Transmission-scheduling coordination among collocated internet radios
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- scheduling transmissions in a network including a plurality of collocated nodes and a plurality of non-collocated nodes, wherein the plurality of collocated nodes communicate between one another over a first interface and the plurality of non-collocated nodes communicate with the plurality of collocated nodes over a second interface;
exchanging first scheduling information between the plurality of collocated nodes over the first interface, wherein each collocated node maintains a schedule entry for each neighboring collocated node, the schedule entry specifying a neighboring collocated node identifier and a timer, the timer determines a remaining time that the neighboring collocated node and its schedule information can be assumed to be valid, a value of the timer being updated with a reception of a schedule packet from a corresponding neighboring collocated node and the value of the timer being reduced each of a predefined unit of time, wherein the collocated node determines that the corresponding neighboring collocated node is not reachable when the value of the timer is equal to zero;
exchanging second scheduling information associated with transmissions between the plurality of collocated nodes and each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the second interface; and
determining, based at least in part on the first scheduling information, a schedule for the plurality of collocated nodes for transmissions between the plurality of collocated nodes and each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the second interface;
wherein the schedule includes information on when and in what order the transmissions may occur in the network, and wherein the exchanging of scheduling information between the plurality of collocated nodes over the first interface comprises sending a schedule packet from a first collocated node to a second collocated node of the plurality of collocated nodes, the schedule packet including an indication of all known nodes in the two-hop neighborhood of the first node, incoming and outgoing collision-free links of the first node that are already scheduled, time slots and data channels in which new links with the first node can be reserved, and time slots and data channels on which the first node will be listening while not active in scheduled links.
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Abstract
A method for collocated nodes communicating over a first interface to agree on a conflict-free transmission schedule among themselves, which they can then use to collaborate with neighbors accessed through a second interface, for example through wireless links in order to obtain collision-free transfers of unicast, multicast and broadcast packets over wireless channels, and channel access delay guarantees. The collocated nodes behave as a single virtual node for the purpose of establishing a consistent transmission schedule throughout the nodes of a multihop wireless network.
92 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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scheduling transmissions in a network including a plurality of collocated nodes and a plurality of non-collocated nodes, wherein the plurality of collocated nodes communicate between one another over a first interface and the plurality of non-collocated nodes communicate with the plurality of collocated nodes over a second interface;
exchanging first scheduling information between the plurality of collocated nodes over the first interface, wherein each collocated node maintains a schedule entry for each neighboring collocated node, the schedule entry specifying a neighboring collocated node identifier and a timer, the timer determines a remaining time that the neighboring collocated node and its schedule information can be assumed to be valid, a value of the timer being updated with a reception of a schedule packet from a corresponding neighboring collocated node and the value of the timer being reduced each of a predefined unit of time, wherein the collocated node determines that the corresponding neighboring collocated node is not reachable when the value of the timer is equal to zero;
exchanging second scheduling information associated with transmissions between the plurality of collocated nodes and each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the second interface; and
determining, based at least in part on the first scheduling information, a schedule for the plurality of collocated nodes for transmissions between the plurality of collocated nodes and each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the second interface;
wherein the schedule includes information on when and in what order the transmissions may occur in the network, and wherein the exchanging of scheduling information between the plurality of collocated nodes over the first interface comprises sending a schedule packet from a first collocated node to a second collocated node of the plurality of collocated nodes, the schedule packet including an indication of all known nodes in the two-hop neighborhood of the first node, incoming and outgoing collision-free links of the first node that are already scheduled, time slots and data channels in which new links with the first node can be reserved, and time slots and data channels on which the first node will be listening while not active in scheduled links. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A communications network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of non-collocated nodes, each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes capable of receiving and transmitting transmissions on a first interface; and
a plurality of collocated nodes, the plurality of collocated nodes each capable of communicating between one another over a second interface, each of the plurality of collocated nodes further capable of receiving and transmitting transmissions to and from the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the first interface, wherein the plurality of collocated nodes exchanges scheduling information with one another over the second interface, the scheduling information associated with transmissions between the plurality of collocated nodes and each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the first interface, and determines, based at least in part on the scheduling information, a schedule for the plurality of collocated nodes for transmission between the plurality of collocated nodes and each of the plurality of non-collocated nodes on the first interface;
wherein each collocated node maintains a schedule entry for each neighboring collocated node, the schedule entry specifying a neighboring collocated node identifier and a timer, the timer determines a remaining time that the neighboring collocated node and its schedule information can be assumed to be valid, a value of the timer being updated with a reception of a schedule packet from a corresponding neighboring collocated node and the value of the timer being reduced each of a predefined unit of time, wherein the collocated node determines that the corresponding neighboring collocated node is not reachable when the value of the timer is equal to zero, and wherein the plurality of collocated nodes exchanges scheduling information comprising a schedule packet, the schedule packet including an indication of all known nodes in the two-hop neighborhood of a sending collocated node, incoming and outgoing collision-free links of the sending collocated node that are already scheduled, time slots and data channels in which new links with the sending collocated node can be reserved, and time slots and data channels on which the collocated node will be listening while not active in scheduled links. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus in a communications network including a plurality of non-collocated routers capable of communicating over a first interface, the apparatus comprising:
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at least two collocated routers, the at least two collocated routers capable of communications between one another over a second interface, and the at least two collocated routers capable of communications with each of the plurality of non-collocated routers over the first interface, wherein the at least two routers exchange scheduling information over the second interface, the scheduling information associated with transmissions between the at least two collocated routers and the plurality of non-collocated routers on the first interface, and wherein the at least two collocated routers determine, based at least in part on the scheduling information, a schedule for transmission between the at least two collocated routers and each of the plurality of non-collocated routers on the first interface, wherein each collocated router maintains a schedule entry for each neighboring collocated router, the schedule entry specifying a neighboring collocated router identifier and a timer, the timer determines a remaining time that the neighboring collocated router and its schedule information can be assumed to be valid, a value of the timer being updated with a reception of a schedule packet from a corresponding neighboring collocated router and the value of the timer being reduced each of a predefined unit of time, wherein the collocated router determines that the corresponding neighboring collocated router is not reachable when the value of the timer is equal to zero, and wherein the plurality of collocated nodes exchanges scheduling information comprising a schedule packet, the schedule packet including an indication of all known nodes in the two-hop neighborhood of a sending collocated node, incoming and outgoing collision-free links of the sending collocated node that are already scheduled, time slots and data channels in which new links with the sending collocated node can be reserved, and time slots and data channels on which the collocated node will be listening while not active in scheduled links. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification