NODE SCHEDULING AND ADDRESS ASSIGNMENT WITHIN AN AD-HOC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20090303915A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.), Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jisun, Perkins, Matthew R., Doh, Yoonmee, Huang, Yan, Kim, Hyunhak, Park, Noseong, Yao, Zhiying
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/314
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for address assignment and node scheduling within an ad-hoc communication system is provided herein. During operation a personal area network coordinator (PANC) (40) will divide a superframe (301) into a plurality of slots, assigning each sub-tree under the PANC'"'"'s direct child node to each slot for communication with the PANC. Each sub-tree coordinator will be assigned a same logical address by the PANC. As a result, a sub-tree coordinator synchronizes to the PANC node in only one subsuperframe slot assigned by the PANC with different sub-tree coordinators synchronizing to the PANC in different slots.

Claims

1. A method for a Personal Area Network Coordinator (PANC) to assign addresses within an ad-hoc communication system, the method comprises the steps of:

determining a number of nodes in communication with the PANC;

dividing a superframe into a number of slots corresponding to the number of nodes in communication with the PANC or a maximal number of allowed slots, whichever is smaller; and

assigning each of the nodes in communication with the PANC a slot to utilize for communication with the PANC.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

assigning each of the nodes in communication with the PANC a same logical address.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving communications from a node in communication with the PANC;

determining a slot within the superframe where the communications were received; and

associating the slot with a particular node.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each node in communication with the PANC communicates with the PANC in its corresponding slot.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the PANC serves as a root for a tree-based Personal Area Network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the nodes in communication with the PANC serves as a root for a sub-tree under the PANC.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining an amount of traffic for each slot; and

re-routing traffic from congested slots to slots having little congestion.

8. A Personal Area Network Coordinator (PANC) comprising:

logic circuitry determining a number of nodes in communication with the PANC, dividing a superframe into a number of slots corresponding to the number of nodes in communication with the PANC or a maximal number of allowed slots, whichever is smaller, assigning each of the nodes in communication with the PANC a slot to utilize for communication with the PANC, and assigning each of the nodes in communication with the PANC a same logical address; and

a transmitter transmitting the assigned slot number and the logical addresses to the nodes.

9. The PANC of claim 8 further comprising:

a receiver receiving communications from a node in communication with the PANC; and

wherein the logic circuitry determines a slot within the superframe where the communications were received and associates the slot with a particular node for all communications with the node.

10. The PANC of claim 8 wherein each node in communication with the PANC communicates with the PANC in its corresponding slot.

11. The PANC of claim 8 wherein the PANC serves as a root for a tree-based Personal Area Network.

12. The PANC of claim 8 wherein each of the nodes in communication with the PANC serves as a root for a sub-tree under the PANC.