System and method for a wireless mesh network

• US 7,554,941 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nivis LLC
• Original Assignee: Nivis LLC
• Inventors: Chilom, Marius Ovidiu, Ratiu, Ovidiu, Ticus, Ion
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong; Warner
• Application Number:
  US10/938,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/04 based on wireless node resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of disparately located radio nodes each coupled to a meter or other sensor is provided. The radio nodes within the communication range of the access node orient onto a first logical layer to directly communicate with the access node. Additional radio nodes beyond the communication range of the access node indirectly communicate with the access node by detecting communications from radio nodes on lower logical layers that are closer to the access node and selecting a radio node of the detected radio nodes to be a repeater node. The selected repeater node has available memory capacity and a suitable power number to qualify as a repeater, which may periodically change. Sensed data is directly or indirectly communicated to the access node for further communication to a backend system computer.

Claims

1. A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radio nodes each coupled to a sensor, comprising:

a first logical layer of one or more radio nodes within a communication range of the access node and configured to directly communicate with the access node;

one or more additional logical layers each having one or more radio nodes that are outside the communication range of the access node and configured to indirectly communicate with the access node, wherein each radio node on the one or more additional logical layers selects a radio node on a logical layer that is logically closer to the access node to be a repeater radio node for wireless transmissions, the selection of the repeater radio node determined according to the logical layer number and power number of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node; and

wherein the plurality of radio nodes communicate data to the access node corresponding to signals received from the sensors coupled to the plurality of radio nodes,

wherein the power number includes a combination of a coefficient corresponding to available memory capacity of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node and a coefficient corresponding to the battery status of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

logic in the access node and each radio node on the first logical layer to synchronize a transmission time and a receive time for communications between the access node and each radio node on the first logical layer; and

logic in each radio node to synchronize the transmission time and the receive time for communications between the radio nodes on adjacent layers.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

logic configured to establish an outbound communication time, wherein messages are communicated from the access node to each radio node, and

logic configured to establish an inbound communication time, wherein messages are communicated from the one or more radio nodes to the access node.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more radio nodes on the first logical layer are in a receive communication mode during outbound communication time while the access node is in a transmit communication mode.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein one or more radio nodes on the one or more additional logical layers are in a receive communication mode during outbound communication time while a radio node on a logical layer that is one logical layer closer to the access node is in a transmit communication mode.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more radio nodes on the first logical layer are in a transmit communication mode during inbound communication time while the access node is in a receive communication mode.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein one or more radio nodes on the one or more additional logical layers are in a transmit communication mode during inbound communication time while a radio node on a logical layer that is one logical layer closer to the access node is in a receive communication mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected repeater radio node of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node has a logical layer number that is the closest logical layer to the access node of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node and a power number that is above a predetermined minimum value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected repeater radio node of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node has a highest power number value of all radio nodes on the closest logical layer to the access node.

10. A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radio nodes each coupled to a sensor, comprising:

a first logical layer of one or more radio nodes within a communication range of the access node and configured to directly communicate with the access node; and

one or more additional logical layers each having one or more radio nodes that are outside the communication range of the access node and configured to indirectly communicate with the access node, wherein each radio node on the one or more additional logical layers selects a radio node on a logical layer that is logically closer to the access node to be a repeater radio node for wireless transmissions, the selection of the repeater radio node determined according to the logical layer number and power number of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node,

wherein the plurality of radio nodes communicate data to the access node corresponding to signals received from the sensors coupled to the plurality of radio nodes, and

wherein the power number is the product of a coefficient corresponding to available memory capacity of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node and a coefficient corresponding to the battery status of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node.

11. A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radio nodes each coupled to a sensor, comprising:

a first logical layer of one or more radio nodes within a communication range of the access node and configured to directly communicate with the access node; and

one or more additional logical layers each having one or more radio nodes that are outside the communication range of the access node and configured to indirectly communicate with the access node, wherein each radio node on the one or more additional logical layers selects a radio node on a logical layer that is logically closer to the access node to be a repeater radio node for wireless transmissions, the selection of the repeater radio node determined according to the logical layer number and power number of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node,

wherein the plurality of radio nodes communicate data to the access node corresponding to signals received from the sensors coupled to the plurality of radio nodes, and

wherein the coefficient corresponding to available memory capacity of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node equals 1 when a memory buffer for the potential repeater radio node is empty.

12. A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radio nodes each coupled to a sensor, comprising:

a first logical layer of one or more radio nodes within a communication range of the access node and configured to directly communicate with the access node; and

one or more additional logical layers each having one or more radio nodes that are outside the communication range of the access node and configured to indirectly communicate with the access node, wherein each radio node on the one or more additional logical layers selects a radio node on a logical layer that is logically closer to the access node to be a repeater radio node for wireless transmissions, the selection of the repeater radio node determined according to the logical layer number and power number of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node,

wherein the plurality of radio nodes communicate data to the access node corresponding to signals received from the sensors coupled to the plurality of radio nodes, and

wherein the coefficient corresponding to the battery status of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node equals 1 when the battery powering the potential repeater radio node is fully charged.

13. A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radio nodes each coupled to a sensor, comprising:

a first logical layer of one or more radio nodes within a communication range of the access node and configured to directly communicate with the access node;

one or more additional logical layers each having one or more radio nodes that are outside the communication range of the access node and configured to indirectly communicate with the access node, wherein each radio node on the one or more additional logical layers selects a radio node on a logical layer that is logically closer to the access node to be a repeater radio node for wireless transmissions, the selection of the repeater radio node determined according to the logical layer number and power number of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node; and

wherein the plurality of radio nodes communicate data to the access node corresponding to signals received from the sensors coupled to the plurality of radio nodes,

wherein the coefficient corresponding to the battery status of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node equals 1 when the potential repeater radio node is powered by an AC source.

14. A system for an access node coupled to a computer to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radio nodes each coupled to an actuator, comprising:

a first logical layer of one or more radio nodes within a communication range of the access node and configured to directly communicate with the access node;

one or more additional logical layers each having one or more radio nodes that are outside the communication range of the access node and configured to indirectly communicate with the access node, wherein each radio node on the one or more additional logical layers selects a radio node on a logical layer that is logically closer to the access node to be a repeater radio node for wireless transmissions, the selection of the repeater radio node determined according to the logical layer number and power number of each radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node; and

wherein the radio nodes communicate data corresponding to a signal transmitted from the access node to a radio node coupled to an actuator for controlling operation of the actuator,

wherein the power number includes a product of a coefficient corresponding to available memory capacity of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node and a coefficient corresponding to the battery status of the radio node evaluated as a potential repeater radio node.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the actuator provides a feedback signal that is communicated by the radio node coupled to the actuator to the access node.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the feedback signal is repeated by one or more radio nodes prior to receipt by the access node.