Mesh Networking for Wireless Communications

• US 20090175216A1
• Filed: 01/04/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JAWB Acquisition LLC
• Original Assignee: Radiient Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Banks, Jano, Mader, Thomas, Bozarth, Brad
• Granted Patent: US 7,929,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for optimizing wireless communications in a mesh network is described. The method includes transmitting a data stream from a wireless module (WM) host to a plurality of WM devices in the mesh network. The method further includes sending status messages from the WM devices to the WM host and the other WM devices. The WM devices are configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream. The method further includes generating a WM host link quality map at the WM host with the WM host link quality map being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing wireless communications in a mesh network, comprising:

transmitting a data stream from a wireless module (WM) host to a plurality of WM devices in the mesh network;

sending status messages from the WM devices to the WM host and the other WM devices with the WM devices being configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream;

generating a WM host link quality map at the WM host with the WM host link quality map being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices; and

executing a first algorithm to dynamically allocate a help fulfillment window schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first algorithm is a WM host probabilistic prioritization algorithm for dynamically allocating the help fulfillment window schedule depending on the quality of links between the WM devices and to tune bit rates of the data stream for each WM device depending on the quality of link between each WM device and the WM host.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preparing control data including updates of the help fulfillment window schedule; and

executing a second algorithm to select help requests to fulfill for each WM device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending control data and help fulfillment messages from the WM host; and

sending control data and help fulfillment messages from the WM devices with a sequence number associated with the WM device that is sending the control data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether any WM devices are missing data from the WM host; and

resending the data to WM devices needing the data with an implied help request and desired expiration that other WM devices will service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating link quality maps at each WM device with each link quality map associated with a WM device being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from other WM devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first algorithm further comprises:

summing a number of help fulfillment messages received at a given WM device from all other WM devices;

dividing the number by a total number of help fulfillment message which equal a relative fulfillment ratio for the given WM device;

assigning the relative fulfillment ratio for the given WM device multiplied by the total time per help window to the given WM device; and

providing an updated help fulfillment window schedule to a control packet generator based on schedule lines being moved by an aggregate total that is greater than a first threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first algorithm further comprises:

reducing a bit rate of the data stream at the given WM device based on a help request delivery probability to the given WM device decreasing below a second threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein WM host link quality map comprises link quality information for direct wireless links between the WM host and directly linked WM devices and also indirect wireless links between the WM devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the WM host is located in an audio video receiver with functionality of the AV receiver being located in one of a TV, a DVD player, and an integrated TV/DVD player.

11. A method for optimizing wireless communications within a mesh network, comprising:

transmitting a data stream from a wireless module (WM) host to a plurality of WM devices in the mesh network;

sending status messages from the WM devices to the WM host and the other WM devices with the WM devices being configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream; and

generating a link quality map of the mesh network at each WM device with the link quality maps being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

executing a first algorithm to dynamically allocate a help fulfillment window schedule and to tune bit rates of the data stream for each WM device depending on the quality of link between the WM device and the WM host.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

preparing control data including updates of the help fulfillment window schedule; and

executing a second algorithm to select help requests to fulfill for each WM device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending control data and help fulfillment messages from the WM host; and

sending control data and help fulfillment messages from the WM devices with a sequence number associated with the WM device that is sending the control data based on the second algorithm.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the link quality map associated with each WM device comprises link quality information for direct and indirect wireless links between the particular WM device and the other WM devices and between the particular WM device and the WM host.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the help fulfillment window schedule is determined by one of an explicit schedule and a randomized contention mechanism.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the second algorithm further comprises:

determining a current fulfillment window under examination;

initializing a probability of delivery of all help requests to zero;

ranking help requests expiring in the current fulfillment window or a later fulfillment window by how much increase in probability of delivery is ensured by assigning a best available helper for each help request based on link quality compared to a second best helper;

assigning a highest ranked help request to its best available helper;

reranking the highest ranked help request based on a new expected delivery probability; and

determining if all fulfillment window help slots are filled.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the WM host is located in an audio video receiver with functionality of the AV receiver being located in one of a TV, a DVD player, and an integrated TV/DVD player.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the data stream comprises one of audio data, video data, and audio and video data.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

