Low-power autonomous node for mesh communication network

• US 7,529,217 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dust Networks Incorporated (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Conant, Rob, Pister, Kristofer S. J., Zats, Yuri S., Treuhaft, Noah
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, MARCUS
• Application Number:
  US10/960,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0222 in packet switched networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a packet communication network, a method and apparatus for packet switched transport is provided among intelligent nodes wherein the duty cycling of the intelligent nodes is minimized in order to maximize power life using a synchronization algorithm that assures all nodes are able to propagate information through the network without undue use of transmission and reception power. Frequency hopping time-division multiple access supports packet communication between intelligent nodes via assigned directed links, each link being assigned to a time-channel offset (cell) in a superframe, so that a link carrying a packet string between any two intelligent nodes is active only during its assigned time slot. The result is efficient use of spectrum and minimal expenditure of power.

Claims

1. In a multi-hop packet-switched communication network, a method for routing packets comprising:

providing at least a first intelligent node and a second intelligent node, said first intelligent node and said second intelligent node serving as intelligent nodes in said packet communication network and each said first intelligent node and said second intelligent node having independent intelligence for storing and redirecting units of communication traffic;

providing at least one digraph, each said digraph being expressed as routing information for directional links at each intelligent node in the network, including at least a first intelligent node having a plurality of outgoing directional links from said first intelligent node to a second intelligent node, wherein each directed link in said digraph is specific to a time slot in a time-frequency space;

generating a plurality of packets, each of said packets having a header;

wherein, at each said individual intelligent node that is operative to receive a packet, determining;

a) whether the packet is intended for said individual intelligent node; and

b) whether the packet is of interest to said individual intelligent node;

directing, via said routing information at each said intelligent node, said packets to flow between selected ones of said intelligent nodes according to one of said digraphs in accordance with a synchronized time and frequency communication plan;

otherwise

turning off transmission and receiving elements of said intelligent nodes to minimize power consumption when not receiving and directing said packets.

2. In a multi-hop packet-switched communication network, a method for routing packets comprising:

providing at least a first intelligent node and a second intelligent node, said first intelligent node and said second intelligent node serving as intelligent nodes in said packet communication network and each said first intelligent node and said second intelligent node having independent intelligence for storing and redirecting units of communication traffic;

providing at least one digraph, each said digraph being expressed as routing information for directional links at each intelligent node in the network, including at least a first intelligent node having a plurality of outgoing directional links from said first intelligent node to a second intelligent node;

generating a plurality of packets, each of said packets having a header;

wherein at least one said packet is assigned to a position in a selected time slot of fixed duration that is substantially longer in duration than any packet, wherein all said time slots are assembled into a superframe consisting of a variable number of said time slots; and

wherein each one of said time slots is assigned to a selected frequency channel;

directing, via said routing information at each said intelligent node, said packets to flow between selected ones of said intelligent nodes according to one of said digraphs in accordance with a synchronized time and frequency communication plan;

otherwise

turning off transmission and receiving elements of said intelligent nodes to minimize power consumption when not receiving and directing said packets.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein each directed link in said digraph is specific to an assigned slot in time-frequency space.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said at least one said intelligent node determines that a received packet is of interest to itself if a specific destination pattern described in the received packet matches with said intelligent node.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein a specific destination pattern includes a measured temperature at said intelligent node is within a preselected range.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein said determining step comprises:

detecting whether a “

time to live”

field has expired.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein said determining step comprises:

detecting whether the received packet has requested an action of which said intelligent node is capable; and

, if said intelligent node is capable of the requested action, taking the requested action.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said requested action comprises:

extracting a payload of the packet out of the network; and

sending the payload to a destination via the Internet.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein said requested action comprises:

extracting a payload of the packet out of the mesh network; and

causing a specific task that is local to said intelligent node to be performed.

10. In a multi-hop packet-switched communication network, a method for routing packets comprising:

providing at least a first intelligent node and a second intelligent node, said first intelligent node and said second intelligent node serving as intelligent nodes in said packet communication network and each said first intelligent node and said second intelligent node having independent intelligence for storing and redirecting units of communication traffic;

providing at least one digraph, each said digraph being expressed as routing information for directional links at each intelligent node in the network, including at least a first intelligent node having a plurality of outgoing directional links from said first intelligent node to a second intelligent node;

generating a plurality of packets, each of said packets having a header;

wherein superframe offsets, an identification tag of each intelligent node, a password, and selected information known to both ends of a directed link of a selected digraph are operative to move both channel and time slots with respect to time;

directing, via said routing information at each said intelligent node, said packets to flow between selected ones of said intelligent nodes according to one of said digraphs in accordance with a synchronized time and frequency communication plan;

otherwise

turning off transmission and receiving elements of said intelligent nodes to minimize power consumption when not receiving and directing said packets.