Wireless network devices for use in a wireless communication network

• US 20100177660A1
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Lu, Jun, Liu, JiBin, Essinger, Steven, Chen, LiangLiang, Shen, Xin, Schnee, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices

Abstract

Various wireless network components that offer increased flexibility, ease of use, functionality and performance in many demanding applications in diverse fields of use, namely: a wireless multi-function network device for use on a wireless communication network, that can serve multiple functions and dynamically switch and reconfigure from a network router into a network coordinator in the event that the originally designated network coordinator is permanently or temporally disabled; a wireless mesh-type communication network, including a plurality of wireless network router devices, each capable of performing the functions of a network controller/coordinator; a wireless network router device for use on a wireless communication network, and employing an integrated phased-array antenna structure, supporting the spatial isolation of multi-regions, and utilizing beam steering principles of operation, for illuminating multiple wireless network end-devices over separate regions; a network gateway device that supports a USB-type communication interface and RF-based wireless communication interface; a network protocol translation (NPT) based gateway device for use in a wireless communication network; and wireless network coordinator device for automatically establishing a Personal Area Network (PAN) on a wireless communication network, and having a compact housing with an electrical wall plug integrated therein having electrical prongs for plugging into a standard electrical wall socket.

Claims

1. A wireless network coordinator device for automatically establishing a Personal Area Network (PAN) on a wireless communication network, comprising:

a microprocessor with program memory;

a flash memory storing firmware supporting the functions of a wireless network coordinator;

an RF transceiver for generating a data packet signal;

an RF antenna structure operably connected to said RF transceiver using an impedance matching network;

a power management module for managing a supply of electrical power provided to said wireless network coordinator device;

a printed circuit board (PCB) populated with said microprocessor, said flash memory, said RF transceiver, and said power management module;

a housing containing said PCB; and

an electrical wall plug integrated with said housing and having electrical prongs for plugging into a standard electrical wall socket.

2. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, which further comprises a input output (IO) module interfaced with said microprocessor by way of a system bus.

3. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, wherein said RF transceiver is an IEEE 802.15.4 modem transceiver.

4. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, which further comprises:

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to said wireless network coordinator device in the event of a short-term power failure;

a switching power supply module connected to an electrical wall socket;

a battery backup source for maintaining power in the event of short-term power outages and surges; and

a voltage regulation module interfaced with said power management module, and said rechargeable battery and said switching power supply.

5. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, comprising a housing having a standalone module form factor, provided with an external wall source power adapter.

6. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, comprising an external power source with power adapter integrated therein.

7. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, which further comprises:

a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) populated with the components of said wireless network router device; and

LED indicators electrically connected to the PCB, for visually indicating the status of operation of said wireless network coordinator device.

8. The wireless network coordinator device of claim 1, wherein automatically establishing said PAN involves selecting a frequency of operation and assigning a PAN ID number.

9. A wireless network router device for use on a wireless communication network, comprising:

a microprocessor with program memory;

flash memory storing multi-function firmware supporting the functions of a wireless network router and a wireless network coordinator, so that said wireless router device can serve multiple functions and dynamically switch and reconfigure from a network router into a network coordinator in the event that the originally designated network coordinator is permanently or temporally disabled;

an RF transceiver for generating a data packet signal;

a first RF antenna structure operably connected to said RF transceiver using an impedance matching network; and

a power management module for managing a supply of electrical power provided to said wireless network router device.

10. The wireless network router device of claim 9, which further comprises a input output (IO) module interfaced with said microprocessor by way of a system bus.

11. The wireless network router device of claim 10, which further comprises a GPS module interfaced with said IO submodule and an impedance matching network connected to a GPS RF antenna structure to aid in node location using a real-time location system (RTLS), employing the GPS module.

12. The wireless network router device of claim 9, wherein said RF transceiver is an IEEE 802.15.4 modem transceiver.

13. The wireless network router device of claim 9, which further comprises:

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to said wireless network router device in the event of a short-term power failure;

a switching power supply module connected to an electrical wall socket;

a battery backup source for maintaining power in the event of short-term power outages and surges; and

a voltage regulation module interfaced with said power management module, and said rechargeable battery and said switching power supply.

14. The wireless network router device of claim 9, comprising a housing having a standalone module form factor, provided with an external wall source power adapter.

15. The wireless network router device of claim 9, comprising an external power source with a power adapter integrated therein.

16. The wireless network router device of claim 9, which further comprises:

a housing of compact construction;

a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) populated with the components of said wireless network router device;

an electrical wall plug integrated with said housing and having electrical prongs for plugging into a standard electrical wall socket;

LED indicators electrically connected to the PCB, for visually indicating the status of operation of said wireless network router device.

