SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVELY SETTING THE PROBABILITY OF GENERATING A BEACON BROADCAST IN A WIRELESS NETWORK
First Claim
1. In a wireless network having a plurality of nodes, including a beacon node, a method comprising:
- determining, at each node, whether to replace the beacon node;
if a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, determining whether the node should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, wherein determining whether the node should nominate itself is a function of a probability value associated with the node;
if the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, sending out one or more beacon signals;
receiving a beacon signal from other nodes that have nominated themselves as potential replacement beacon nodes; and
selecting the replacement beacon node, wherein selecting includes;
determining, at each potential replacement beacon node, whether the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node; and
if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, removing itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node;
wherein each node adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of operating a wireless network having a plurality of nodes. Each node determines whether to replace the beacon node. When a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, the node determines whether it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node. The decision whether to nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node is a function of a nomination probability associated with the node. If the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, the node sends out one or more beacon signals. Each node then adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes. Beacon signals are received by potential replacement nodes and, if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, the node removes itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node.
43 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a wireless network having a plurality of nodes, including a beacon node, a method comprising:
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determining, at each node, whether to replace the beacon node; if a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, determining whether the node should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, wherein determining whether the node should nominate itself is a function of a probability value associated with the node; if the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, sending out one or more beacon signals; receiving a beacon signal from other nodes that have nominated themselves as potential replacement beacon nodes; and selecting the replacement beacon node, wherein selecting includes; determining, at each potential replacement beacon node, whether the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node; and if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, removing itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node; wherein each node adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21)
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15. A wireless network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes, wherein each node communicates wirelessly to one or more other nodes in the network and wherein one node operates as a beacon node to synchronize each of the remaining nodes; wherein each node includes; a detection mechanism for detecting when the beacon node should be replaced; a self-nominating mechanism for determining when the node should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node; and an election mechanism for removing the node as a candidate for the replacement beacon node; wherein the self-nominating mechanism operates to determine whether the node should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, wherein the node nominates itself as a function of a nomination probability associated with the node, wherein each node adaptively modifies its nomination probability in response to the number of beacon signals received from other nodes; wherein the node transmits a beacon signal to other nodes in the network periodically as long as it remains a potential replacement beacon node; and wherein the election mechanism removes the node as a candidate for the replacement beacon node when the node receives a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification