Network Architecture for Data Communication

• US 20150005977A1
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Inventors: Francescon, Antonio, Mandato, Davide
• Granted Patent: US 9,541,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

This invention relates to a network architecture for data communication between data sources and data destinations via network nodes and at least one data concentrator. According to the invention the nodes (2, 4) are conceived to communicate with a data concentrator (1) in both directions either via a permanently operative network (8) in the multihop mode or via an occasionally operative network (5) in wireless connection with mobile user nodes (6) in the nomadic mode. Means for commutation are provided to detect faulty multihop nodes and to activate nomadic nodes instead until the fault disappears, in order to maintain the overall functionality of the network. Moreover the network according to the invention allows the data collected by mobile users to be shared with other mobile users, thus forming a peer-to-peer network.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method for transferring data, the method comprising:

sending a poll message, from a device, to a node operating in one of two operating modes;

receiving, at the device, data collected by the node when the node is operating in a first operating mode;

receiving, at the device, a request for a data dump from a network device; and

transferring the received data to the network device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the network device is a data concentrator device.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein when the node is operating in a multihop mode, the poll message is not responded to.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first operating mode is a nomadic mode.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the data dump request is transmitted by the network device after receiving a second poll message from the device.

14. An apparatus to transfer data, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the processor configured to;

send a poll message, from a device, to a node operating in one of two operating modes;

receive, at the device, data collected by the node when the node is operating in a first operating mode;

receive, at the device, a request for a data dump from a network device; and

transfer the received data to the network device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the network device is a data concentrator device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein when the node is operating in a multihop mode, the poll message is not responded to.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first operating mode is a nomadic mode.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the data dump request is transmitted by the network device after receiving a second poll message from the device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for sending a poll message, from a device, to a node operating in one of two operating modes;

code for receiving, at the device, data collected by the node when the node is operating in a first operating mode;

code for receiving, at the device, a request for a data dump from a network device; and

code for transferring the received data to the network device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code according to claim 19, wherein the network device is a data concentrator device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code according to claim 19, wherein when the node is operating in a multihop mode, the poll message is not responded to.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code according to claim 19, wherein the first operating mode is a nomadic mode.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code according to claim 19, wherein the data dump request is transmitted by the network device after receiving a second poll message from the device.