HIERARCHY FOR GROUP ADDRESSED FRAMES DELIVERY

• US 20110007678A1
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: KNECKT, Jarkko, KASSLIN, Mika, MARIN, Janne
• Application Number:
  US12/498,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20110007678A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve power conservation and efficiency in wireless mesh networks. An example embodiment of the invention receives at a wireless mesh device a plurality of messages from other wireless mesh devices in a wireless mesh network and determines from the messages if there is one or more wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode. If there is no wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then the example embodiment transmits group addressed frames in any order. If there is at least one wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then the example embodiment arranges a transmission order of group addressed frames that have a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network followed by group addressed frames that have the designated wireless mesh device as a source. Then the example embodiment transmits the group addressed frames in the transmission order to at least one other wireless mesh device in the network, with the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source being transmitted last. The arrangement of the order of transmission enables other wireless mesh devices operating in power save mode in the network to cease listening for further group addressed frames following receipt of the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source. In this manner power conservation and efficiency are improved in wireless mesh networks.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a wireless mesh device a plurality of messages from other wireless mesh devices in a wireless mesh network;

determining from the messages if there is one or more wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode;

if there is no wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then transmitting group addressed frames in any order;

if there is at least one wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then arranging a transmission order of group addressed frames that have a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network followed by group addressed frames that have the designated wireless mesh device as a source; and

transmitting the group addressed frames in the transmission order to at least one other wireless mesh device in the network, with the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source being transmitted last.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said designated wireless mesh device being a portal wireless mesh device in the network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said received messages being beacons transmitted from other wireless mesh devices in the wireless mesh network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said transmitting occurring after transmitting a Delivery Traffic Indication Message Beacon.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said arrangement of the order of transmission enabling other wireless mesh devices in the network to cease listening for further group addressed frames following receipt of the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said group addressed frames being group addressed using at least one of a multicast or broadcast frame communication in a IEEE 802.11s wireless mesh network.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a plurality of wireless messages from other wireless mesh devices in a wireless mesh network;

a processor configured to determine from the messages if there is one or more wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode;

the processor further configured to determine if there is no wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then causing the transceiver to transmit group addressed frames in any order;

the processor further configured to determine if there is at least one wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then arrange a transmission order of group addressed frames that have a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network followed by group addressed frames that have the designated wireless mesh device as a source; and

the transceiver further configured to transmit the group addressed frames in the transmission order to at least one other wireless mesh device in the network, with the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source being transmitted last.

8. An apparatus according claim 7, further comprising:

the processor further configured to cause the transceiver to transmit the group addressed frames after transmission of a Delivery Traffic Indication Message Beacon.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

said group addressed frames being group addressed using at least one of a multicast or broadcast frame communication in a IEEE 802.11s wireless mesh network.

10. A computer readable medium storing program instructions, which when executed by a computer processor, perform the steps comprising:

receiving at a wireless mesh device a plurality of messages from other wireless mesh devices in a wireless mesh network;

determining from the messages if there is one or more wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode;

if there is no wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then transmitting group addressed frames in any order;

if there is at least one wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then arranging a transmission order of group addressed frames that have a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network followed by group addressed frames that have the designated wireless mesh device as a source; and

transmitting the group addressed frames in the transmission order to at least one other wireless mesh device in the network, with the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source being transmitted last.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving at a wireless mesh device operating in power save mode in a wireless mesh network, message frames sent by a selected wireless mesh device in the network and message frames sent by other wireless mesh devices in the network;

listening to all group addressed frames of the message frames sent from the selected wireless mesh device; and

listening only to group addressed frames of the message frames from the other wireless mesh devices, which originated from a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

said designated wireless mesh device being a portal wireless mesh device in the network.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

ceasing to listen for further group addressed frames from the other wireless mesh devices following receipt of the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

said group addressed frames being group addressed using at least one of a multicast, or broadcast frame communication in a IEEE 802.11s wireless mesh network.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a wireless mesh device in the network from which to receive the message frames.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive at a wireless mesh device operating in power save mode in a wireless mesh network, message frames sent by a selected wireless mesh device in the network and message frames sent by other wireless mesh devices in the network;

a processor configured to cause the apparatus to listen to all group addressed frames of the message frames sent from the selected wireless mesh device; and

the processor further configured to cause the apparatus to listen only to group addressed frames of the message frames from the other wireless mesh devices, which originated from a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

the processor further configured to cause the apparatus to cease listening for further group addressed frames from the other wireless mesh devices following receipt of the group addressed frames having the designated wireless mesh device as a source.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

said group addressed frames being group addressed using at least one of a multicast, or broadcast frame communication in a IEEE 802.11s wireless mesh network.

19. A computer readable medium storing program instructions, which when executed by a computer processor, perform the steps comprising:

receiving at a wireless mesh device operating in power save mode in a wireless mesh network, message frames sent by a selected wireless mesh device in the network and message frames sent by other wireless mesh devices in the network;

listening to all group addressed frames of the message frames sent from the selected wireless mesh device; and

listening only to group addressed frames of the message frames from the other wireless mesh devices, which originated from a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network.