System and method for associating different types of nodes with access point nodes in a wireless network to route data in the wireless network

• US 7,382,759 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldberg, Keith J., Roberts, Robin U., Barker, Jr., Charles R., Hasty, Jr., William Vann, Zeng, Surong, Joshi, Avinash
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/221,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/328, 370/400, 370/406, 370/351, 370/256, 709/220, 709/242
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A method and system for routing data in a wireless network (400) that enables all nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408) to find routes to each other even if the nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408) are non-meshed which are incapable of operating as a router to route packets received from other nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408), and for associating and reassociating the non-meshed and meshed nodes with other meshed nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408). The non-meshed nodes (STA 13-STA 15) request association with one of the meshed nodes (AP5) which are capable of performing packet routing, to request that the meshed node (AP5) with which the non-meshed node (STA 13) is associating operate as a proxy node to route packets between the associated non-meshed node (STA 13) and other meshed or non-meshed nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408). Some of the meshed nodes (106) further operate as intelligent access points (106) to provide the non-meshed nodes (STA 13-STA 15) and other meshed nodes (402) with access to other networks, such as the Internet (402), as well as to effect the association and reassociation of the non-meshed and meshed nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408).

Claims

1. A method for communicating in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

providing at least one non-meshed node which is adapted to communicate packets in the network;

providing at least one meshed node, adapted to communicate packets in the network and further adapted to route packets between other meshed and non-meshed nodes in the network;

operating the non-meshed node to send to the meshed node a request to associate with the meshed node; and

upon receiving the request, operating the meshed node as a proxy for the non-meshed node associated therewith to route packets between the associated non-meshed node and at least one of a different non-meshed node and another meshed node in the network.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the step of providing at least one meshed node comprises providing a plurality of said meshed nodes, and operating at least one of the plurality of meshed nodes as an intelligent access point to provide other meshed nodes and non-meshed nodes associated therewith access to another network.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

when the non-meshed node becomes associated with the meshed node, operating the meshed node to send a message to the intelligent access point with which the meshed node is associated to inform the intelligent access point that the non-meshed node has become associated with the meshed node.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the intelligent access point comprises a table; and

the method further comprises operating the intelligent access point to update the table with information pertaining to the non-meshed device based on the message received from the meshed device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the message comprises an address of the non-meshed node.

6. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

when the non-meshed node changes its association from the meshed node to a different meshed node that is associated with the intelligent access point, operating the intelligent access point to send message to the meshed node from which the non-meshed node changed its association to inform the meshed node of the change of association.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the intelligent access point operating step comprises operating the intelligent access point to unicast the message to the meshed node from which the non-meshed node changed its association.

8. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprises:

when the non-meshed node changes its association from the meshed node to a different meshed node associated with a different intelligent access point, operating the different intelligent access point to send message to the intelligent access point from which the reassociated non-meshed node changed its association to inform the intelligent access point of the change of association.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the intelligent access point comprises a table; and

the method further comprises;

when the intelligent access point receives the message from the different access point, operating the intelligent access point to update its table to remove information pertaining to the reassociated non-meshed node based on the message received from the different intelligent access point.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the step of operating the meshed node as the proxy for the non-meshed node comprises maintaining information pertaining to a route between the non-meshed node associated therewith and said at least one different non-meshed node and another meshed node in the network.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

operating the meshed node to maintain information pertaining to other meshed nodes and their respective associated non-meshed nodes as obtained from routing messages.

12. A wireless communication network, comprising:

at least one non-meshed node which is adapted to communicate packets in the network; and

at least one meshed node, adapted to communicate packets in the network and further being adapted to route packets between other meshed and non-meshed nodes in the network;

the non-meshed node being further adapted to send to the meshed node a request to associate with the meshed node, wherein the meshed node is adapted to operate as a proxy for the non-meshed node associated therewith to route packets between the associated non-meshed node and at least one of a different non-meshed node and another meshed node in the network.

13. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of said meshed nodes, at least one of the plurality of meshed nodes being an intelligent access point, adapted to provide other meshed nodes and non-meshed nodes associated therewith access to another network.

14. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the meshed node is further adapted, upon the non-meshed node becoming associated with the meshed node, to send a message to the intelligent access point with which the meshed node is associated to inform the intelligent access point that the non-meshed node has become associated with the meshed node.

15. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the intelligent access point comprises a table which is updated with information pertaining to the non-meshed device based on the message received from the meshed device.

16. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the message comprises an address of the non-meshed node.

17. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the non-meshed node is further adapted to change its association from the meshed node to a different meshed node that is associated with the intelligent access point, and in response, the intelligent access point is adapted to send message to the meshed node from which the non-meshed node changed its association to inform the meshed node of the change of association.

18. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

the intelligent access point is adapted to unicast the message to the meshed node from which the non-meshed node changed its association.

19. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the non-meshed node is further adapted to change its association from the meshed node to a different meshed node that is associated with a different intelligent access point, and in response, the different intelligent access point is adapted to send message to the intelligent access point from which the reasssociated non-meshed node changed its association to inform the intelligent access point of the change of association.

20. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the intelligent access point comprises a table which is updated to remove information pertaining to the reasssociated non-meshed node based on the message received from the different intelligent access point.

21. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the meshed node is adapted, when operating as the proxy for the non-meshed node, to maintain information pertaining to a route between the non-meshed node associated therewith and said at least one of another non-meshed node and another meshed node in the network.

22. A wireless communication network as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

the meshed node is further adapted to maintain information pertaining to other meshed nodes and their respective associated non-meshed nodes as obtained from routing messages.