Ad hoc cluster idle node coordination

• US 20060140135A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bonta, Jeffrey D., D'Amico, Thomas V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Nodes (103a-d, 105, 107, 109a-c, 111a-c) in an ad hoc communication network are coordinated. The network includes the node (111b) and one or more neighbor nodes (103a-d, 105, 107, 109a-c, 111a,c). The node (111b) can sleep in a low duty cycle. Further, the node (111b) can awaken, responsive to a schedule; and register with a cluster head (101); listen for one or more neighbors, wherein the at least one neighbor can be active (103a-d, 105, 107) or idle (109a-c, 111a,c); and/or listen for one or more requests from the cluster head (101) or active neighbor(s) (103a-d, 105, 107). Responsive to the request(s), the idle node (111b) can become active on a communication link.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating nodes in an ad hoc communication network, wherein the network includes the node and at least one neighbor, performed in the node, comprising:

sleeping in a low duty cycle;

awakening, responsive to a schedule, and at least one of registering with a cluster head, first listening for at least one neighbor, wherein the at least one neighbor can be active or idle; and

second listening for at least one request from the cluster head or at least one neighbor that is active; and

responsive to the at least one request, becoming active on a communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting a registration to the cluster head, responsive to a power-up.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering includes receiving the schedule from the cluster head.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the schedule includes an indication of a frequency of wakening and a duration of the first listening.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting information representative of the at least one neighbor, during the first listening, and providing the collected information to the cluster head during the registering.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data having an indication of the at least one neighbor from the cluster head during the registering.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising powering down a receiver on the node except during the first listening and second listening.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication link is a designated RF carrier containing the at least one neighbor that is active, wherein the at least one neighbor is in search of a relay node.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the schedule to at least one other neighbor to extend a coverage of the cluster head.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in a communication device.

11. A method for coordinating nodes in an ad hoc communication network, wherein the network includes a plurality of nodes including a node and at least one active node, performed in the node, comprising:

running a data session in connection with at least one active node; and

during the data session, responsive to congestion or degradation, checking for at least one other node of the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one other node is available and active; and

if no other active node is available, transmitting a request to a cluster head to wake up at least one idle node.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing the at least one second relay in the data session.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a schedule from a cluster head;

responsive to a low duty cycle, sleeping; and

, responsive to the schedule, awakening and at least one of registering with the cluster head, first listening for at least one node of the plurality of nodes, and second listening for at least one request from the at least one active node or the cluster head.

14. A method for coordinating nodes in an ad hoc communication network, performed in a controller, comprising:

managing a plurality of nodes including at least one active node and at least one idle node;

listening to a network to facilitate a request from the at least one idle node or the at least one active node;

first determining a synchronization of the plurality of nodes including the at least one idle node, and second determining a schedule for waking corresponding to the at least one idle node and responsive to the synchronization; and

responsive to a registration request from the at least one idle node, transmitting the schedule to the at least one idle node.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving information representative of at least one of the nodes from the at least one idle node, responsive to the schedule for the at least one idle node.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining information representative of the nodes in a region that are relevant to at least one idle node, and transmitting the information to the at least one idle node, responsive to receipt of the registration request.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising, responsive to a request for a relay node, transmitting a request to the at least one idle node to become active.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the at least one idle node that is to become active.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the schedule includes an awakening time, further comprising determining the awakening time corresponding to the at least one idle node, responsive to the plurality of nodes.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed in an access point.