Effective Bandwidth Path Metric and Path Computation Method for Wireless Mesh Networks with Wired Links
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Abstract
Enhanced mesh network performance is provided by computation of a path metric with respect to multi-hop paths between nodes in a mesh network and determination of a path through the mesh network that is optimal according to the path metric. Information is communicated in the mesh network according to the determined path. Nodes in the mesh network are enabled to communicate via one or more wireless links and/or one or more wired links. The path metric optionally includes an effective bandwidth path metric having elements (listed from highest to lowest conceptual priority) including an inverse of a sustainable data rate, a number of wireless links, and a number of wireless and wired links. The sustainable data rate is a measure of communication bandwidth that is deliverable by a path for a period of time. Accounting is made for interference between contiguous wireless links operating on the same channel.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1-29. -29. (canceled)
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30. A method, comprising:
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computing, at least in part via a processor, an effective wireless bandwidth for a path according to a first technique when a number of contiguous wireless links along the path is less than a threshold; computing, at least in part via the processor, the effective wireless bandwidth according to a second technique when the number is greater than the threshold; wherein the first technique comprises calculating a first effective wireless bandwidth as a first function of a reciprocal of an inverse resultant data rate, the inverse resultant data rate being a sum of respective reciprocal bandwidths corresponding to each of the contiguous wireless links; and wherein the second technique comprises calculating a second effective wireless bandwidth as a second function of a plurality of inverse effective data rates, each of the inverse effective data rates corresponding to a respective set of contiguous wireless links, each of the sets having a respective length equal to the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A system, comprising:
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means for computing an effective wireless bandwidth for a path according to a first technique when a number of contiguous wireless links along the path is less than a threshold; means for computing the effective wireless bandwidth according to a second technique when the number is greater than the threshold; wherein the first technique comprises calculating a first effective wireless bandwidth as a first function of a reciprocal of an inverse resultant data rate, the inverse resultant data rate being a sum of respective reciprocal bandwidths corresponding to each of the contiguous wireless links; and wherein the second technique comprises calculating a second effective wireless bandwidth as a second function of a plurality of inverse effective data rates, each of the inverse effective data rates corresponding to a respective set of contiguous wireless links, each of the sets having a respective length equal to the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification