to the distance value from the terminal to the neighbor terminals as its distance information, when the terminal updates its stored information.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the updated information transmitted to the central control means includes identifiers of neighbor terminals and newly set distance information to the central control means.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the response message includes an identifier of a responding terminal and the information on the distance from the response terminal to the central control means.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein if the new terminal is a non-registered terminal, a maximum value of a distance to the central control means is set as a distance to the non-registered terminal.