Systems and methods for synchronizing communication networks
First Claim
1. A method for synchronizing a communication network, comprising:
- providing a slotted communication network, includinga first node configured to operate at least during a first time slot, anda second node configured to operate at least during a second time slot,wherein the second time slot corresponds to the first time slot;
transmitting, from the first node, a message during the first time slot;
receiving, at the second node, the message, at a first receipt time during the second time slot; and
aligning a boundary portion of the second time slot with the first receipt time, thereby synchronizing the second time slot with the first time slot.
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Abstract
In many aspects, the invention relates to systems and methods for synchronizing a communication network, particularly a slotted communication network, having a plurality of nodes. In slotted communication networks, the nodes are configured to transmit or receive data during selected time slots. During a selected time slot, each node transmits a synchronization message that is received by a neighboring node. The neighboring node adjusts its time slot boundary to coincide with the time of receipt of the synchronization message, thereby synchronizing each node with a neighboring node. Such systems and methods are energy efficient, accurate, fast, fault tolerant and easy to implement.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing a communication network, comprising:
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providing a slotted communication network, including a first node configured to operate at least during a first time slot, and a second node configured to operate at least during a second time slot, wherein the second time slot corresponds to the first time slot; transmitting, from the first node, a message during the first time slot; receiving, at the second node, the message, at a first receipt time during the second time slot; and aligning a boundary portion of the second time slot with the first receipt time, thereby synchronizing the second time slot with the first time slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A node in a slotted-communication network, comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive a message at a receipt time during a first time slot, the message having been transmitted by a transmitting node, and a processor configured for aligning a boundary portion of the first time slot with the receipt time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for synchronizing a communication network, comprising:
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providing a network topology for a communication network including a plurality of nodes, selecting a root node from the plurality of nodes in the network, transmitting from a first node a first message, aligning a slot boundary of a second node, neighboring the first node along the network topology, based on the receipt time of the first message, and transmitting from the second node a second message, and aligning a slot boundary of a third node, neighboring the second node along the network topology, based on the receipt time of the second message.
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26. A method of synchronizing a communication network having a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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transmitting a plurality of messages from the plurality of nodes, receiving at a first node, the plurality of messages, calculating a statistic based, at least in part, on a time of reception of each of the plurality of messages, and synchronizing the first node based on the statistic. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification