Digraph network subnetworks

• US 7,961,664 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dust Networks Incorporated (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pister, Kristofer S. J., Shear, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, MARCUS
• Application Number:
  US11/152,026
• Time in Patent Office: 2,192 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for a digraph linked network to provide subnetwork communication is disclosed. The method running a first superframe in a digraph linked network containing at least one digraph link wherein a digraph link is a directional link specifying routing information between a first node and a second node in the digraph linked network. The method further comprises running a second superframe in a digraph linked network containing at least one digraph link.

Claims

1. A method for a digraph linked network to provide subnetwork communication comprising:

running a first superframe in a digraph linked network containing a first digraph link, a second digraph link, and a third digraph link, wherein the first digraph link is a directional link specifying routing information between a first node and a second node in the digraph linked network, wherein the second digraph link comprises a directional link specifying routing information between the second node and a third node in the digraph linked network, wherein the third digraph link comprises a directional link specifying routing information between the third node and a fourth node in the digraph network, wherein a digraph of the digraph linked network forwards a packet using the first digraph link, the second digraph link, and the third digraph link towards a destination node;

such that a packet forwarded along each digraph flows toward a destination node; and

running a second superframe in the digraph linked network, wherein the second superframe includes defining communicating among a subset of nodes of the digraph linked network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run concurrently.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the first superframe runs for a first predetermined period of time and the second superframe runs for a second predetermined period of time.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by an event.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by a change to the network state.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by information received by the network.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe contains more time slots than the second superframe.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first superframe takes longer to cycle through than the second superframe.

10. A system for a digraph linked network to provide subnetwork communication comprising:

a processor configured to

run a first superframe in a digraph linked network containing a first digraph link, a second digraph link, and a third digraph link, wherein the first digraph link is a directional link specifying routing information between a first node and a second node in the digraph linked network, wherein the second digraph link comprises a directional link specifying routing information between the second node and a third node in the digraph linked network, wherein the third digraph link comprises a directional link specifying routing information between the third node and a fourth node in the digraph network, wherein a digraph of the digraph linked network forwards a packet using the first digraph link, the second digraph link, and the third digraph link towards a destination node;

such that a packet forwarded along each digraph flows toward a destination node; and

run a second superframe in the digraph linked network, wherein the second superframe includes defining communicating among a subset of nodes of the digraph linked network;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run concurrently.

12. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially.

13. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the first superframe runs for a first predetermined period of time and the second superframe runs for a second predetermined period of time.

14. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by an event.

15. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by a change to the network state.

16. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by information received by the network.

17. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe contains more time slots than the second superframe.

18. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first superframe takes longer to cycle through than the second superframe.

19. A computer program product for a digraph linked network to provide subnetwork communication, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

running a first superframe in a digraph linked network containing a first running a first superframe in a digraph linked network containing a first digraph link, a second digraph link, and a third digraph link, wherein the first digraph link is a directional link specifying routing information between a first node and a second node in the digraph linked network, wherein the second digraph link comprises a directional link specifying routing information between the second node and a third node in the digraph linked network, wherein the third digraph link comprises a directional link specifying routing information between the third node and a fourth node in the digraph network, wherein a digraph of the digraph linked network forwards a packet using the first digraph link, the second digraph link, and the third digraph link towards a destination node;

such that a packet forwarded along each digraph flows toward a destination node; and

running a second superframe in the digraph linked network, wherein the second superframe includes defining communicating among a subset of nodes of the digraph linked network.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run concurrently.

21. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially.

22. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the first superframe runs for a first predetermined period of time and the second superframe runs for a second predetermined period of time.

23. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by an event.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by a change to the network state.

25. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe run sequentially and wherein the change from the first superframe to the second superframe is triggered by information received by the network.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe contains more time slots than the second superframe.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the first superframe takes longer to cycle through than the second superframe.