Routing data packets through a wireless network

• US 20050169257A1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Mustonen, Kai, Lahetkangas, Keijo
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• 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 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with a method and a system for improving the quality of service in wireless networks and in particular in dynamically changing mobile ad hoc networks. The method of routing data packets through a network depending on priority information, which is based on the bandwidth requirements of each packet and the distance to the destination. To achieve a particular quality of service, a priority indicator is used to forward each packet at each node in the network. The priority indicator being determined based on a pre-determined relation between the distance and bandwidth information.

Claims

1. A method of routing data packets through a wireless network, the method comprising:

identifying bandwidth information for each data packet;

determining distance information for each data packet;

using the bandwidth and distance information to determine a priority indicator for transmitting the data packets over the network; and

using the priority indicator at each node in said network to control transmission of the data packets through the network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the priority indicator is determined based on a substantially inverse relationship between said bandwidth and distance information to allow for fair allocation of all data packets.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the priority indicator is determined based substantially on distance information so that packets having a short distance are forwarded with highest priority irrespective of the bandwidth.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said bandwidth and distance information are transmitted within a header portion of each data packet.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the priority indicator controls the order that each node forwards each received data packet so that packets having highest priority are forwarded first.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the priority indicator is selected from one of three priority levels being high, medium and low.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein for data packets having the same priority indicator, those having the shortest distance are given highest priority.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data packets are categorised into classes depending on their bandwidth requirements.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data packets are categorised into first, second and third data speed classes.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said first data speed class is for data packets having a bit rate greater than 1 Mbit/s, said second data speed class having a bit rate between 100 kbit/s and 1 Mbit/s and the third data speed class having a bit rate between 0 and 100 kbit/s.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a proactive routing protocol is implemented and each data packet includes the distance information upon entry to the network.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein a reactive routing protocol is applied so that each node of the network is able to establish reactively the distance information.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the distance information is comprised of the distance in hops to the destination.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the distance information is comprised of the distance in hops from the source.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network is an ad hoc network.

16. A system for routing data packets through a wireless network, the system comprising:

means for establishing bandwidth information for each data packet;

means for determining distance information for each data packet;

means for using the bandwidth and distance information to determine a priority indicator for transmitting the data packets over the network and arranged to control transmission of the data packets through the network based on the priority indicator.