Device discovery and channel selection in a wireless networking environment

• US 20060171332A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap One LLC (Snap One Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Control4 Corporation (Snap One Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Barnum, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for device discovery and channel selection in a wireless networking environment are described. As part of an automatic network configuration process, a super node sequentially traverses the available channels, broadcasting discovery messages including the channel switching schedule. Wireless nodes that receive those broadcast messages switch channels in lock step with the super node, sending discovery replies on those channels over which the broadcast discovery messages are successfully received. An association is generated identifying accessible nodes and the channels through which those nodes may be accessed. An optimum channel may then be selected based on this association information. Sub-nodes may repeat the broadcast discovery messages, and relay any discovery replies to the super node. The super node may then identify sub-nodes that may be used as proxies to access nodes that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Claims

1. A method for performing channel selection in a wireless network comprising:

a first node broadcasting a first set of discovery packets, wherein said first set of discovery packets comprises a schedule having channel information and time information;

a second node receiving said first set of discovery packets; and

said first node and said second node switching between communication channels in accordance with said schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said broadcasting said first set of discovery packets comprises selecting a sequence of channels to carry out said broadcasting.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said selecting said sequence of channels further comprises selecting a starting channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said set of discovery packets comprises checking whether said second node should utilize said channel information and said time information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting by said second node a set of second-node discovery packets, wherein said second-node discovery packets comprises said time information and said channel information; and

receiving by a third node said second-node discovery packets.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said broadcasting by said second node further comprises utilizing said time information and said channel information for said broadcasting.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said utilizing said time information and said channel information further comprises using an offset to said time information and said channel information.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

broadcasting by said third node a set of third-node discovery packets comprising an identifier for said third node;

receiving by said second node said third-node discovery packet; and

broadcasting by said second node a set of response packets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said broadcasting by said third node further comprises switching to a specific channel using said time information and said channel information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said second node and said third node switch channels in lockstep.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said broadcasting by said second node further comprises broadcasting said identifier of said third node in said response packets.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said second node and said node switch channels in lockstep.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprises said first node receiving identification information from a plurality of network nodes on a network.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

said first node collecting at least one connection path data describing a network connection between said second node and said third node.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said collecting further comprises collecting channel availability from said second node and said third node.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

constructing a map that contains said channel availability information for said plurality of network nodes.

17. An apparatus for enabling communication between wireless network devices comprising:

a first network device capable of broadcasting a first set of discovery packets, wherein said first set of discovery packets comprises channel information describing a communication channel and time information describing a schedule data;

at least one second network device capable of receiving said first set of discovery packets; and

said first network device and said at least one second network device are capable of switching to said communication channel on said schedule data using said channel information and said time information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first network device is further capable of selecting a sequence of channels to carry out said broadcasting.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said first network device is further capable of selecting a starting channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said at least one second network device is further enabled to check whether said at least one second network device should utilize said channel information and said time information.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

said at least one second network device enabled to broadcast a set of second-node discovery packets, wherein said second-node discovery packets comprises said time information and said channel information; and

at least one third device capable of receiving said second-node discovery packets.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one second network device is further enabled to utilize said time information and said channel information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said at least one second network device is further enabled to use an offset to said time information and said channel information.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

said at least one third network device enabled to broadcast a set of third-node discovery packets comprising an identifier of said third network device;

said at least one second network device enabled to receive said third-node discovery packets; and

said at least one second network device enabled to broadcast a set of response packets.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one third network device is further enabled to switch to a communication channel using said time information and said channel information.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said at least one second network device and said at least one third network device are enabled to switch channels in lockstep.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one second network device is further enabled for broadcasting said identifier of said third network device in said response packets.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said at least one second network device and said first network device are enabled to switch channels in lockstep.

29. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first network device is further enabled to receive identification information from a plurality of network devices on a network.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said first network device is further enabled to collect at least one connection path data describing a network connection between said at least one second network device and said at least one third network device.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said first network device is further enabled to collect a channel availability data from said at least one second network device and said at least one third network device.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said first network device is further enabled to construct a map containing said channel availability information for said at least one second network device and a plurality of path information to said plurality of network devices.