an audio video (AV) receiver with a wireless module (WM) host that is configured to transmit a data stream to a plurality of wireless nodes each having a WM device to enable bi-directional communications with the WM host, wherein each WM device includes memory to store the data stream and a processing unit that is configured to send status messages from the WM device to the WM host and the other WM devices with the WM devices being configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the WM host includes a processing unit that is configured to generate a WM host link quality map that is dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit of the WM host is further configured to execute a first algorithm to dynamically allocate a help fulfillment window schedule and to tune bit rates of the data stream for each WM device depending on the quality of link between each WM device and the WM host.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit of the WM host is further configured to prepare control data including updates of the help fulfillment window schedule.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit of each WM device is further configured to execute a second algorithm to select help requests to fulfill for each WM device and to generate link quality maps at each WM device with each link quality map associated with a WM device being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from other WM devices.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the functionality of the AV receiver is located in one of a HDMI DVD player, a HDMI TV, an integrated HDMI DVD player/TV, an AV receiver, a DVD player, a DVR, a hard disc player, an optical disc player, a blu-ray disc player, a computer, a MP3 player, a television, and a smart phone.

26. A system, comprising:

an audio video (AV) source having a wireless module (WM) host that is configured to transmit a data stream to a plurality of wireless nodes each having a WM device to enable bi-directional communications with the WM host, wherein each WM device includes memory to store the data stream and a processing unit that is configured to send status messages from the WM device to the WM host and the other WM devices with the WM devices being configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing unit of each WM device is further configured to generate a link quality map that is dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices with the WM host link quality map associated with each WM device being stored in the memory of each WM device.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing unit of each WM device is further configured to execute a fulfillment probabilistic prioritization algorithm to select help requests to fulfill for each WM device.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the functionality of the AV source is located in one of a HDMI DVD player, a HDMI TV, an integrated HDMI DVD player/TV, an AV receiver, a DVD player, a DVR, a hard disc player, an optical disc player, a blu-ray disc player, a computer, a MP3 player, a television, and a smart phone.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein each wireless node further comprises at least one of a wireless speaker, a wireless display, an integrated wireless speaker/display, and a repeater node.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the wireless speakers comprise a front left speaker, a front right speaker, a center speaker, a surround left speaker, a surround right speaker, a first low frequency effect (LFE) speaker, a side left surround speaker, a side right surround speaker, and a second LFE speaker.

32. A machine readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system to perform a method comprising:

transmitting a data stream from a wireless module (WM) host to a plurality of WM devices in the mesh network;

sending status messages from the WM devices to the WM host and the other WM devices with the WM devices being configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream;

generating a WM host link quality map at the WM host with the WM host link quality map being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices; and

executing a first algorithm to dynamically allocate a help fulfillment window schedule.

33. The medium of claim 32, wherein the first algorithm is a WM host probabilistic prioritization algorithm for dynamically allocating the help fulfillment window schedule depending on the quality of links between the WM devices and to tune bit rates of the data stream for each WM device depending on the quality of link between each WM device and the WM host.

34. The medium of claim 32, further comprising:

preparing control data including updates of the help fulfillment window schedule;

executing a second algorithm to select help requests to fulfill for each WM device;

sending control data and help fulfillment messages from the WM host; and

sending control data and help fulfillment messages from the WM devices with a sequence number associated with the WM device that is sending the control data.

35. A machine readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system to perform a method comprising:

transmitting a data stream from a wireless module (WM) host to a plurality of WM devices in the mesh network;

sending status messages from the WM devices to the WM host and the other WM devices with the WM devices being configured to transmit help requests and respond to help requests based on at least one WM device needing help receiving the data stream; and

generating a link quality map of the mesh network at each WM device with the link quality maps being dynamically updated upon receiving status messages from the WM devices.

36. The medium of claim 35, further comprising:

executing a first algorithm to dynamically allocate a help fulfillment window schedule and to tune bit rates of the data stream for each WM device depending on the quality of link between the WM device and the WM host;

preparing control data including updates of the help fulfillment window schedule; and

executing a second algorithm to select help requests to fulfill for each WM device.

37. The medium of claim 36, wherein the second algorithm further comprises:

determining a current fulfillment window under examination;

initializing a probability of delivery of all help requests to zero;

ranking help requests expiring in the current fulfillment window or a later fulfillment window by how much increase in probability of delivery is ensured by assigning a best available helper for each help request based on link quality compared to a second best helper;

assigning a highest rank help request to its best available helper;

reranking the highest rank help request based on a new expected delivery probability; and

determining if all fulfillment window help slots are filled.