Methods and Node Apparatus for Adaptive Node Communication within a Wireless Node Network

• US 20150349917A1
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Skaaksrud, Ole-Petter
• Granted Patent: US 10,453,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3913 Predictive models, e.g. based on neural network models
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0006 by adapting the transmission format
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/223 predicting future states of the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 during macro-diversity or soft handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

Methods and node devices for adaptively communicate within a wireless node network. In one method, a first node generates an advertising message in a first format, and then broadcasts the advertising message in the first format when in a first state. The first node detects a state change associated with a changed relative environment of the first node. The first node then adapts to the detected state change by altering the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier for the first node derived from the changed relative environment of the first node. Such a shortened format may be a variable broadcast format, such as a shortened global format, a shortened nested format, and a shortened local format. In another embodiment, one node may instruct another node change broadcasting from the first format to the shortened format based upon a detected state change.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive node communication within a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

generating, by a first of the nodes, an advertising message in a first format;

broadcasting, by the first of the nodes, the advertising message in the first format when the first of the nodes is in a first state;

detecting, by the first of the nodes, a state change for the first of the nodes, the state change being associated with a changed relative environment of the first of the nodes; and

adapting, by the first of the nodes, to the detected state change by altering the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier for the first of the nodes, wherein the identifier is derived from the changed relative environment of the first of the nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the state change further comprises:

switching, by the first of the nodes, between broadcasting the advertising message in the first format and scanning for a node signature indicative of the changed relative environment of the first of the nodes; and

detecting the node signature as the first of the nodes is scanning.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a node density near the first of the nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a movement aspect of the first of the nodes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the change in the movement aspect of the first of the nodes reflects that the first of the nodes is substantially stationary relative to a proximate structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the proximate structure is moving while being substantially stationary relative to the first of the nodes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the proximate structure comprises at least one of a package containing device for the first of the nodes or a conveyance device associated with the first of the nodes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the conveyance device comprises one of a conveyor belt, a truck, a trailer, an aircraft, a train, and a delivery vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the package containing device comprises one of a facility, a room, a bin, a container, a pallet, and a unit load device (ULD) type of transportation storage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adapting step further comprises:

generating, by the first of the nodes, an abbreviated version of the advertising message according to the shortened format; and

broadcasting, by the first of the nodes, the abbreviated version of the advertising message in response to detecting the state change associated with the changed relative environment of the first of the nodes.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically altering a variable broadcast format of the advertising message when detecting at least one further state change of the first of the nodes.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for adaptive node communication within a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

generating, by a first of the nodes, an advertising message in a first format;

broadcasting, by the first of the nodes, the advertising message in the first format when the first of the nodes is in a first state;

detecting a state change for the first of the nodes, the state change being associated with a changed relative environment of the first of the nodes; and

adapting, by the first of the nodes, to the detected state change by altering the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier of the first of the nodes and the node device'"'"'s prior state.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the step of detecting the state change further comprises:

switching, by the first of the nodes, between broadcasting the advertising message in the first format and scanning for a node signature indicative of the changed relative environment of the first of the nodes; and

detecting the node signature as the first of the nodes is scanning.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a node density near the first of the nodes.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a movement aspect of the first of the nodes.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the change in the movement aspect of the first of the nodes reflects that first of the nodes is substantially stationary relative to a proximate structure.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the proximate structure is moving while being substantially stationary relative to the first of the nodes.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the proximate structure comprises at least one of a package containing device for the first of the nodes or a conveyance device associated with the first of the nodes.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the conveyance device comprises one of a conveyor belt, a truck, a trailer, an aircraft, a train, and a delivery vehicle.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the package containing device comprises one of a facility, a room, a bin, a container, a pallet, and a unit load device (ULD) type of transportation storage.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the adapting step further comprises:

generating, by the first of the nodes, an abbreviated version of the advertising message according to the shortened format; and

broadcasting, by the first of the nodes, the abbreviated version of the advertising message in response to detecting the state change associated with the changed relative environment of the first of the nodes.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 further comprising dynamically altering a variable broadcast format of the advertising message when detecting at least one further state change of the first of the nodes.

23. A node device in a wireless node network, comprising:

a node processing unit;

a node volatile memory coupled to the node processing unit;

a node memory storage coupled to the node processing unit, the node memory storage maintaining an adaptive messaging program section;

a communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and that provides access to other nodes in the wireless node network;

wherein the node processing unit is adapted and operative to load the adaptive messaging program section into the node volatile memory and, when executing at least the adaptive messaging program section when resident in the node volatile memory, is further adapted to effect an improvement on how the node device communicates with other nodes within the wireless network by being operative to;

generate an advertising message in a first format;

instruct the communication interface to broadcast the advertising message in the first format when the node device is in a first state;

detect a state change associated with a changed relative environment of the node device;

adapt to the detected state change by altering the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier for node device, wherein the identifier is derived from the changed relative environment of the node device; and

instruct the communication interface to broadcast the advertising message using the shortened format.

24. The node device of claim 23, wherein the node processing unit is adapted and operative to detect the state change by being further adapted and operative to:

instruct the communication interface to switch between broadcasting the advertising message in the first format and scanning for a node signature indicative of the changed relative environment of the first of the nodes; and

detect the node signature as the communication interface is scanning.

25. The node device of claim 23, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a node density near the first of the nodes.

26. The node device of claim 23, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a movement aspect of the node device.

27. The node device of claim 26, wherein the change in the movement aspect of the node device reflects that the node device is substantially stationary relative to a proximate structure.

28. The node device of claim 27, wherein the proximate structure is moving while being substantially stationary relative to the first of the nodes.

29. The node device of claim 28, wherein the proximate structure comprises at least one of a package containing device for the node device or a conveyance device associated with the node device.

30. The node device of claim 29, wherein the conveyance device comprises one of a conveyor belt, a truck, a trailer, an aircraft, a train, and a delivery vehicle.

31. The node device of claim 29, wherein the package containing device comprises one of a facility, a room, a bin, a container, a pallet, and a unit load device (ULD) type of transportation storage.

32. The node device of claim 23, wherein the node processing unit is adapted and operative to adapt to the detected state change by being further adapted and operative to:

generate an abbreviated version of the advertising message according to the shortened format; and

cause the communication interface to broadcast the abbreviated version of the advertising message in response to detecting the state change associated with the changed relative environment of the node device.

33. The node device of claim 23, wherein the node processing unit is further adapted and operative to dynamically alter a variable broadcast format of the advertising message when the node processing unit detects at least one further state change of the node device.

34. A method for controlling adaptive node communication within a wireless node network having a master node and an ID node, the method comprising:

detecting, by the master node, an advertising message being broadcast by the ID node, wherein the advertising message having a first format;

detecting, by the master node, a state change relative to the ID node, the state change being associated with a changed relative environment of the ID node; and

instructing the ID node, by the master node, to alter the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier for the ID node, wherein the identifier is derived from the changed relative environment of the ID node.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a node density near the ID node.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a movement aspect of the ID node.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the change in the movement aspect of the ID node reflects that the ID node is substantially stationary relative to a proximate structure.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the proximate structure is moving while being substantially stationary relative to the ID node.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the proximate structure comprises at least one of a package containing device for the ID node or a conveyance device associated with the ID node.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the conveyance device comprises one of a conveyor belt, a truck, a trailer, an aircraft, a train, and a delivery vehicle.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the package containing device comprises one of a facility, a room, a bin, a container, a pallet, and a unit load device (ULD) type of transportation storage.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the instructing step further comprises transmitting, by the master node, a control message to the ID node, wherein the control message causes the ID node to broadcast the advertising message according to a variable broadcast format as the shortened format.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the variable broadcast format comprises at least one of a shortened global format, a shortened nested format, and a shortened local format.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the shortened global format comprises a global identifier of the ID node derived from the master node detecting the state change.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the global identifier of the ID node comprises a full identifier for the master node detecting the state change and a shortened reference to the ID node.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the shortened nested format comprises a nested identifier of the ID node, wherein the nested identifier comprises a plurality of hierarchical references to higher level nodes associated with the ID node.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the nested identifier indicates the ID node relationships with the higher level nodes.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the nested identifier further comprises a shortened reference to the ID node.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the shortened local format comprises a local identifier of the ID node derived from an abbreviated node reference for the master node detecting the state change.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the abbreviated node reference for the master node detecting the state change comprises a collapsed reference to the master node and a shortened reference to the ID node.

51. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of instructing, by the master node, the ID node to alter the shortened format of the advertising message back to the first format when the master node detects at least one further state change of the ID node.

52. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for controlling adaptive node communication within a wireless node network having a master node and an ID node, the method comprising:

detecting, by the master node, an advertising message being broadcast by the ID node, wherein the advertising message having a first format;

detecting, by the master node, a state change relative to the ID node, the state change being associated with a changed relative environment of the ID node; and

instructing the ID node, by the master node, to alter the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier for the ID node, wherein the identifier is derived from the changed relative environment of the ID node.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a node density near the ID node.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a movement aspect of the ID node.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 54, wherein the change in the movement aspect of the ID node reflects that the ID node is substantially stationary relative to a proximate structure.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 55, wherein the proximate structure is moving while being substantially stationary relative to the ID node.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 56, wherein the proximate structure comprises at least one of a package containing device for the ID node or a conveyance device associated with the ID node.

58. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 57, wherein the conveyance device comprises one of a conveyor belt, a truck, a trailer, an aircraft, a train, and a delivery vehicle.

59. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 57, wherein the package containing device comprises one of a facility, a room, a bin, a container, a pallet, and a unit load device (ULD) type of transportation storage.

60. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein the instructing step further comprises transmitting, by the master node, a control message to the ID node, wherein the control message causes the ID node to broadcast the advertising message according to a variable broadcast format as the shortened format.

61. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 60, wherein the variable broadcast format comprises at least one of a shortened global format, a shortened nested format, and a shortened local format.

62. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein the shortened global format comprises a global identifier of the ID node derived from the master node detecting the state change.

63. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 62, wherein the global identifier of the ID node comprises a full identifier for the master node detecting the state change and a shortened reference to the ID node.

64. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein the shortened nested format comprises a nested identifier of the ID node, wherein the nested identifier comprises a plurality of hierarchical references to higher level nodes associated with the ID node.

65. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 64, wherein the nested identifier indicates the ID node relationships with the higher level nodes.

66. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 64, wherein the nested identifier further comprises a shortened reference to the ID node.

67. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein the shortened local format comprises a local identifier of the ID node derived from an abbreviated node reference for the master node detecting the state change.

68. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 67, wherein the abbreviated node reference for the master node detecting the state change comprises a collapsed reference to the master node and a shortened reference to the ID node.

69. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 52 further comprising the step of instructing, by the master node, the ID node to alter the shortened format of the advertising message back to the first format when the master node detects at least one further state change of the ID node.

70. A node device in a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a node processing unit;

a node volatile memory coupled to the node processing unit;

a node memory storage coupled to the node processing unit, the node memory storage maintaining an adaptive messaging program section;

a communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and that provides access to others of the nodes in the wireless node network;

wherein the node processing unit is adapted and operative to load the adaptive messaging program section into the node volatile memory and, when executing at least the adaptive messaging program section when resident in the node volatile memory, is further adapted to effect an improvement on how the node device controls how another node in the wireless node network communicates with other nodes within the wireless network by being operative to;

receive an indication from the communication interface, the indication reflecting that the communication interface detected an advertising message in a first format being broadcast by the another node in the wireless network,

detect a state change relative to the another of the nodes, the state change being associated with a changed relative environment of the another of the nodes, and

instruct the communication interface to broadcast a command to the another of the nodes, the command causing the another of the nodes to alter the first format of the advertising message to a shortened format comprising an identifier for the another of the nodes, wherein the identifier is derived from the changed relative environment of the another of the nodes.

71. The node device of claim 70, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a node density near the another of the nodes.

72. The node device of claim 70, wherein the changed relative environment comprises a change in a movement aspect of the another of the nodes.

73. The node device of claim 72, wherein the change in the movement aspect of the another of the nodes reflects that the another of the nodes is substantially stationary relative to a proximate structure.

74. The node device of claim 73, wherein the proximate structure is moving while being substantially stationary relative to the another of the nodes.

75. The node device of claim 74, wherein the proximate structure comprises at least one of a package containing device for the another of the nodes or a conveyance device associated with the another of the nodes.

76. The node device of claim 75, wherein the conveyance device comprises one of a conveyor belt, a truck, a trailer, an aircraft, a train, and a delivery vehicle.

77. The node device of claim 75, wherein the package containing device comprises one of a facility, a room, a bin, a container, a pallet, and a unit load device (ULD) type of transportation storage.

78. The node device of claim 70, wherein the command causes the another of the nodes to broadcast the advertising message according to a variable broadcast format as the shortened format.

79. The node device of claim 78, wherein the variable broadcast format comprises at least one of a shortened global format, a shortened nested format, and a shortened local format.

80. The node device of claim 79, wherein the shortened global format comprises a global identifier of the another of the nodes derived from the node device that detects the state change.

81. The node device of claim 80, wherein the global identifier of the one of the nodes comprises a full identifier for the node device detecting the state change and a shortened reference to the another of the nodes.

82. The node device of claim 79, wherein the shortened nested format comprises a nested identifier of the another of the nodes, wherein the nested identifier comprises a plurality of hierarchical references to higher level others of the nodes associated with the another of the nodes.

83. The node device of claim 82, wherein the nested identifier indicates the another of the nodes relationships with the higher level others of the nodes.

84. The node device of claim 82, wherein the nested identifier further comprises a shortened reference to the another of the nodes.

85. The node device of claim 79, wherein the shortened local format comprises a local identifier of the another of the nodes derived from an abbreviated node reference for the node device detecting the state change.

86. The node device of claim 85, wherein the abbreviated node reference for the node device detecting the state change comprises a collapsed reference to the node device and a shortened reference to the another of the nodes.

87. The node device of claim 70, wherein the node processing unit is further adapted and operative to instruct the another of the nodes to alter the shortened format of the advertising message back to the first format when detecting at least one further state change of the another of the nodes.