Multi-radio mesh network system supporting at least two different wireless communication standards and method of controlling the same

• US 7,978,657 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Yong, Choi, Hyo-Hyun, Park, Yong-Seok, Choi, Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/898,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/232, 370/235, 370/238, 370/329, 370/338, 370/437
• US Class Current: 370/332
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

In a multi-radio mesh network system supporting at least two different wireless communication standards and a method of controlling the same, a wireless access switching module determines whether user data en-queued in the queue of a first wireless link and retained on standby cannot be transmitted. The wireless access switching module switches the user data, en-queued in the queue of the first wireless link and retained on standby, to an available second wireless link. The wireless access switching module changes a frame structure according to different wireless access techniques. When access is possible through the second wireless link, a forwarder searches for a local neighbor directly connected to a transmitting node and a receiving node, and forwards the user data. According to the invention, and in contrast to conventional techniques, available multi-wireless resources can be used more efficiently, flexibly and optimally up to the last moment, thereby reducing re-transmission and packet drop. Thus, each hop supports fast data forwarding so as to improve network performance.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a multi-radio mesh network system supporting at least two different wireless communication standards, the method comprising:

determining, by a wireless access switching module, whether user data en-queued in a queue of a first wireless link cannot be transmitted;

switching, by the wireless access switching module, the user data en-queued in the queue of the first wireless link to an available second wireless link in response to determining that the user data en-queued in the queue of the first wireless link cannot be transmitted;

changing, by the wireless access switching module, a frame structure when the first wireless link and the second wireless link conform to different wireless access techniques; and

when access is possible through the available second wireless link, searching, by a forwarder, for a local neighbor directly connected to a transmitting node and a receiving node, and forwarding the user data,

wherein changing a frame structure comprises receiving a user selection to determine whether to forward one frame of the en-queued user data or all the en-queued user data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing neighbor information to a neighboring node; and

generating a neighbor table based on neighbor information received from the neighboring node.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the neighbor information comprises information on each wireless link established through a node.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating, by a multi-wireless-path selector, a forwarding information base (FIB) with reference to the neighbor table.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the FIB comprises destination information of the user data and neighbor information of a wireless link.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein of switching the user data to an available second wireless link comprises:

searching, by the wireless access switching module, a forwarding information base (FIB) generated by a multi-radio path selector, and selecting a wireless link for transmitting the user data;

attempting, by the wireless access switching module, to transmit the user data through the selected wireless link, and determining whether the wireless link has a fault; and

in response to determining that the wireless link has a fault, re-searching, by the wireless access switching module, the FIB, checking a next wireless link, and switching to an existing wireless link.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein searching, by a forwarder, for a local neighbor directly connected to the transmitting node and the receiving node and forwarding the user data comprises forwarding the user data through a common neighbor to which the transmitting node and the receiving node are connected in common when no local neighbor can be detected.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein changing, by the wireless access switching module, the frame structure to when the first wireless link and the second wireless link conform to different wireless access techniques comprises de-queuing, in the first wireless link, and re-queuing, in the second wireless link, the corresponding frame among the user data en-queued in the queue of the first wireless link in which a fault has occurred.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein changing, by the wireless access switching module, a frame structure when the first wireless link and the second wireless link conform to different wireless access techniques comprises de-queuing, in the first wireless link, and re-queuing, in the second wireless link, all the user data en-queued in the first wireless link in which a fault has occurred.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein changing, by the wireless access switching module, a frame structure when the first wireless link and the second wireless link conform to different wireless access techniques comprises performing a change in an upper media access control (MAC) layer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein changing, by the wireless access switching module, a frame structure when the first wireless link and the second wireless link conform to different wireless access techniques comprises performing a change in an upper media access control (MAC) layer.

12. A multi-radio mesh network system supporting at least two different wireless communication standards, the system comprising:

a wireless access switching module to switch user data en-queued in a queue of a first wireless link to an available second wireless link in response to the first wireless link being unable to transmit the user data or in response to occurrence of a fault in the first wireless link;

a de-queue processor to de-queue the user data en-queued in the queue of the first wireless link in which the fault has occurred, and re-queuing the user data in the available second wireless link; and

a forwarder to search for a local neighbor directly connected to a transmitting node and a receiving node when the user data can be transmitted through the available second wireless link, and to forward the user data,

wherein the de-queue processor de-queues one frame of the en-queued user data or all the en-queued user data according to a user selection.

13. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 12, further comprising:

a neighbor provider to provide neighbor information to a neighboring node; and

a neighbor generator to generate a neighbor table based on neighbor information received from the neighboring node.

14. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 13, wherein the neighbor information comprises information on each wireless link established through a node.

15. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 13, further comprising a multi-wireless-path selector to generate a forwarding information base (FIB) with reference to the neighbor table.

16. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 15, wherein the FIB comprises destination information of the user data and neighbor information of a wireless link.

17. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 13, wherein the wireless access switching module searches a forwarding information base (FIB) generated by a multi-wireless-path selector, and selects a wireless link for the forwarder to use in transmitting the user data, attempts to transmit the user data through the selected wireless link, determines whether the fault has occurred in the wireless link, and when the fault occurs in the wireless link, re-searches the FIB, checks a next wireless link, and switches to an existing wireless link.

18. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 12, further comprising a data converter to change a frame structure when the wireless access switching module switches between different wireless access techniques.

19. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 18, wherein the data converter de-queues all the user data en-queued in the first wireless link in which the fault has occurred, and re-queues the user data in the second wireless link if the user selection indicates that all the en-queued user data should be de-queued.

20. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 19, wherein the change of frame structure is performed in an upper media access control (MAC) layer.

21. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 18, wherein the change of frame structure is performed in an upper media access control (MAC) layer.

22. The multi-radio mesh network system of claim 13, wherein, when no local neighbor can be detected, the forwarder forwards the user data through a common neighbor to which the transmitting node and the receiving node are connected in common.