SYNCHRONIZATION AND TIMING SOURCE PRIORITY IN AN AD-HOC NETWORK
First Claim
1. A mobile ad-hoc network comprising:
- at least one group of mobile nodes including at least one timing reference node;
each mobile node comprising a controller and a wireless communications device cooperating therewith togenerate and transmit timing synchronization beacons having a respective hop count indicating a number of hops to the at least one timing reference node,receive timing synchronization beacons from neighboring nodes, andsynchronize node communication timing with neighboring nodes based upon the number of hops to the at least one timing reference node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bandwidth efficient and robust timing synchronization approach in an ad-hoc network is provided by a mobile ad-hoc network including at least one group of mobile nodes having at least one timing reference (TR) node. Mobile nodes include a controller and a wireless communications device cooperating therewith to generate and transmit timing synchronization beacons having a respective hop count indicating a number of hops to the at least one timing reference node, receive timing synchronization beacons from neighboring nodes, and synchronize node communication timing with neighboring nodes based upon the number of hops to the at least one timing reference node. The timing reference node may cooperate with the other mobile nodes based upon a timing source priority tree including levels defined by hop counts. The timing reference node is at a starting level of the timing source priority tree. The other nodes are at a higher level of the timing source priority tree than the starting level and correspond to the number of hops to the at least one timing reference node.
48 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A mobile ad-hoc network comprising:
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at least one group of mobile nodes including at least one timing reference node; each mobile node comprising a controller and a wireless communications device cooperating therewith to generate and transmit timing synchronization beacons having a respective hop count indicating a number of hops to the at least one timing reference node, receive timing synchronization beacons from neighboring nodes, and synchronize node communication timing with neighboring nodes based upon the number of hops to the at least one timing reference node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A mobile node for operation in a group of mobile nodes within an ad-hoc network, the group including at least one timing reference (TR) node, the mobile node comprising:
a controller and a wireless communications device cooperating therewith to generate and transmit timing synchronization beacons having a respective hop count indicating a number of hops to the at least one timing reference node, receive timing synchronization beacons from neighboring nodes, and synchronize node communication timing with neighboring nodes based upon the number of hops to the at least one timing reference node. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a group of mobile nodes within an ad-hoc network, the group including at least one timing reference (TR) node, the method comprising:
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each node of the group generating and transmitting timing synchronization beacons having a respective hop count indicating a number of hops to the at least one timing reference node; each node receiving timing synchronization beacons from neighboring nodes; and synchronizing node communication timing with neighboring nodes based upon the number of hops to the at least one timing reference node. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification