Real-time CSMA method having the capability to adaptively vary cell sizes and a wireless network for implementing the same
First Claim
1. A network node that is configured for use in a wireless packet-hopping network that includes a plurality of network nodes and at least one control node, comprising:
- a transceiver, a threshold comparator that is configured to compare a signal strength of a received signal from the transceiver to a threshold level to provide a comparator output signal, a controller that is configured to enable transmission of packets from the transceiver based on the comparator output signal, wherein;
the controller is further configured to;
receive one or more commands from the at least one control node, and adjust the threshold level based on the commands from the at least one control node, and the controller is further configured to enable reception of packets by the transceiver based on the comparator output signal, the network node further including a dimming ballast that is configured to control a lamp, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the dimming ballast based on information contained in one or more packets.
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Abstract
A method in which incoming RF signals to a given node of a wireless network are detected in real-time by using a comparison circuit for comparing a signal which is indicative of the strength of an incoming RF signal with a prescribed threshold level. The output of the comparison circuit is coupled to an input of the digital signal processor (e.g., microprocessor) of the node. The microprocessor is preferably programmed to check this input prior to attempting to transmit data thus minimizing the chances of a collision occuring due to overlapping data transmitting and receiving operations. Preferably, the prescribed threshold level utilized in the comparison circuit of a given node can be selectively varied in order to thereby selectively vary the size of the cell in which the given node resides. In this connection, the neighborhood or cell sizes in which the individual nodes in the network reside are preferably adaptively varied in such a manner as to maximize the data throughput of the entire network. Also disclosed is an individual network node for a wireless network and a wireless network which have the capability of implementing the above-described method.
65 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A network node that is configured for use in a wireless packet-hopping network that includes a plurality of network nodes and at least one control node, comprising:
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a transceiver, a threshold comparator that is configured to compare a signal strength of a received signal from the transceiver to a threshold level to provide a comparator output signal, a controller that is configured to enable transmission of packets from the transceiver based on the comparator output signal, wherein;
the controller is further configured to;
receive one or more commands from the at least one control node, and adjust the threshold level based on the commands from the at least one control node, and the controller is further configured to enable reception of packets by the transceiver based on the comparator output signal, the network node further including a dimming ballast that is configured to control a lamp, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the dimming ballast based on information contained in one or more packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
the controller is further configured to retransmit one or more of the packets, based on a destination address within the one or more packets. -
3. The network node of claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to delay the transmission of packets from the transceiver by a random delay period. -
4. The network node of claim 3, further including
a low-pass filter that is configured to provide the threshold level from the pulse-width-modulated signal. -
5. The network node of claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to adjust the threshold level based on the signal strength of the received signal. -
6. The network node of claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to provide a pulse-width-modulated signal that corresponds to the threshold level.
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7. A wireless packet-hopping network comprising:
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a plurality of network nodes, each node being configured to receive packets in dependence upon a comparison of a received signal strength and a threshold level, and a network controller that is configured to adjust the threshold level of one or more nodes of the plurality of network nodes, so as to control an effective throughput of packets within the network, wherein the network controller adjusts the threshold level of each of the one or more network nodes so as to enable the node to receive packets from a first set of nodes in proximity to the node, and to disable the node from receiving packets from a second set of nodes that are distant from the node, and the network controller maintains multiple parallel communication pathways throughout the network by controlling the threshold level of each of the plurality of network nodes. - View Dependent Claims (8)
the network is included in a lighting control system for a building.
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9. In a wireless, packet-hopping network comprising at least one network control node and a plurality of transceiver nodes, wherein information is transmitted through the network by packet hopping between nodes,
an improvement wherein at least one transceiver node is capable of producing a strength indication signal indicative of a signal strength of an incoming signal, comparing the strength indication signal with a threshold compare signal to produce a comparison output signal, enabling data transmission based upon the comparison output signal, and implementing a cell size adjustment for the individual network node based upon a command received from the at least one network control node, and the network is capable of maintaining multiple parallel communication pathways throughout the network based on the cell size adjustment.
Specification