System and method for communicating using a plurality of TDMA mesh networks having efficient bandwidth use
First Claim
1. A communications system, comprising:
- first and second Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mesh networks, each comprising a plurality of wireless nodes;
each node of the plurality of wireless nodes within respective first and second TDMA mesh networks comprising a transmitter and receiver that communicate on a primary and at least one secondary frequency and using a TDMA epoch that is divided into at least a beacon interval using the primary frequency and a digital data interval using both the primary and secondary frequencies, wherein said wireless nodes allocate an unused secondary frequency such that a digital data secondary frequency TDMA usage for the second TDMA mesh network falls into an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage map of the first TDMA mesh network, wherein a TDMA epoch for the second TDMA mesh network is offset from the start of a TDMA epoch for the first TDMA mesh network such that TDMA secondary frequency usage of the digital data interval for the second TDMA mesh network falls into an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage in the first TDMA mesh network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with a non-limiting example of the present invention, a communications system includes a plurality of Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mesh networks, each comprising a plurality of wireless nodes, each having a transmitter and receiver that communicate on a primary and at least one secondary frequency, and communicate using a TDMA epoch that is divided into at least a beacon interval using the primary frequency and a digital data interval using both the primary and secondary frequencies. The wireless nodes are operative for allocating a secondary frequency usage of a digital data interval for a TDMA mesh network to fall into an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage of another TDMA mesh network.
68 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A communications system, comprising:
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first and second Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mesh networks, each comprising a plurality of wireless nodes; each node of the plurality of wireless nodes within respective first and second TDMA mesh networks comprising a transmitter and receiver that communicate on a primary and at least one secondary frequency and using a TDMA epoch that is divided into at least a beacon interval using the primary frequency and a digital data interval using both the primary and secondary frequencies, wherein said wireless nodes allocate an unused secondary frequency such that a digital data secondary frequency TDMA usage for the second TDMA mesh network falls into an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage map of the first TDMA mesh network, wherein a TDMA epoch for the second TDMA mesh network is offset from the start of a TDMA epoch for the first TDMA mesh network such that TDMA secondary frequency usage of the digital data interval for the second TDMA mesh network falls into an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage in the first TDMA mesh network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of communicating in a wireless mesh network, which comprises:
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allocating a primary frequency and at least one secondary frequency within a first TDMA mesh network having a plurality of wireless nodes and communicating with each other using a TDMA epoch that is divided into at least a beacon interval using the primary frequency and digital data interval using both the primary and secondary frequencies; allocating a primary frequency and at least one secondary frequency within a second TDMA mesh network and communicating with each other using a TDMA epoch that is divided into at least a beacon interval using the primary frequency and digital data interval using both primary and secondary frequencies; and allocating an unused secondary frequency in the first TDMA mesh network such that a digital data secondary frequency TDMA usage for the second TDMA mesh network falls into an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage map of the first TDMA mesh network, and further comprising starting a TDMA epoch for the second TDMA mesh network offset from the start of the TDMA epoch for the first TDMA mesh network, wherein the secondary frequency usage of the digital data interval for the second TDMA mesh network falls in an unused portion of secondary frequency usage in the first TDMA mesh network. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of communicating in a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) wireless mesh network, which comprises:
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allocating a primary frequency and at least one secondary frequency within first and second TDMA mesh networks, each having a plurality of wireless nodes and communicating with each other using a TDMA epoch that is divided into at least a beacon interval using the primary frequency and a digital data interval using both the primary and secondary frequencies; and allocating by the first TDMA network an unused secondary frequency such that a digital data secondary frequency TDMA usage for the second TDMA mesh network falls in an unused portion of the secondary frequency usage of the first TDMA mesh network, and further comprising starting a TDMA epoch for the second TDMA mesh network offset from the start of the TDMA epoch for the first TDMA mesh network, wherein the secondary frequency usage of the digital data interval falls in an unused portion of secondary frequency usage in the first TDMA mesh network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification