Network protocol

• US 7,948,930 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: MILLENNIAL NET, INC. (PHC Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Rhee, Sokwoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean A
• Application Number:
  US12/264,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20090092069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/351, 370/338, 370/346, 370/349, 370/401, 370/230.1, 370/230, 370/232, 370/234, 370/235, 370/280, 455/426.1, 455/455, 455/558, 455/563, 455/432.1, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 455/554.1, 455/450, 455/453, 455/552.1, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 370/318
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system includes wireless network devices and a terminal device. The wireless network devices include a base station and plural repeater devices for routing data. The terminal device runs a network protocol to establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices. The terminal device enters a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method performed by a device in a wireless mesh network, comprising:

establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network via communications initiated by the device;

entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network comprises;

sending communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the device, the communication passing through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the target device through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network, at least one intermediate wireless device in direct communication range of the device stores the confirmation until the device exits the low-power mode, and the at least one intermediate wireless device forwards the confirmation to the device when the device exits the low-power mode and is ready to receive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network comprises:

establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes which are intermediate wireless devices in direct communication range of the device and include routing information to the target device on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless mesh network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node, the device communicating to the wireless mesh network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary master node can deliver a message to the target device on the wireless mesh network, the message passing through a fewer number of intermediate wireless devices than does the secondary master node.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plural master nodes stores the data from the wireless mesh network, and the device receives the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network; and

changing a rate at which the device sends data to the wireless mesh network based on the data traffic.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network comprises:

comparing response times of nodes on the wireless mesh network to a predetermined response time.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network comprises:

using carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol to monitor data traffic in a channel of the wireless mesh network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein, if data traffic on the wireless mesh network exceeds a predetermined level, changing comprises reducing a rate at which the data is sent to the wireless mesh network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network; and

if a data packet collision is detected on the wireless mesh network, waiting a random period of time before sending data to the wireless mesh network, the random period of time being randomly derived from hardware noise on the device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining the random period of time by counting hardware noise pulses generated by the device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending periodic data to the wireless mesh network with an interval in between the periodic data;

detecting a collision in a time slot of a channel of the wireless mesh network;

adding an one-time delay, which is different from the interval, to the time at which the periodic data is sent to the wireless mesh network so as to avoid the collision; and

; and

resuming the sending of the periodic data with the interval in between the periodic data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a priority to data; and

transmitting the data based on the priority.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises:

transmitting the data

waiting for a length of a time slot after transmitting the data, wherein, no data is transmitted during the time slot; and

changing the length of the time slot assigned to the data based on the priority.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein changing the length of the time slot based on the priority comprises extending the time slot for higher priority data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises transmitting higher priority data before lower priority data.

18. A method performed by a device in a wireless mesh network, comprising:

establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network via communications initiated by the device;

entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network comprises;

sending communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the target device through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network; and

establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless mesh network; and

wherein establishing plural master nodes comprises;

identifying N (N>

1) nodes on the wireless mesh network having fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless mesh network; and

storing data corresponding to the N nodes in memory.

19. A method performed by a device in a wireless mesh network, comprising:

establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network via communications initiated by the device;

entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

checking a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless mesh network, the device waiting a period between each of the multiple times;

increasing the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and

checking the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless mesh network, the device waiting the increased period between each of the multiple times; and

wherein establishing a presence in the wireless mesh network comprises;

sending communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the target device through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless mesh network.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein checking and increasing are performed in a media access control (MAC) layer of a network protocol stack.

23. A system comprising:

(i) wireless network devices comprising;

a base station; and

plural repeater devices for routing data; and

(ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to;

establish a presence in a wireless mesh network that includes the wireless network devices; and

enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein, in establishing the presence in the wireless mesh network, the terminal device;

sends communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the terminal device, the communication passing through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach the base station; and

receives confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the base station through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network, at least one intermediate wireless device in direct communication range of the terminal device stores the confirmation until the terminal device exits the low-power mode, and the at least one intermediate wireless device forwards the confirmation to the terminal device when the device exits the low-power mode and is ready to receive.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein, in establishing the presence, the terminal device:

establishes plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising other devices which are intermediate wireless devices in direct communication range of the device and include routing information to the base station on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the terminal device to the wireless mesh network.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein:

the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and

the terminal device communicates with the wireless mesh network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the primary master node can deliver a message to the base station on the wireless mesh network, the message passing through a fewer number of intermediate wireless devices than does the secondary master node.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the at least one of the plural master nodes stores data from the wireless mesh network, and the terminal device receives the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the terminal device:

monitors data traffic on the wireless mesh network; and

changes a rate at which the terminal device sends data to the wireless mesh network based on the data traffic on the wireless mesh network.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein, in monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network, the terminal device:

compares response times of repeater devices on the wireless mesh network to a predetermined response time.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein, in monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network, the terminal device:

uses carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol to monitor data traffic in a channel of the wireless mesh network.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the terminal device reduces a rate at which the data is sent to the wireless mesh network if data traffic on the wireless mesh network exceeds a predetermined level.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the terminal device:

monitors data traffic on the wireless mesh network; and

if a data packet collision is detected on the wireless mesh network, waits a random period of time before sending data to the wireless mesh network, the random period of time being randomly derived from hardware noise on the terminal device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the terminal device determines the random period of time by counting hardware noise pulses generated by the terminal device.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the terminal device:

sends periodic data to the wireless mesh network with an interval in between the periodic data;

detects a collision in a time slot of a channel of the wireless mesh network;

adds an one-time delay, which is different from the interval, to shifts [[a]] the time at which the periodic data is sent to the wireless mesh network so as to avoid the collision; and

resumes the sending of the periodic data with the interval in between the periodic data.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein the terminal device assigns a priority to data sent to the wireless mesh network, the terminal device and at least one of the plural repeater devices transmitting the data based on the priority.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises:

transmitting the data

waiting for a length of a time slot after transmitting the data, wherein, no data is transmitted during the time slot;

changing the length of the time slot assigned to the data based on the priority.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein changing the length of the time slot based on the priority comprises extending the time slot for higher priority data.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises transmitting higher priority data before lower priority data.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein, at least one of the plural repeater devices:

establishes plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising devices on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes providing a path for transmission of data over the wireless mesh network.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein:

the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and

the at least one of the plural repeater devices communicates over the wireless mesh network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the primary master node can deliver a message to the base station, the message passing through fewer number of intermediate wireless devices than does the secondary master node.

43. A system comprising:

(i) wireless network devices comprising;

a base station; and

plural repeater devices for routing data; and

(ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to;

establish a presence in a wireless mesh network that includes the wireless network devices; and

enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein, in establishing the presence in the wireless mesh network, the terminal device;

sends communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the terminal device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach the base station;

receives confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the base station through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network; and

establishes plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising other devices on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the terminal device to the wireless mesh network; and

wherein, in establishing the plural master nodes, the terminal device;

identifies N (N>

1) devices on the wireless mesh network having fewest numbers of hops from the terminal device to the base station; and

stores data corresponding to the N devices in memory.

44. A system comprising:

(i) wireless network devices comprising;

a base station; and

plural repeater devices for routing data; and

(ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to;

establish a presence in a wireless mesh network that includes the wireless network devices; and

enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein, in establishing the presence in the wireless mesh network, the terminal device;

sends communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the terminal device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach the base station; and

receives confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the base station through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network; and

wherein the terminal device and at least one of the repeater devices;

checks a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless mesh network and waits a period between each of the multiple times;

increases the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and

checks the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless mesh network and waits the increased period between each of the multiple times.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless mesh network.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein checking and increasing the time are performed in a media access control layer of a network protocol stack.

48. A system comprising:

(i) wireless network devices comprising;

a base station; and

plural repeater devices for routing data and

(ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to;

establish a presence in a wireless mesh network that includes the wireless network devices; and

enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein, in establishing the presence in the wireless mesh network, the terminal device;

sends communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the terminal device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach the base station; and

receives confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the base station through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network

wherein, at least one of the plural repeater devices;

establishes plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising devices on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes providing a path for transmission of data over the wireless mesh network.

wherein, in establishing the plural master nodes, the at least one of the plural repeater devices;

identifies N (N>

1) devices on the wireless mesh network having fewest numbers of hops to the base station; and

stores data corresponding to the N devices in memory.

