I/O DRIVEN NODE COMMISSIONING IN A SLEEPING MESH NETWORK

• US 20110188420A1
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• 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. A neighbor wireless mesh network node in proximity to a second node to be added to the mesh network is actuated, causing the neighbor wireless mesh network to be woke from a sleep state. The second node is added to the wireless mesh network by exchanging data with the neighbor wireless mesh network node to join the network.

Claims

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

actuating a neighbor wireless mesh network node in proximity to a second node to be added to the mesh network, causing the neighbor wireless mesh network to be woke from a synchronized sleep state, and

adding the second node to the wireless mesh network, the second node exchanging data with the neighbor wireless mesh network node to join the network.

2. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein actuating the neighbor wireless mesh network node comprises at least one of sending an interrupt, sending an I/O signal, and sending a network signal to the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

3. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein the sleep state comprises an extended state of inactivity lasting longer than five minutes, configured to preserve battery life in the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

4. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, further comprising returning at least one of the neighbor wireless mesh network node and the second node to a coordinated sleep state once the second node has joined the network.

5. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein the second node is further operable to indicate it has successfully joined the network.

6. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein exchanging data comprises exchanging one or more of network ID, sleep period, and neighboring node data.

7. A wireless mesh network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless mesh network nodes having a synchronized sleep state to conserve power, at least one of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes operable to wake from the synchronized sleep state upon actuation and to join a new or replacement second node to the mesh network by exchanging data with the new or replacement second node.

8. The wireless mesh network of claim 7, wherein actuating the wireless mesh network node comprises at least one of sending an interrupt, sending an I/O signal, and sending a network signal to the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

9. The wireless mesh network of claim 7, wherein the synchronized sleep state comprises an extended state of inactivity lasting longer than five minutes, configured to preserve battery life in the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

10. The wireless mesh network of claim 7, at least one of the nodes operable to wake and the new or replacement second node operable to return to a synchronized sleep state once the second node has joined the network.

11. The wireless mesh network of claim 7, wherein the new or replacement second node is further operable to indicate it has successfully joined the network.

12. The wireless mesh network of claim 7, wherein exchanging data comprises exchanging one or more of network ID, sleep period, and neighboring node data.

13. A wireless mesh network node having a sleep state synchronized with a plurality of other mesh network nodes to conserve power, the wireless mesh network node further operable to wake from the synchronized sleep state upon actuation and to add a new or replacement second node to the mesh network by exchanging data with the new or replacement second node.

14. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13, wherein actuating the wireless mesh network node comprises at least one of sending an interrupt, sending an I/O signal, and sending a network signal to the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

15. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13, wherein the synchronized sleep state comprises an extended state of inactivity lasting longer than five minutes, configured to preserve battery life in the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

16. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13, the wireless mesh network node operable to return to a synchronized sleep state once the new or replacement second node has joined the network.

17. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13, wherein exchanging data comprises exchanging one or more of network ID, sleep period, and neighboring node data with the new or replacement second node.