Apparatus and method supporting a redundancy-managing interface between wireless and wired networks
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of first data messages, the first data messages transmitted over multiple first paths in a wireless network;
determining if two or more of the first data messages are copies;
when two or more of the first data messages are copies, communicating a single one of the two or more first data messages over a wired network;
receiving a second data message associated with a first class;
communicating multiple copies of the second data message for transmission over the wireless network to a single destination;
receiving a third data message associated with a second class; and
communicating a single copy of the third data message for transmission to the single destination over the wireless network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless network includes a leaf node, which generates a data message. The data message is routed through infrastructure nodes to a gateway infrastructure node, which is coupled to a wired network. A wireless interface module is also coupled to the wired network and communicates with the gateway infrastructure node. Multiple copies of the data message are created in the wireless network due to redundancy mechanisms supported in the wireless network, such as redundant connectivity and redundant message routing. The multiple copies of the data message are received at the gateway infrastructure node or the wireless interface module, which identifies the copies and communicates a single copy of the data message over the wired network to a destination. In this way, the redundancy mechanisms supported in the wireless network are concealed from wired components coupled to the wired network.
41 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of first data messages, the first data messages transmitted over multiple first paths in a wireless network; determining if two or more of the first data messages are copies; when two or more of the first data messages are copies, communicating a single one of the two or more first data messages over a wired network; receiving a second data message associated with a first class; communicating multiple copies of the second data message for transmission over the wireless network to a single destination; receiving a third data message associated with a second class; and communicating a single copy of the third data message for transmission to the single destination over the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 8)
-
-
5. A method comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of data messages, the data messages transmitted over multiple paths in a wireless network; determining if two or more of the data messages are copies; and when two or more of the data messages are copies, communicating a single one of the two or more data messages over a wired network; wherein the wireless network comprises; gateway infrastructure nodes receiving the data messages directly or indirectly from one or more leaf nodes; and wireless interface modules receiving at least some of the data messages from the gateway infrastructure nodes; wherein the gateway infrastructure nodes and the wireless interface modules are coupled to the wired network; wherein receiving the plurality of data messages comprises, at each of the wireless interface modules, receiving the data messages from multiple ones of the gateway infrastructure nodes; and wherein communicating the single one of the two or more data messages over the wired network is performed by one of the wireless interface modules.
-
-
7. A method comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of data messages, messages transmitted over multiple paths in a wireless network; determining if two or more of the data messages are copies; and when two or more of the data messages are copies, communicating a single one of the two or more data messages over a wired network; wherein the wireless network comprises; gateway infrastructure nodes receiving the data messages directly or indirectly from one or more leaf nodes; and wireless interface modules receiving at least some of the data messages from the gateway infrastructure nodes; wherein the gateway infrastructure nodes and the wireless interface modules are coupled to the wired network; wherein receiving the plurality of data messages comprises, at a first of the gateway infrastructure nodes, receiving the data messages from one or more of the leaf nodes and a second of the gateway infrastructure nodes; and wherein communicating the single one of the two or more data messages over the wired network is performed by the first gateway infrastructure node.
-
-
9. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one interface configured to communicate over at least a wired network; and a controller configured to; receive a plurality of first data messages that are transmitted over multiple first paths in a wireless network; determine if two or more of the first data messages are copies; when two or more of the first data messages are copies, provide a single one of the two or more first data messages to the at least one interface for transmission over the wired network; receive a second data message associated with a first class; cause multiple copies of the second data message to be transmitted over the wireless network to a single destination; receive a third data message associated with a second class; and cause a single copy of the third data message to be transmitted over the wireless network to the single destination. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 16)
-
-
13. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one interface configured to communicate over at least a wired network; and a controller configured to; receive a plurality of data messages that are transmitted over multiple paths in a wireless network; determine if two or more of the data messages are copies; and when two or more of the data messages are copies, provide a single one of two or more data messages to the at least one interface for transmission over the wired network wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless interface module; wherein the controller is configured to receive the plurality of data messages from multiple gateway infrastructure nodes that are configured to receive the data messages directly or indirectly from one or more leaf nodes; and wherein the at least one interface is configured to communicate with the gateway infrastructure nodes.
-
-
15. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one interface configured to communicate over at least a wired network; and a controller configured to; receive a plurality of data messages that are transmitted over multiple paths in a wireless network; determine if two or more of the data messages are copies; and when two or more of the data messages are copies, provide a single one of two or more data messages to the at least one interface for transmission over the wired network; wherein the apparatus comprises a first gateway infrastructure node; wherein the controller is configured to receive the plurality of data messages from one or more leaf nodes and a second gateway infrastructure node; and wherein the at least one interface is configured to communicate with the second gateway infrastructure node and one or more wireless interface modules.
-
-
17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:
-
receiving a plurality of first data messages, the first data messages transmitted over multiple first paths in a wireless network; determining if two or more of the first data messages are copies; when two or more of the first data messages are copies, initiating communication of a single one of the two or more first data messages over a wired network; receiving a second data message associated with a first class; initiating communication of multiple copies of the second data message for transmission over the wireless network to a single destination; receiving a third data message associated with a second class; and initiating communication of a single copy of the third data message for transmission to the single destination over the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification