SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONVERGENCE AND AUTOMATIC DISABLING OF ACCESS POINTS IN A WIRELESS MESH NETWORK

• US 20160050570A1
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: PACE, James, VAN GREUNEN, Jana, FLAMMER, George H. III, HUGHES, Sterlings, SAN FILIPPO, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,445,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/122 by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

One embodiment of the present disclosure sets forth a technique for convergence and automatic disabling of access points in a wireless mesh network. Specifically, an access point within a wireless mesh network computes one or more network metrics to determine whether the metrics are unfavorable or favorable. If the network metrics are favorable, then the access point disables the access point'"'"'s network connection. An access point turns the network connection back on based on whether a routing was lost for at least a preset amount of time, utilization of one or more neighboring access points is above a preset value, or one or more network metrics have degraded by a certain percentage value. One advantage of this approach is that cost savings may be achieved when the number of access points dynamically changes to accommodate varying communications conditions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for connecting as an access point to a mesh network, the method comprising:

evaluating at least one network metric associated with the mesh network;

determining that a value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates that a network connection to connect as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on;

waiting for a delay period;

re-evaluating the at least one network metric after the delay period has elapsed;

confirming that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to the threshold value still indicates that the network connection to connect as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on; and

in response, turning on the network connection to connect as an access point to the mesh network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network metric comprises routing connectivity within the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the routing connectivity within the mesh network has not been lost or has been lost for less than a predetermined amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a critical value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a predetermined limit that is less than a critical value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a predetermined percentage of the overall utilization of the mesh network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a first network metric that is not a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold level indicates comprises determining that the first network metric has degraded by a predetermined amount.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the delay period is proportionate to a routing cost within the mesh network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one network metric comprises selecting a first access point associated with the mesh network to query, and querying the first access point to determine a utilization level of the first access point.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor residing within a node of a mesh network, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

evaluating at least one network metric associated with the mesh network;

determining that a value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates that a network connection to connect the node as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on;

waiting for a delay period;

re-evaluating the at least one network metric after the delay period has elapsed;

confirming that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to the threshold value still indicates that the network connection to connect the node as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on; and

in response, turning on the network connection to connect the node as an access point to the mesh network.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one network metric comprises routing connectivity within the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the routing connectivity within the mesh network has not been lost or has been lost for less than a predetermined amount of time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a critical value.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a predetermined limit that is less than a critical value.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates comprises determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a predetermined percentage of the overall utilization of the mesh network.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one network metric comprises a first network metric that is not a utilization level of a first access point associated with the mesh network, and determining that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold level indicates comprises determining that the first network metric has degraded by a predetermined amount.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the delay period is proportionate to a routing cost within the mesh network.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein evaluating the at least one network metric comprises selecting a first access point associated with the mesh network to query, and querying the first access point to determine a utilization level of the first access point.

17. A network node device, comprising:

a memory including instructions; and

a processor that is coupled to the memory and, upon executing the instructions, is configured to;

evaluate at least one network metric associated with the mesh network;

determine that a value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates that a network connection to connect the network node device as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on;

wait for a delay period;

re-evaluate the at least one network metric after the delay period has elapsed;

confirm that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to the threshold value still indicates that the network connection to connect the network node device as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on; and

in response, turn on the network connection to connect the network node device as an access point to the mesh network.

18. The network node device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to evaluate the at least one network metric by selecting a first access point associated with the mesh network to query, and querying the first access point to determine a utilization level of the first access point.

19. The network node device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates by determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a critical value.

20. The network node device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates by determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a predetermined limit that is less than a critical value.

21. The network node device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the value associated with the at least one network metric relative to a threshold value indicates by determining that the utilization level of the first access point is greater than a predetermined percentage of the overall utilization of the mesh network.