17. A wireless network router device for use on a wireless communication network, comprising:

a microprocessor with program memory;

flash memory storing firmware supporting the functions of a wireless network router;

an RF transceiver for generating a data packet signal;

an RF antenna structure operably connected to said RF transceiver using an impedance matching network; and

a power management module for managing a supply of electrical power provided to said wireless network router device;

wherein said RF antenna structure is realized using a phased-array antenna structure, supporting the spatial isolation of multiple regions of space, and utilizing beam steering principles of operation, for illuminating multiple wireless network end-devices over said separate regions of space.

18. The wireless network router device of claim 17, wherein said phased-array antenna structure is used to select the desired region of operation, to isolate groups of wireless network devices that are spatially separated from one another.

19. The wireless network router device of claim 17, wherein said phase-array antenna structure produces a directive-type electromagnetic radiation pattern which may be varied by modifying the source of signal energy presented to each antenna element;

and

wherein the phase of the electrical currents supplied from said RF transceiver to each of the array elements, can be varied in such a way that a directive radiation pattern (i.e. main lobe) is formed.

20. A wireless mesh-type communication network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless network router devices, each capable of performing the functions of a network controller/coordinator;

wherein said plurality of wireless network routers dynamically assign the network coordinator role to one said wireless network router, while the other wireless network routers perform the role of wireless network routers.

21. A network gateway device comprising:

a microprocessor with program memory;

flash memory storing firmware supporting the functions of a wireless network gateway;

an RF transceiver for generating a data packet signal;

an RF antenna structure operably connected to said RF transceiver using an impedance matching network, and establishing a wireless communication interface; and

a power management module for managing a supply of electrical power provided to said wireless network router device; and

an IO submodule connected to said RF transceiver; and

a data transfer module, interfaced with said IO module, and having power source lines, and a data and power communication interface.

22. The network gateway device of claim 21, wherein said data and power communication interface is a USB-type communication interface.

23. The network gateway device of claim 21, wherein upon power up, said network gateway device begins to search for a wireless communication network to join, and said network gateway device may join a wireless network device through a detected parent device which can be either a network router or the network coordinator.

24. The network gateway device of claim 23, wherein once the address of the detected parent device has been received, said network gateway device enters an idle state.

25. The network gateway device of claim 24, wherein said network gateway device may move to another state of operation when receiving an input command, by way of either said data transfer module, or said wireless communication interface.

26. The network gateway device of claim 25, wherein the states of operation through which said network gateway device passes in automatic response to events occurring on said wireless communication network, include (i) a connect to network state, (ii) an idle state (i.e. receive mode), (iii) a COM over UART state, (iv) a transmit state (mode), (v) a broadcast to every parent node state, (vi) a write to memory state, (vii) a read data from memory state, and (viii) a read data from memory state.

27. A network protocol translation (NPT) based gateway device for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:

(a) a system ASIC including

(i) a first flash memory storing firmware supporting the functions of a wireless network gateway,

(i) a first microprocessor with program memory, for executing firmware programs and instructions;

(iii) an RF transceiver for generating a data packet signal,

(iv) an RF antenna structure operably connected to said RF transceiver using an impedance matching network, and establishing a wireless communication interface,

(v) a power management module for managing a supply of electrical power provided to said wireless network router device, and

(vi) a first IO submodule connected to said RF transceiver; and

(b) an Ethernet chipset interfaced with said IO module and an Ethernet connector, and including

(i) a second flash memory for storing firmware for network translation services,

(ii) a second microcontroller for executing firmware programs and instructions, and

(iii) a second IO for supporting I/O services and interfacing with an Ethernet connector.

28. The NPT-based gateway device of claim 27, wherein said network protocol translation services include from Zigbee to Ethernet communication protocols, and from Ethernet to Zigbee communication protocols.

29. The NPT-based gateway device of claim 27, wherein upon power up, said NPT-based gateway device begins to search for a wireless communication network to join, and said NPT-based gateway device may join a wireless network through a detected parent device which can be either a network router or said network coordinator.

30. The NPT-based gateway device of claim 29, wherein once the address of the parent has been received, said gateway enters an idle state.

31. The NPT-based gateway device of claim 30, wherein said NPT-based gateway device may move to another state of operation when receiving an input command, by way of either said data transfer module, or said wireless communication interface.

32. The NPT-based gateway device of claim 31, wherein the states of operation through which said gateway device passes in automatic response to events occurring on said wireless communication network, include (i) a connect to network state, (ii) an idle state (i.e. receive mode), (iii) a COM over UART state, (iv) a transmit state (mode), (v) a broadcast to every parent node state, (vi) a write to memory state, (vii) a read data from memory state, and (viii) a read data from memory state.