Apparatus and method for managing packet routing through internally-powered network devices in wireless sensor networks
First Claim
1. In a hybrid network having an externally-powered node and an internally-powered node, a method comprising:
- configuring a role that the internally-powered node will take during an operations phase of the hybrid network, the role including whether the internally-powered node will act as a router or a non-router;
demoting the internally-powered node to a non-router role if the internally-powered node is not needed for routing; and
promoting the internally-powered node to a router role if the internally-powered node is needed for routing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for managing packet routing through internally-powered network devices in wireless sensor networks. An example embodiment includes a hybrid network having an externally-powered node and an internally-powered node, the method includes configuring a role that the internally-powered node will take during an operations phase of the hybrid network, the role including whether the internally-powered node will act as a router or a non-router; demoting the internally-powered node to a non-router role if the internally-powered node is not needed for routing; and promoting the internally-powered node to a router role if the internally-powered node is needed for routing.
61 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a hybrid network having an externally-powered node and an internally-powered node, a method comprising:
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configuring a role that the internally-powered node will take during an operations phase of the hybrid network, the role including whether the internally-powered node will act as a router or a non-router; demoting the internally-powered node to a non-router role if the internally-powered node is not needed for routing; and promoting the internally-powered node to a router role if the internally-powered node is needed for routing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An internally-powered network node comprising:
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a processor; a network interface, coupled to the processor, to communicate with other nodes of a hybrid network; and processing logic, executed by the processor, to configure a role that the internally-powered network node will take during an operations phase of the hybrid network, the role including whether the internally-powered network node will act as a router or a non-router, to demote the internally-powered network node to a non-router role if the internally-powered network node is not needed for routing, and to promote the internally-powered network node to a router role if the internally-powered network node is needed for routing. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A hybrid network comprising:
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a gateway; an externally-powered network node in data communication with the gateway; and an internally-powered network node in data communication with the gateway, the internally-powered network node including processing logic to configure a role that the internally-powered network node will take during an operations phase of the hybrid network, the role including whether the internally-powered network node will act as a router or a non-router, to demote the internally-powered network node to a non-router role if the internally-powered network node is not needed for routing, and to promote the internally-powered network node to a router role if the internally-powered network node is needed for routing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
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configure a role that the internally-powered network node will take during an operations phase of the hybrid network, the role including whether the internally-powered network node will act as a router or a non-router; demote the internally-powered network node to a non-router role if the internally-powered network node is not needed for routing; and promote the internally-powered network node to a router role if the internally-powered network node is needed for routing. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification