MULTI-SPEED MESH NETWORKS

• US 20070177538A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zensys A/S (Sigma Designs Incorporated)
• Inventors: Midtgaard, Jacob, Christensen, Tommas Jess, Nielsen, John, Clement, Didier, Jensen, Rasmus Glarborg, Paulsen, Olfert Paul, Olesen, Morten Vested
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a communications facility that is adapted to communicate with at least one other mesh network node at a communication speed selected from a plurality of communication speeds.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a communications facility adapted to communicate with at least one other mesh network node at a communication speed selected from a plurality of communication speeds, wherein the plurality of communication speeds operate on the same communications channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications channel is a wireless communications channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless communications channel operates through at least one wireless frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected communication speed is selected based on a criterion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the criterion comprises a desired communication speed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the desired communication speed is a maximum communication speed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the desired communication speed is a minimum communication speed.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the criterion comprises a desired communication bandwidth.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the desired communication bandwidth is maximized.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the criterion comprises a desired communication path.

11-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A method of wireless communication comprising:

selecting a signal communication speed from a plurality of signal communication speeds associated with a first network node within a mesh network; and

transmitting a signal from the first network node at the selected signal communication speed, wherein the transmitted signal is intended to be received by a second network node within the mesh network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the process of selecting the signal transmission speed is manual.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the manual process involves selecting the signal transmission speed from an associated mesh network node.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the process of selecting the signal transmission speed is automatic.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the automated selection process involves an audit process, wherein the audit process involves determining at least one acceptable communication speed associated with the second network node.

21-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method of configuring communication speeds within a mesh network comprising:

selecting a first signal communication speed for a first network node within a mesh network, wherein the first signal communication speed is selected based on information relating to a second network node within the mesh network; and

storing information relating to the first signal communication speed in a data structure associated with the first network node.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first signal communication speed is selected from a plurality of speeds.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relating to the first signal communication speed is referred to prior to communicating with the second network node.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the method further comprises selecting a second signal communication speed for the first network node, wherein the second signal communication speed is selected based on information relating to a third network node within the mesh network.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the method further comprises storing information relating to the second signal communication speed in the data structure.

44-112. -112. (canceled)