Self-organizing mobile wireless station network

• US 6,594,468 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BBN Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramanathan, Subramanian
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/968,188
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/69, 455/509, 455/422, 455/450, 709/227
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/36 with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• 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 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In the communications network disclosed herein, each of a plurality of similar stations is operated so that the group automatically organizes or configures itself into a multi-layered network for relaying messages from station to station, with some of the stations operating at a relatively high power level as message gateways for a cluster of stations operating at lower power thereby to form, through the gateways, a network backbone providing longer distance network links. Initially, individual stations attempt to affiliate at a lower power level with an existing cluster gateway and, if that attempt is unsuccessful, the station switches to a higher power level and commences operation as a cluster gateway. Each cluster gateway periodically communicates data at least identifying to other cluster gateways the non-gateway stations which are affiliated with it. Preferably, if a cluster gateway is within affiliation range with another cluster gateway one of them will terminate cluster gateway status if that termination will not reduce connectivity of the network backbone below a preselected level.

Claims

1. A mobile radio communications network employing a plurality of mobile stations, wherein each station selectively transmits on a first power level for establishing short network links or a second power level, which is higher than the first power level, for establishing long network links, each station comprising:

a storage subsystem configured to store information corresponding to a message gateway; and

a processor configured to select operation as a non-message gateway if an attempt to establish an affiliation link to the message gateway is successful, determine whether the affiliation with the message gateway is reliable based on the stored information, receive from the message gateway a request for resignation as the message gateway, and provide a response to the message gateway.

2. A mobile radio communications network employing a plurality of similar mobile stations, wherein each station selectively transmits on a first power level for establishing short network links or a second power level, that is higher than the first power level, for establishing long network links, each station comprising:

a processor operable to select operation as a message gateway station if an attempt to establish an affiliation link to an existing message gateway is not successful;

periodically communicate, to at least one other station operating as a message gateway, data identifying non-message gateway stations which are affiliated therewith;

periodically test the proximity condition to at least one other station operating as a message gateway;

broadcast a beacon message to the affiliated non-message gateway stations;

determine if any other message gateways stations are within affiliation range and, if so, initiating a procedure which terminates gateway status if that termination will not reduce connectivity of said network backbone below a preselected level; and

provide a resignation procedure if the proximity conditions are not satisfied;

and a memory operable to store information corresponding to the message gateway.

3. A mobile radio communication station for communicating with another similar station on a multi-tiered network, wherein the station affiliates with a cluster gateway at a first power level, the cluster gateway operating as a cluster head for a group of stations, wherein the group spans a relatively local region, the mobile radio communication station comprising:

a storage subsystem configured to store information corresponding to the cluster gateway; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether the affiliation with a cluster gateway station is reliable based on the stored information;

receive from the cluster head a request to resign as the cluster head; and

provide a response to the cluster head.

4. The station of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to:

attempt to affiliate with another cluster gateway based on a successful resignation by the cluster head; and

commence operation as a cluster head if the attempt to affiliate with the other cluster gateway is unsuccessful.

5. A method for reconfiguring a mobile radio communications station in a multi-tiered network employing a plurality of mobile stations each of which selectively operates as a non-gateway station or a message gateway station for a cluster of non-gateway stations, comprising:

selecting, by a first station, operation as a non-gateway station if an affiliation procedure with a second station is successful; and

selecting, by the first station, operation as a message gateway station if the affiliation procedure with the second station is unsuccessful, wherein the second station is a message gateway station and the affiliation procedure comprises;

establishing an ordered list of message gateway stations, including the second station, within a predetermined range;

selecting the second station from the list; and

sending an affiliation request message to the second station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first station transmits at a power level lower than the second station when the affiliation procedure with the second station is successful.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first station transmits at a power level higher than a non-gateway station when the affiliation procedure with the second station is unsuccessful.

8. A mobile radio communications reconfigurable station for communication with another station on a multi-tiered network, wherein each station selectively operates as a non-gateway station or a message gateway station for a cluster of non-gateway stations, the reconfigurable station comprising:

a storage subsystem with an affiliation procedure that permits the reconfigurable station and the another station to affiliate with one another, and an ordered list of message gateway stations within a predetermined affiliation range; and

a processor responsive to the affiliation procedure to;

send an affiliation request message to a selected message gateway station from the list;

attempt to affiliate with one of the message gateway stations on the list;

select operation as a non-gateway station based on successful completion of the affiliation procedure; and

select operation as a message gateway station if the affiliation procedure is not successfully completed.

9. The station of claim 8, wherein the reconfigurable station transmits at a lower power level when the reconfigurable station operates as a non-gateway station than when the reconfigurable station operates as a message gateway station.

10. The station of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

periodically communicate to at least one other message gateway station, data identifying affiliated non-message gateways; and

determine if any other message gateway stations are within affiliation range, and if so, initiating a procedure which terminates operation as a message gateway station if such termination will not reduce connectivity of said network below a preselected level.

11. A network, comprising:

a plurality of stations that each selects operation as a message gateway station for a cluster of stations or a non-gateway station,

the plurality of stations including a first station and a second station, wherein the first station sends information to the second station along a path in the network that is defined by the plurality of stations based on communications between the plurality of stations, and

wherein each of the plurality of stations comprises a processor configured to select operation as a non-gateway station if an attempt to establish an affiliation link to an existing message gateway station is successful, determine whether the affiliation with the message gateway station is reliable based on stored information corresponding to the message gateway station, receive from the message gateway station a request for resignation as the message gateway station, and provide a response to the message gateway station.

12. A mobile radio communications reconfigurable station for communication with another station on a multi-tiered network, wherein each station selectively operates as a non-gateway station or a message gateway station for a cluster of non-gateway stations, the reconfigurable station comprising:

a storage subsystem with an affiliation procedure to permit affiliation with another station;

a processor responsive to the affiliation procedure to;

select operation as a non-gateway station based on successful completion of the affiliation procedure;

select operation as a message gateway station if the affiliation procedure is not successfully completed,

wherein the processor is configured to;

periodically communicate to at least one other message gateway station, data identifying affiliated non-message gateways; and

determine if any other message gateway stations are within affiliation range, and if so, initiating a procedure which terminates operation as a message gateway station if such termination will not reduce connectivity of said network below a preselected level.