MESH NETWORK NODE SERVICE IN A SLEEPING MESH NETWORK

• US 20110188419A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: George, Jay Douglas, Filoso, John P., Schwartz, John Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,547,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A set sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power, and a temporarily reduced sleep period is coordinated among the plurality of nodes to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity. The reduced sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced, or reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period after predetermined period of time. Temporarily reducing the sleep period includes distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless mesh network, comprising:

setting a sleep period in a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power; and

temporarily reducing the sleep period in one or more of the plurality of nodes to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity.

2. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.

3. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, further comprising reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period after predetermined period of time.

4. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, further comprising reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period when triggered by a technician.

5. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein the temporarily reduced sleep time is at least ten times shorter than set sleep period.

6. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

7. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein the sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of the mesh network nodes such that the nodes are awake at the same time and operable to route data from other nodes.

8. A wireless mesh network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless mesh network nodes having a sleep period to conserve power, one or more of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes operable to temporarily reduce the sleep period to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity.

9. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.

10. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original coordinated sleep period after predetermined period of time.

11. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original sleep period when manually triggered by a technician.

12. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein the temporarily reduced sleep time at least ten times shorter than set sleep period.

13. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

14. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein the sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of the mesh network nodes such that the nodes are awake at the same time and operable to route data from other nodes.

15. A wireless mesh network node, operable to sleep during a sleep period to conserve power, and further operable to temporarily reduce the coordinated sleep period to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity.

16. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.

17. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, the wireless mesh network node further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original coordinated sleep period after predetermined period of time.

18. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, the wireless mesh network node further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original sleep period when manually triggered by a technician.

19. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein the temporarily reduced sleep time at least ten times shorter than set sleep period.

20. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

21. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein the sleep period is coordinated with one or more other mesh network nodes such that the nodes are awake at the same time and operable to route data from other nodes.

22. A machine-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to:

set a sleep period in a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power; and

temporarily reduce the sleep period in one or more of the plurality of nodes to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.