IMPROVED PATH FINDING IN A MESH NETWORK WITH ADAPTIVE BITRATE

• US 20160269277A1
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terranet AB
• Original Assignee: Terranet AB
• Inventors: Do, Conny, Petersen, Johan, Floberg, Henrik, Mrtensson, Dag
• Granted Patent: US 10,027,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/122 by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/124 using a combination of metrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/20 Hop count for routing purposes, e.g. TTL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1584 Full Mesh, e.g. knockout
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A station (100, 330) for use in a mesh network comprising at least one first station (100a) and a second station (100b) wherein the station comprises a controller (210) configured to receive a path request for a path from the first station (100a) to the second station (100b); determine a proposed path between the first station (100a) and the second station (100b); and determine a cost for the proposed path, wherein the controller (210) is characterized in that it is configured to retrieve a number of jumps and a bit rate, and to include the number of jumps and a bit rate in the determination of the cost for the proposed path, wherein an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

Claims

1. A station for use in a mesh network comprising at least one first station and a second station wherein the station comprises a controller configured to

receive a path request for a path from the first station to the second station;

determine a proposed path between the first station and the second station; and

determine a cost for the proposed path, wherein the controller (210) is characterized in that it is configured to

determine a distance to the other station;

determine if the determined distance is above a reference level; and

if so,

decrease a bit rate; and

if not,

increase the bit rate; and

retrieve a number of jumps and the bit rate, and to include the number of jumps and the bit rate in the determination of the cost for the proposed path, wherein an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

2. The station of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to

determine the number of links to other stations,

determine if the number of links is above a reference level;

and if so,

increase the bit rate; and

if not,

decrease the bit rate; and

wherein an increase in number of links, an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

3. The station of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to retrieve the number of jumps from the path request.

4. The station of claim 1, wherein the number of jumps is to the first station.

5. The station of claim 1, wherein the number of jumps is to a central station.

6. The station of claim 1, wherein the bit rate is the bit rate of the station

7. The station of claim 1, wherein the bit rate received is a desired bit rate.

8. The station according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to propagate the cost determined to another station as part of a path request.

9. The station according to claim 8, wherein the station is a mobile communications terminal, such as a mobile phone, a laptop or a tablet computer.

10. A mesh network comprising a station for use in a mesh network comprising at least one first station and a second station wherein the station comprises a controller configured to

receive a path request for a path from the first station to the second station;

determine a proposed path between the first station and the second station; and

determine a cost for the proposed path, wherein the controller is characterized in that it is configured to

determine a distance to the other station;

determine if the determined distance is above a reference level; and

if so,

decrease a bit rate; and

if not,

increase the bit rate; and

retrieve a number of jumps and the bit rate, and to include the number of jumps and the bit rate in the determination of the cost for the proposed path, wherein an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

19. The mesh network of claim 10, wherein said controller is further configured to

determine the number of links to other stations;

determine if the number of links is above a reference level; and

if so,

increase the bit rate; and

if not,

decrease the bit rate; and

wherein an increase in number of links, an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

20. The mesh network of claim 10, wherein said controller is further configured to retrieve the number of jumps from the path request.

21. The mesh network of claim 10, wherein the number of jumps is to the first station.

22. The mesh network of claim 10, wherein the number of jumps is to a central station.

23. The mesh network of claim 10, wherein the bit rate is the bit rate of the station

24. The mesh network of claim 10, wherein the bit rate received is a desired bit rate.

25. The mesh network of claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to propagate the cost determined to another station as part of a path request.

26. The mesh network of claim 25, wherein the station is a mobile communications terminal, such as a mobile phone, a laptop or a tablet computer.

11. A method for use in a station for use in a mesh network comprising at least one first station and a second station, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a path request for a path from the first station to the second station;

determining a proposed path between the first station (100a) and the second station and

determining a cost for the proposed path, wherein the method is characterized in that it further comprises

determining a distance to the other station;

determining if the determined distance is above a reference level; and

if so,

decreasing a bit rate; and

if not,

increasing the bit rate; and

retrieving a number of jumps and the bit rate, and to include the number of jumps and the bit rate in the determination of the cost for the proposed path, wherein an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

determining a the number of links to other stations

determining if the number of links is above a reference level; and

if so,

increasing a bit rate; and

if not,

decreasing a bit rate; and

wherein an increase in number of links, and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

12-15. -15. (canceled)

17. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on a processor, performs a method in a mesh network comprising at least one first station and a second station, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a path request for a path from the first station to the second station;

determining a proposed path between the first station and the second station; and

determining a cost for the proposed path, wherein the method is characterized in that it further comprises

determining a distance to the other station;

determining if the determined distance is above a reference level; and

if so,

decreasing a bit rate; and

if not,

increasing the bit rate; and

retrieving a number of jumps and the bit rate, and to include the number of jumps and the bit rate in the determination of the cost for the proposed path, wherein an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a the number of links to other stations;

determining if the number of links is above a reference level; and

if so,

increasing a bit rate; and

if not,

decreasing a bit rate; and

wherein an increase in number of links, and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.