Communication Nodes for Use with an Ad-Hoc Network

• US 20100272027A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olsonet Communications Corporation
• Inventors: Sendrowicz, Gerry
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/566 Routing instructions carried by the data packet, e.g. active networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

Communication nodes for use with a wireless ad-hoc communication network are disclosed. In an embodiment of the present invention, the communication node comprises a transducer, which generates a signal in response to an external signal. The ad-hoc network communication is supported in part by static communication nodes, which defined an organized infrastructure network in order to achieve the various functions of the transducers. In another embodiment, the communication node for use with a wireless ad-hoc network does not include a transducer. Such communication nodes are preferred for use with a less structured network with virtually no infrastructure and allow for being used with expanding and contracting networks. Mobile communication nodes mostly support the propagation of signals. However, pseudo-static or static communication nodes are also used in wireless communication ad-hoc networks.

Claims

1. A node comprising:

a processor

a transceiver in communication with the processor for receiving and transmitting signals, the received and transmitted signals being via wireless communication medium;

the processor for generating a signal for transmission from the node to a destination node, the destination node being another node of a plurality of nodes of which the node forms a predetermined part;

the processor executing a process for encoding within the signal a flag relating to the transmission of data from the node to the destination node, the flag having a first value when the destination node is within transmission range of the transceiver and a second value when the destination node is not within transmission range of the transceiver.

2. A node according to claim 1 further comprising;

determining with the process an action upon receiving a signal from a further node of the plurality of nodes, the action being retransmitting the received signal when the flag within the received signal is set to the second value and the destination node of the received signal is not within transmission range of the transceiver, generating a new transmission signal in dependence of the received signal and with the flag set to the first value when the flag within the received signal is set to the second value and the destination node of the received signal is within transmission range of the transceiver, and not retransmitting the received signal when the flag within the received signal is set to the first value.

3. A node according to claim 1 further comprising;

determining with the process a first protocol from a plurality of protocols when the flag is set to the first value, the first protocol selected being determined in dependence upon the range to the destination node and minimizing a power consumption of transmitting the signal with the first receiver; and

determining with the process a second protocol from the plurality of protocols, the second protocol selected being determined in dependence upon at least the range to the destination node and minimizing a power consumption of transmitting the signal with the first receiver.

4. A method comprising:

providing a node comprising;

a processor;

a first transceiver in communication with the processor for receiving and transmitting signals according to a first wireless communication standard characterised by at least a first range; and

a second transceiver in communication with the processor for receiving and transmitting signals according to a second wireless communication standard characterised by at least a second range, the second range being greater than the first range;

providing a process in execution upon the processor for generating a signal relating to information to be transmitted from the node to a destination node, the process providing the signal to a determined one of the first transceiver and second transceiver, the determination being made in dependence upon at least the first range and the range of the destination node from the node.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein,

the first transceiver and second transceiver are the same physical transceiver, the first transceiver being when the physical transceiver is operated at a first predetermined set of operating conditions and the second transceiver being when the physical transceiver is operated at a second set of predetermined operating conditions, the first and second predetermined sets of operating conditions resulting in the second range being greater than the first range.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein,

the first transceiver and second transceiver are the same physical transceiver, the first transceiver being when the physical transceiver is operated according to a first protocol and the second transceiver being when the physical transceiver is operated according to a second protocol, the second protocol resulting in the second range being greater than the first range.

7. A method according to claim 4 wherein,

generating the signal with the processor comprises setting at least a first field within the signal, the first field setting being determined in dependence upon at least one of which transceiver is used to transmit the signal and whether the range of the destination node is outside the first range.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising,

receiving with the process a signal transmitted from another node intended for the destination node and determining whether to retransmit the signal, the determination being made upon at least the setting of the first field within the signal received.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein;

determining whether the range to the destination node is outside the first range is determined by the processor previously transmitting a signal intended for the destination node without a known available route using the first transceiver and not receiving a confirmation signal from the destination node.

10. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of communication nodes including at least a first communication node in wireless transmission range with a predetermined subset of the plurality of communication nodes, each communication node comprising;

a processor;

a first transceiver in communication with the processor for receiving and transmitting signals according to a first wireless communication standard characterised by at least a first range; and

a second transceiver in communication with the processor for receiving and transmitting signals according to a second wireless communication standard characterised by at least a second range, the second range being greater than the first range;

executing a process upon each processor, the process for generating a signal relating to information to be transmitted from a node to a destination node and providing the signal to a determined one of the first transceiver and second transceiver, the determination being made in dependence upon at least the first range and the range of the destination node from the node.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein,

a predetermined portion of the plurality of nodes comprise a single physical transceiver wherein the first transceiver is provided when the physical transceiver is operated at a first predetermined set of operating conditions and the second transceiver is provided when the physical transceiver is operated at a second set of predetermined operating conditions, the first and second predetermined sets of operating conditions resulting in the second range being greater than the first range.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein,

a predetermined portion of the plurality of nodes comprise a single physical transceiver wherein the first transceiver is provided when the physical transceiver is operated according to a first protocol and the second transceiver is provided when the physical transceiver is operated according to a second protocol, the first and second protocols being such that the second range is greater than the first range.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein,

the process having determined to transmit with the first receiver selects the first protocol from a plurality of protocols, the first protocol selected being determined in dependence upon the range to the destination node and minimizing a power consumption of transmitting the signal with the first transceiver;

and

the process having determined to transmit with the second receiver selects the second protocol from the plurality of protocols, the second protocol selected being determined in dependence upon at least the range to the destination node and minimizing a power consumption of transmitting the signal with the first transceiver.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein,

the range to the destination node is measured in a number of hops and the second protocol is further determined in dependence upon minimizing the number of hops for this signal.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein,

the process in generating the signal establishes at least a first field within the signal, the first field setting being determined in dependence upon at least one of which transceiver is used to transmit the signal and whether the range of the destination node is outside the first range.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising,

receiving with the process a signal transmitted from another node of the plurality of nodes intended for the destination node and determining whether to retransmit the received signal, the determination being made upon at least the setting of the first field within the received signal.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein;

determining whether the range to the destination node is outside the first range is determined by the processor previously transmitting a signal intended for the destination node without a known available route using the first transceiver and not receiving a confirmation signal from the destination node.