Providing a low latency backbone in a wireless mesh network

• US 7,742,435 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RJS Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Dust Networks Incorporated (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doherty, Lance R., Lindsay, William Alan, Simon, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho; Hong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scheibel; Robert C
• Application Number:
  US11/881,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Communicating for a mesh network is disclosed. A battery-powered node is assigned to communicate with a sending powered backbone node. The sending powered backbone node is assigned to either a first group or a second group. If the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the first group, then the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to either a gateway node or a second group receiving powered backbone node that is assigned to the second group and that is closer to the gateway node. If the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the second group, then the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to either a gateway node or a first group receiving powered backbone node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node.

Claims

1. A method of communicating for a mesh network comprising:

assigning a battery-powered node to communicate with a sending powered backbone node;

assigning the sending powered backbone node to either a first group or a second group,

wherein in the event that the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the first group, the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to a first node that is assigned to the second group and that is closer to a gateway node, wherein the first node then sends the packet to a second node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the first node; and

wherein in the event that the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the second group, then the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to a third node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to a gateway node, wherein the third node then sends the packet to a fourth node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the third node.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein assigning the battery-powered node to communicate with the powered backbone node is based at least in part on a received signal strength at the powered backbone node from the battery-powered node.

3. A method as in claim 1, further including assigning the battery-powered node to either the first group or the second group.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein assigning the battery-powered node to either the first group or the second group includes assigning the battery-powered node to a category.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein assigning the powered backbone node to either the first group or the second group includes assigning the powered backbone node to a category.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program product for communicating for a mesh network, comprising computer instructions for:

assigning a battery-powered node to communicate with a sending powered backbone node;

assigning the sending powered backbone node to either a first group or a second group,

wherein in the event that the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the first group, the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to a first node that is assigned to the second group and that is closer to a gateway node, wherein the first node then sends the packet to a second node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the first node; and

wherein in the event that the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the second group, then the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to a third node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to a gateway node, wherein the third node then sends the packet to a fourth node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the third node.

7. A system for communicating for a mesh network comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

assign a battery-powered node to communicate with a powered backbone node;

assign the powered backbone node to either a first group or a second group,

wherein in the event that the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the first group, then the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to a a first node that is assigned to the second group and that is closer to a gateway node, wherein the first node then sends the packet to a second node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the first node; and

wherein in the event that the sending powered backbone node is assigned to the second group, then the sending powered backbone node sends a packet to a third node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to a gateway node, wherein the third node then sends the packet to a fourth node that is assigned to the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the third node.

9. A system as in claim 7, wherein assigning the battery-powered node to communicate with the powered backbone node is based at least in part on a received signal strength at the powered backbone node from the battery-powered node.

10. A system as in claim 7, further including assigning the battery-powered node to either the first group or the second group.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein assigning the battery-powered node to either the first group or the second group includes assigning the battery-powered node to a category.

12. A system as in claim 7, wherein assigning the powered backbone node to either the first group or the second group includes assigning the powered backbone node to a category.

8. A backbone system of powered nodes in a mesh network comprising:

a gateway node;

a battery-powered node;

a plurality of powered backbone nodes configured such that;

1) the battery-powered node can send a packet to one of the plurality of backbone powered nodes;

2) each powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes belongs to either a first group or a second group;

3) a powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes in the first group sends a received packet to a first powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes in the second group that is closer to the gateway node and then the first powered node sends the packet to a second powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes in the first group and that is closer to the gateway node than the first node; and

4) a powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes in the second group sends a received packet to a third powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes in the first group that is closer to the gateway node and then the third powered node sends the packet to a fourth powered node of the plurality of powered backbone nodes in the second group and that is closer to the gateway node than the third node.

13. A backbone system as in claim 8, wherein assigning the battery-powered node to communicate with the powered backbone node is based at least in part on a received signal strength at the powered backbone node from the battery-powered node.

14. A backbone system as in claim 8, further including assigning the battery-powered node to either the first group or the second group.

15. A backbone system as in claim 14, wherein assigning the battery-powered node to either the first group or the second group includes assigning the battery-powered node to a category.

16. A backbone system as in claim 8, wherein assigning the powered backbone node to either the first group or the second group includes assigning the powered backbone node to a category.