Method and apparatus for coordinating seamless channel switching in a mesh network

• US 20060242457A1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudolf, Marian, Roy, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US11/398,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A mesh network including at least one channel master (CM) and a plurality of mesh points (MPs). The CM sends a channel change intention message to at least one of the MPs indicating the CM'"'"'s intention to change from a first channel to a second channel. Upon reception of the channel change intention message, the at least one MP determines whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel. The at least one MP sends a channel change response message to the CM. The CM then determines whether to change from the first channel to the second channel based on the channel change response message. The channel change intention message may indicate a change of mode, a change of bandwidth or a change of a number of channels. The channel change intention message may indicate the timing of the channel change.

Claims

1. In a mesh network including at least one channel master (CM) and a plurality of mesh points (MPs), a method comprising:

a) the CM sending a channel change intention message to at least one of the MPs, the message indicating the CM'"'"'s intention to change from a first channel to a second channel;

b) upon reception of the channel change intention message, the at least one MP determining whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel;

c) the at least one MP sending a channel change response message to the CM; and

d) the CM determining whether to change from the first channel to the second channel based on the channel change response message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the channel change intention message indicates a change of mode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the channel change intention message indicates a change of bandwidth.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the channel change intention message indicates a change of a number of channels.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the channel change intention message indicates the timing of the channel change.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a broadcast frame is used to send the channel change intention message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a unicast frame is used to send the channel change intention message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the channel change response message includes a notification confirming receipt of the channel change intention message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the channel change response message indicates whether the MP will change from the first channel to the second channel.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one MP determines whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel based on the MP'"'"'s radio frequency (RF) environment.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one MP determines whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel based on the availability of other CMs in the mesh network.

12. A mesh network comprising:

a) at least one channel master (CM); and

b) a plurality of mesh points (MPs), wherein;

i) the CM sends a channel change intention message to at least one of the MPs, the message indicating the CM'"'"'s intention to change from a first channel to a second channel;

ii) the at least one MP determining whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel upon reception of the channel change intention message;

iii) the at least one MP sends a channel change response message to the CM; and

iv) the CM determines whether to change from the first channel to the second channel based on the channel change response message.

13. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the channel change intention message indicates a change of mode.

14. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the channel change intention message indicates a change of bandwidth.

15. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the channel change intention message indicates a change of a number of channels.

16. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the channel change intention message indicates the timing of the channel change.

17. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein a broadcast frame is used to send the channel change intention message.

18. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein a unicast frame is used to send the channel change intention message.

19. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the channel change response message includes a notification confirming receipt of the channel change intention message.

20. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the channel change response message indicates whether the MP will change from the first channel to the second channel.

21. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the at least one MP determines whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel based on the MP'"'"'s radio frequency (RF) environment.

22. The mesh network of claim 12 wherein the at least one MP determines whether to switch from the first channel to the second channel based on the availability of other CMs in the mesh network.