Method and apparatus for assigning channels to mesh portals and mesh points of a mesh network

• US 20060230150A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roy, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US11/370,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20060230150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/16 based on interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A radio resource management (RRM) entity which increases the capacity of a mesh network including a plurality of mesh points (MPs) and a plurality of mesh portals is disclosed. A discovery phase is performed in the mesh network such that, for each MP, the mesh network has access to information which provides a ranking of the available mesh portals and MP next-hops, and related routing metrics for each individual MP in the mesh network. A preferred mesh portal is assigned to each of the MPs in the mesh network. Each MP scans, collects, and reports channel-based measurements of all available channels. Channels are assigned to each of the mesh portals. Channels are also sequentially assigned to the MPs.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the capacity of a multi-portal mesh network, the method comprising:

(a) performing a discovery phase in a mesh network including a plurality of mesh points (MPs) such that, for each MP, the mesh network has access to information which provides a ranking of the available mesh portals and MP next-hops, and related routing metrics for each individual MP in the mesh network;

(b) determining whether there are multiple mesh portals in the mesh network, wherein if the determination in step (b) is positive, performing the following steps;

(c) assigning a preferred mesh portal to each of the MPs in the mesh network;

(d) each MP scanning, collecting, and reporting channel-based measurements of all available channels;

(e) assigning channels to each of the mesh portals; and

(f) assigning channels to the MPs sequentially.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) further comprises sequentially assigning channels to each MP, from first-tier MPs up to last-tier MPs.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein first-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a single hop and last-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a plurality of hops.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) further comprises sequentially assigning channels to each MP, from last-tier MPs down to first-tier MPs.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein first-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a single hop and last-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a plurality of hops.

6. A radio resource management (RRM) unit for controlling a mesh network, the mesh network including a plurality of mesh points (MPs) and at least two available mesh portals, the RRM unit comprising:

(a) a processor for performing a discovery phase in the mesh network such that, for each MP, the mesh network has access to information which provides a ranking of the available mesh portals and MP next-hops, and related routing metrics for each individual MP in the mesh network;

(b) a mesh portal assignment unit in communication with the mesh network and the processor, the mesh portal assignment unit being configured to receive topology metrics and routing metrics reported by the MPs of the mesh network and assign a preferred mesh portal to each of the MPs in the mesh network based on the topology metrics and routing metrics; and

(c) a channel assignment unit in communication with the mesh network and the processor, the channel assignment unit being configured to receive channel scanning metrics, topology metrics and routing metrics reported by the MPs of the mesh network, and assign channels to each of the mesh portals and sequentially assign channels to the MPs based on the channel scanning metrics, topology metrics and routing metrics.

7. The RRM unit of claim 6 wherein the channel assignment unit sequentially assigns channels to each MP, from first-tier MPs up to last-tier MPs.

8. The RRM unit of claim 7 wherein first-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a single hop and last-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a plurality of hops.

9. The RRM unit of claim 6 wherein the channel assignment unit sequentially assigns channels to each MP, from last-tier MPs down to first-tier MPs.

10. The RRM unit of claim 9 wherein first-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a single hop and last-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a plurality of hops.

11. An integrated circuit (IC) incorporated in a radio resource management (RRM) unit for controlling a mesh network, the mesh network including a plurality of mesh points (MPs) and at least two available mesh portals, the IC comprising:

(a) a processor for performing a discovery phase in the mesh network such that, for each MP, the mesh network has access to information which provides a ranking of the available mesh portals and MP next-hops, and related routing metrics for each individual MP in the mesh network;

(b) a mesh portal assignment unit in communication with the mesh network and the processor, the mesh portal assignment unit being configured to receive topology metrics and routing metrics reported by the MPs of the mesh network and assign a preferred mesh portal to each of the MPs in the mesh network based on the received topology metrics and routing metrics; and

(c) a channel assignment unit in communication with the mesh network and the processor, the channel assignment unit being configured to receive channel scanning metrics, topology metrics and routing metrics reported by the MPs of the mesh network, and assign channels to each of the mesh portals and sequentially assign channels to the MPs based on the received channel scanning metrics, topology metrics and routing metrics.

12. The IC of claim 11 wherein the channel assignment unit sequentially assigns channels to each MP, from first-tier MPs up to last-tier MPs.

13. The IC of claim 12 wherein first-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a single hop and last-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a plurality of hops.

14. The IC of claim 11 wherein the channel assignment unit sequentially assigns channels to each MP, from last-tier MPs down to first-tier MPs.

15. The IC of claim 14 wherein first-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a single hop and last-tier MPs reach a preferred mesh portal in a plurality of hops.

16. A mesh point (MP) channel assignment system used in a mesh network including a plurality of MPs, the MP channel assignment system comprising:

(a) a topology weight adjustment unit for;

(i) receiving MP channel scanning metrics having an MP index i ranging from 1 to M and a channel index ranging from 1 to N, (ii) receiving MP topology metrics having an MP index ranging from i to M, and (iii) outputting MP topology weight adjusted metrics;

(b) a mesh cluster cost unit in communication with the topology weight adjustment unit, the mesh cluster cost unit being configured to process the MP topology weight adjusted metrics to merge the MP topology weight adjusted metrics associated with each channel into a single cluster-adjusted channel scanning metric per channel; and

(c) a portal node channel assignment unit in communication with the mesh cluster cost unit, the portal node channel assignment unit being configured to process the cluster-adjusted channel scanning metrics obtained for each of a plurality of clusters using a channel allocation algorithm to assign channels to mesh portals of a mesh network.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the topology weight adjustment unit allows the assignment of a greater weight to a particular MP that carries more traffic because of the proximity of the particular MP to a mesh portal.

18. An integrated circuit (IC) incorporated in a mesh network including a plurality of MPs, the IC comprising:

(a) a topology weight adjustment unit for;

(i) receiving MP channel scanning metrics having an MP index i ranging from 1 to M and a channel index ranging from 1 to N, (ii) receiving MP topology metrics having an MP index ranging from i to M, and (iii) outputting MP topology weight adjusted metrics;

(b) a mesh cluster cost unit which processes the MP topology weight adjusted metrics to merge the MP topology weight adjusted metrics associated with each channel into a single cluster-adjusted channel scanning metric per channel; and

(c) a portal node channel assignment unit for processing the cluster-adjusted channel scanning metrics obtained for each of a plurality of clusters using a channel allocation algorithm to assign channels to mesh portals of a mesh network.

19. The IC of claim 18 wherein the topology weight adjustment unit allows the assignment of a greater weight to a particular MP that carries more traffic because of the proximity of the particular MP to a mesh portal.