ZigBee network device for assigning addresses to child nodes after constructing cluster-tree structure, address assigning method and routing method

• US 20060029002A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: City University of New York, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: City University of New York, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jong-hun, Lee, Myung-jong, Zheng, Jian Iiang
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An address assigning method in a ZigBee network environment formed of a plurality of devices (or nodes), includes: linking the plurality of nodes in a cluster-tree structure; requesting desirable address blocks from a lowest level to a second highest level of the tree ancestor nodes desirable address blocks, respectively; and assigning the desired address blocks to descendents using a top-down procedure.

Claims

1. An address assigning method in a ZigBee network environment formed of a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

linking the plurality of nodes in a cluster-tree structure;

requesting that ancestor nodes provide desired address blocks, from a lowest level of nodes to a second highest level of nodes of the cluster-tree structure; and

assigning the desired address blocks to descendent nodes using a top-down procedure.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assigning of the desired address blocks comprises a parent node consecutively assigning address blocks of desired sizes to child nodes in an order of attachment.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising, in each node from a highest level of nodes to a second lowest level of nodes of the cluster-tree structure, storing a routing table that contains a record of a number of child nodes, branch identifiers (IDs) provided to the child nodes by acceptance order, and address blocks assigned to the child nodes.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising:

breaking down a branch between a first node and the cluster-tree structure;

attaching the first node to a second node among peripheral nodes;

transmitting information contained in a routing table of the first node from the first node to the second node;

transmitting a branch ID from the second node to the first node, and recording the branch ID and the information in a routing table of the second node;

transmitting the information from second node to a parent node of the second node; and

in the parent node of the second node, providing a virtual branch ID to the information, and recording the virtual branch ID and the information in a routing table of the parent node of the second node.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising:

attaching a third node, which is a child node of the first node, to fourth in the cluster-tree structure;

transmitting information contained in the routing table of the first node from the first node to the third node;

storing the information from the first node in a routing table of the third node;

transmitting information in the routing table of third node from the third node to the fourth node;

providing a branch ID from the fourth node to the third node, and recording the branch ID and the information in a routing table of the fourth node;

transmitting the information from the fourth node to a parent node of the fourth node; and

in the parent node of the fourth node, providing a virtual branch ID to the information, and recording the virtual branch ID and the information in a routing table of the parent node of the fourth node.

6. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

attaching a plurality of nodes at a same level of the cluster-tree structure together to form a meshed structure;

if another node at the same level is attached, providing a branch ID to the other node;

receiving information from a routing table of the other node; and

in the plurality of nodes in the meshed structure, storing the branch ID and the information in corresponding routing tables.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the linking the plurality of nodes in the cluster-tree structure comprises:

in each of the plurality of nodes, setting an acceptance degree for association with other nodes;

in a first, receiving from at least one peripheral node an association request with an acceptance degree for association;

in the first node, choosing a node based on an acceptance degree of the association request; and

in the first node, transmitting an association response to the node which is chosen, and forming a branch with the node which is chosen.

8. A routing method in a ZigBee network environment, the method comprising:

constructing a cluster-tree structure with a plurality of nodes;

requesting that ancestor nodes provide desired address blocks, from a lowest level of nodes to a second highest level of nodes of the cluster-tree structure;

assigning the desired address blocks to descendent nodes using a top-down procedure;

in each node from a highest level of nodes to a second lowest level of the cluster-tree structure, storing a routing table that contains a record of a number of child nodes, branch identifiers (IDs) provided to the child nodes by acceptance order, and address blocks assigned to the child nodes; and

in a first node in the cluster-tree structure, receiving a packet, checking a destination address of the packet, and routing the packet to another node that is assigned an address block inclusive of the destination address.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the routing of the packet comprises:

in the first node, checking a destination address of the packet;

in the first node, checking whether the destination address is included in an address block assigned to a child node of the first node;

if the destination address is included in the address block, transmitting the packet from the first node to the child node of the first node; and

if the destination address is not included in the address block, transmitting the packet from the first node to an ancestor node of the first node.

10. An address assigning method of a ZigBee network device, the method comprising:

constructing a cluster-tree structure with a plurality of child nodes;

receiving a desired address block request from at least one of the child nodes;

combining address block sizes requested by each of the child nodes, and requesting an ancestor node provide an address block in a desired size;

receiving the address block in the desired size from the ancestor node; and

assigning part of the address block to the at least one child node in need of the address block in order of acceptance.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising, if the ancestor node does not exist, assigning part of a total address block to at least one child node in need of the address block, respectively, in order of acceptance.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising, if no child nodes are attached, requesting the ancestor node for an address block in a desirable size for itself.

13. A ZigBee network device in a cluster-tree structure for a ZigBee network environment, the device comprising:

a communication unit communicably linked to an ancestor node and a plurality of child nodes in the cluster-tree structure;

an address block calculator which calculates a desired size of an address block including address blocks requested by the child nodes;

a controller which controls the communication unit to request the ancestor node provide the address block in the desired size; and

an address block assigning unit which receives the address block in the desired size from the ancestor node and assigns parts of the address block to the child nodes in order of attachment.

14. The device according to claim 13 further comprising an operator which calculates a total address block using predetermined network parameters if the communication unit is not attached to the ancestor node.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the operator calculates the total address block as follows:

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the address block assigning unit divides the total address block and assigns parts of the address block to the child nodes in order of acceptance.

17. The device according to claim 16 further comprising a memory which stores a number of child nodes, branch identifiers (IDs) provided consecutively to the child nodes, and a routing table containing a record of address blocks assigned to the child nodes.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein, if a packet is received by the communication unit, the controller checks a destination address of the packet, searches the routing table in the memory to find a child node that is assigned an address block containing the destination address, and if the child node is found, the controller controls the communication unit to route the packet to the child node.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein, if the child node is not found, the controller controls the communication unit to route the packet to the ancestor node.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein, if the controller receives information from a routing table of a node communicably linked to the communication unit, the controller provides a branch ID to the node, and records the branch ID and the received information in the routing table of the memory.