WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKETS VIA INTRA-MESH AND EXTRA-MESH ROUTES

• US 20110235516A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zuniga, Juan Carlos, Roy, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for routing a packet implemented in a mesh point (MP) of a wireless network are described. According to the method, a plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes are compared. One of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes is selected for transmission of the packet based on at least one criterion. The packet is transmitted over the selected one of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.

Claims

1. A method of routing a packet implemented in a mesh point (MP) of a wireless network, the method comprising:

comparing a plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes;

selecting one the of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes over which to transmit the packet based on at least one criterion; and

transmitting the packet over the selected one of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of a channel occupancy, a collision rate, a retransmission rate and a throughput for each of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of a delay requirement of the packet, a jitter requirement of the packet, a quality of service (QoS) access class of the packet and a security requirement of the packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of a number of hops, throughput and an estimated channel occupancy time associated with each of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.

5. A mesh point (MP) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a packet;

a processor configured to;

compare a plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes, and

select one the of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes over which to transmit the packet based on at least one criterion; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the packet over the selected one of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.

6. The mesh point of claim 5, wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of a channel occupancy, a collision rate, a retransmission rate and a throughput for each of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.

7. The mesh point of claim 5, wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of a delay requirement of the packet, a jitter requirement of the packet, a quality of service (QoS) access class of the packet and a security requirement of the packet.

8. The mesh point of claim 5, wherein the at least one criterion comprises at least one of a number of hops, throughput and an estimated channel occupancy time associated with each of the plurality of intra-mesh and extra-mesh routes.