49. A machine-readable medium that stores instruction which, when executed, cause a device to:

initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless mesh network; and

enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein establishing a presence in a wireless mesh network comprises;

sending communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the device, the communication passing through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the target device through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network, at least one intermediate wireless device in direct communication range of the device stores the confirmation until the device exits the low-power mode, and the at least one intermediate wireless device forwards the confirmation to the device when the device exits the low-power mode and is ready to receive.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless mesh network comprises:

establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes which are intermediate wireless devices in direct communication range of the device and include routing information to the target device on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless mesh network.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein:

the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and

the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause the device to communicate to the wireless mesh network via the primary master node and via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node.

53. The machine-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the primary master node can deliver a message to the target device on the wireless mesh network, the message passing through a fewer number of intermediate wireless devices than does the secondary master node.

54. The machine-readable medium of claim 50, wherein:

at least one of the plural master nodes stores the data from the wireless mesh network; and

the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause the device to receive the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes.

55. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, further comprising instructions which, when executed cause the device to:

monitor data traffic on the wireless mesh network; and

change a rate at which the device sends data to the wireless mesh network based on the data traffic.

56. The machine-readable medium of claim 55, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network comprises:

comparing response times of nodes on the wireless mesh network to a predetermined response time.

57. The machine-readable medium of claim 55, wherein monitoring data traffic on the wireless mesh network comprises:

using carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol to monitor data traffic in a channel of the wireless mesh network.

58. The machine-readable medium of claim 55, wherein, if data traffic on the wireless mesh network exceeds a predetermined level, changing comprises reducing a rate at which the data is sent to the wireless mesh network.

59. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

monitor data traffic on the wireless mesh network; and

if a data packet collision is detected on the wireless mesh network, wait a random period of time before sending data to the wireless mesh network, the random period of time being randomly derived from hardware noise on the device.

60. The machine-readable medium of claim 59, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

determine the random period of time by counting hardware noise pulses generated by the device.

61. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

send periodic data to the wireless mesh network with an interval in between the periodic data;

detect a collision in a time slot of a channel of the wireless mesh network;

adding an one-time delay, which is different from the interval, to the time at which the periodic data is sent to the wireless mesh network so as to avoid the collision; and

resume the sending of the periodic data with the interval in between the periodic data.

62. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

assign a priority to data; and

transmit the data based on the priority.

63. The machine-readable medium of claim 62, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises:

transmitting the data

waiting for a length of a time slot after transmitting the data, wherein, no data is transmitted during the time slot; and

changing the length of the time slot assigned to the data based on the priority.

64. The machine-readable medium of claim 63, wherein changing the length of the time slot based on the priority comprises extending the time slot for higher priority data.

65. The machine-readable medium of claim 62, wherein transmitting the data based on the priority comprises transmitting higher priority data before lower priority data.

66. A machine-readable medium that stores instruction which, when executed, cause a device to:

initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless mesh network; and

enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network; and

wherein establishing a presence in a wireless mesh network comprises;

sending communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device;

receiving confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the target device through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network; and

establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless mesh network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless mesh network; and

wherein establishing plural master nodes comprises;

identifying N (N>

1) nodes on the wireless mesh network having fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless mesh network; and

storing data corresponding to the N nodes in memory.

67. A machine-readable medium that stores instruction which, when executed, cause a device to:

initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless mesh network;

enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless mesh network;

check a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless mesh network and wait a period between each of the multiple times;

increase the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and

check the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless mesh network and wait the increased period between each of the multiple times; and

wherein establishing a presence in a wireless mesh network comprises;

sending communications to the wireless mesh network indicating a presence of the device, the communication passing through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device; and

receiving confirmation from the wireless mesh network, the confirmation passing from the target device through one or more other wireless devices in the wireless mesh network.

68. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve.

69. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless mesh network.

70. The machine-readable medium of claim 67, wherein checking and increasing are performed in a media access control (MAC) layer of a network protocol stack.