Redundantly connected wireless sensor networking methods
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
- providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes;
configuring a leaf node to associate with at least two infrastructure nodes and, once associated, send a data packet as follows;
in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes;
in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; and
wherein at least one associated infrastructure node includes first and second transceiving means for wireless communication, the first and second transceiving means being configured to simultaneously operate on different channels.
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Abstract
Methods and devices for operating a wireless network including redundant communication. Methods involving redundantly connected nodes are discussed including addressing methods and/or methods of creating groups for such redundant communication. The use of primary and secondary redundant connections is discussed. Also, devices for implementing such methods.
73 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
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providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes; configuring a leaf node to associate with at least two infrastructure nodes and, once associated, send a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; and wherein at least one associated infrastructure node includes first and second transceiving means for wireless communication, the first and second transceiving means being configured to simultaneously operate on different channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
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providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes; configuring a leaf node to associate with at least two infrastructure nodes and, once associated, send a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; and wherein the two infrastructure nodes associated with the leaf node include a primary node and a secondary node; when the leaf node associates with the two infrastructure nodes, the leaf node indicates a primary node among the two infrastructure nodes, and the primary node selects a group address and communicates the group address to the leaf node and the secondary node; and when the leaf node sends the first transmission, the group address is included in the first transmission. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
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providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes, configuring a leaf node to associate with at least two infrastructure nodes and, once associated, send a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; and wherein the two infrastructure nodes associated with the leaf node include a primary node and a secondary node; when the leaf node associates with the two infrastructure nodes, the leaf node indicates a primary node among the two infrastructure nodes, and the primary node selects a group address and communicates the group address to the leaf node and the secondary node; and when the leaf node sends the second transmission, the group address is included in the second transmission.
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9. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
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providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes; configuring a leaf node to associate with at least two infrastructure nodes and, once associated, send a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the at least two infrastructure nodes; wherein the infrastructure nodes and leaf nodes are part of a sub-network layer operating in cooperation with a first network layer, the method further including at least a first infrastructure node performing the following sequence; receiving the data packet; determining whether the data packet includes an address matching a medium access control identifier, and, if so, directing the data packet to the first network layer, routing the data packet to a destination node for the first network layer using the first network layer, and generating an acknowledge signal acknowledging receipt of the data packet;
if not;directing the data packet to the sub-network layer; and determining whether the data packet includes an address matching a group identifier associated with the first infrastructure node and, if not, discarding the data packet;
else, routing the data packet using a second network layer to a destination node for the second network layer.
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10. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
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providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes; and configuring a leaf node to associate with at least a first infrastructure node and a second infrastructure node and, once associated, send a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the first infrastructure node by addressing a message containing the data packet to the first infrastructure node; and in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the second infrastructure node by addressing a message containing the data packet to the second infrastructure node; wherein, if the leaf node executed the first transmission, the leaf node also executes the second transmission regardless of whether an acknowledgement is received from the first infrastructure node. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a communication system comprising a number of devices suited for wireless communication, the method comprising:
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providing at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes; and configuring a leaf node to associate with at least a first infrastructure node and a second infrastructure node and, once associated, send a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the first infrastructure node by addressing a message containing the data packet to the first infrastructure node; and in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the second infrastructure node by addressing a message containing the data packet to the second infrastructure node; wherein at least one associated infrastructure node includes first and second transceiving means for wireless communication, the first and second transceiving means being configured to simultaneously operate on different channels.
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14. A communication system comprising at least a number of infrastructure nodes and number of leaf nodes, the leaf nodes configured to exchange messages with the infrastructure nodes, the infrastructure nodes being configured to exchange messages with leaf nodes and infrastructure nodes;
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a leaf node associates with a first infrastructure node and a second infrastructure node; once associated, the leaf node sends a data packet as follows; in a first transmission on a first communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the first infrastructure node by addressing a message containing the data packet to the first infrastructure node; and in a second transmission on a second communication channel, the leaf node sends the data packet to the second infrastructure node by addressing a message containing the data packet to the second infrastructure node; wherein, if the leaf node executed the first transmission, the leaf node also executes the second transmission regardless of whether an acknowledgement is received from the first infrastructure.
- wherein;
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15. A method of associating a data sending node with data relaying nodes in a communication system having a number of nodes configured for wireless data transmission, the method comprising:
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the data sending node initiating a discovery sequence by generating and sending a discovery beacon; at least one data relaying node that receives the discovery beacon responding by sending a discovery signal to the data sending node; the data sending node gathering a list of nodes that respond, the list including data related to one or more characteristics of the response signal for responding data relaying nodes; the data sending node selecting a primary node from among the data relaying nodes on the list; the data sending node notifying a data relaying node that it is the primary node and provides data related to the list to the primary node; the primary node analyzing the list, selecting one or more secondary nodes, and generating a group address for itself, the secondary nodes, and the data sending node; the primary node notifying other data relaying nodes that they are the secondary nodes; and the primary node indicating the group address to the secondary nodes and the data sending node. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification