Broadcast-only distributed wireless network
First Claim
1. A communication system in a distributed wireless network, said system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of wireless nodes, wherein at least some of said plurality of nodes are communicatively connected, wherein each of said nodes uses repeated communication frames for said communication, wherein each of said communication frames comprises;
(i) an idle period; and
(ii) a time division multiple access (TDMA) schedule for active communication, wherein said TDMA schedule comprises a plurality of TDMA slots;
(b) a broadcast function for allowing each of said plurality of nodes to broadcast a message, wherein one of said TDMA slots is used to broadcast said message, and wherein said message broadcasted by each of said nodes does not comprise an address of another of said nodes; and
(c) a listen function for allowing each of said plurality of nodes to listen for said broadcasted messages, wherein one or more of said TDMA slots is used to listen for one or more of said broadcasted messages, and wherein said listen function allows said listening node to receive one or more of said broadcasted messages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Communication in a broadcast-only distributed wireless network of nodes is provided. Each of the nodes of the network uses a repeated communication frame with an idle period and a TDMA schedule for active communication. The active TDMA schedule of at least some of the nodes in the network are aligned and synchronized. The distributed network does not require a central node for coordinating the TDMA schedules of another node or for synchronizing the communication frames. TDMA slots of the TDMA schedule are used for broadcasting and receiving messages. A node broadcasts a message without the use of an address of the receiving node. Communication frames having dynamic properties, such as communication frame length and start time, TDMA schedule position and length, and idle period position and length, are provided. Distributed functions for nodes to search for and synchronize with other nodes are also provided.
59 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A communication system in a distributed wireless network, said system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of wireless nodes, wherein at least some of said plurality of nodes are communicatively connected, wherein each of said nodes uses repeated communication frames for said communication, wherein each of said communication frames comprises; (i) an idle period; and (ii) a time division multiple access (TDMA) schedule for active communication, wherein said TDMA schedule comprises a plurality of TDMA slots; (b) a broadcast function for allowing each of said plurality of nodes to broadcast a message, wherein one of said TDMA slots is used to broadcast said message, and wherein said message broadcasted by each of said nodes does not comprise an address of another of said nodes; and (c) a listen function for allowing each of said plurality of nodes to listen for said broadcasted messages, wherein one or more of said TDMA slots is used to listen for one or more of said broadcasted messages, and wherein said listen function allows said listening node to receive one or more of said broadcasted messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for distributed wireless communication between a plurality of nodes, said method comprising:
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(a) partitioning a repeated communication frame of each of said plurality of nodes into an idle period and a time division multiple access (TDMA) schedule, wherein said TDMA schedule is for active communication, and wherein said TDMA schedule comprises a plurality of TDMA slots; (b) providing a broadcast function for allowing each of said plurality of nodes to broadcast a message, wherein one of said TDMA slots is used to broadcast said message, and wherein said message broadcasted by each of said nodes does not comprise an address of another of said nodes; and (c) providing a listen function for allowing each of said plurality of nodes to listen for said broadcasted messages, wherein one or more of said TDMA slots is used to listen for one or more of said broadcasted messages, and wherein said listen function allows said listening node to receive one or more of said broadcasted messages. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of synchronizing nodes in a distributed wireless communication network of a plurality of nodes, said method comprising:
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(a) providing a repeated communication frame for each of said plurality of nodes, wherein said communication frame comprises an idle period and a time division multiple access (TDMA) schedule, and wherein said TDMA schedule is for active communication; (b) broadcasting a join message, wherein said join message is broadcasted by one of said plurality of nodes, wherein said join message is broadcasted from a random position in said idle period of said communication frame of said broadcasting node, and wherein said join message comprises said random position; (c) receiving said join message, wherein said join message is received by another of said plurality of nodes, and wherein said join message is received within said TDMA schedule of said receiving node; and (d) shifting the position of said TDMA schedule in said communication frame of said receiving node, wherein said shifting is based on said random position of said received join message, and wherein said shifting approximately synchronizes said communication frame of said receiving node with said communication frame of said broadcasting node.
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Specification