Systems and methods for communicating messages in wireless networks

• US 8,035,491 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synapse Wireless Incorporated (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Synapse Wireless Incorporated (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Inventors: Banks, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/463,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 340/280.01, 340/286.02, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.21, 340/539.22, 340/539.23, 455/436, 455/450, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/335, 370/347, 700/284, 702/61
• US Class Current: 340/286.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention generally pertains to systems and methods for communicating messages in wireless networks. In one exemplary embodiment, a wireless sensor network has a first node and a second node. The second node is configured to wirelessly transmit a message through a channel of the wireless sensor network to the first node. The second node is further configured to determine whether to retransmit the message through the channel of the wireless sensor network to the first node based on an amount of energy detected for the channel by the second node immediately after transmission of the message by the second node.

Claims

1. A node for use in a wireless sensor network, comprising:

a communication device configured to wirelessly transmit a message through a channel of the wireless sensor network, the communication device configured to transmit a first energy level signal indicative of an amount of energy detected for the channel immediately after transmission of the message by the communication device; and

a stack configured to determine whether to retransmit the message through the wireless sensor network based on the first energy level signal.

2. The node of claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to transmit a second energy level signal indicative of an amount of energy detected for the channel prior to the transmission of the message by the communication device, and wherein the stack is configured to determine when to transmit the message based on the second energy level signal.

3. The node of claim 1, wherein the stack is configured to compare the first energy level signal to a threshold and to determine whether to retransmit the message through the wireless sensor network based on a comparison of the first energy level signal to the threshold.

4. The node of claim 3, wherein the comparison indicates whether the message is successfully received by another node of the wireless sensor network, and wherein the stack is configured to initiate retransmission of the message through the wireless sensor network if the comparison indicates that the message is not successfully received.

5. A wireless sensor network, comprising:

a first node; and

a second node configured to wirelessly transmit a message through a channel of the wireless sensor network to the first node, the second node configured to determine whether to retransmit the message through the channel of the wireless sensor network to the first node based on an amount of energy detected for the channel by the second node immediately after transmission of the message by the second node.

6. The wireless sensor network of claim 5, wherein the second node is configured to determine when to transmit the message based on an amount of energy detected for the channel prior to the transmission of the message by the second node.

7. The wireless sensor network of claim 5, wherein the second node is configured to transmit an energy level signal indicative of the amount of energy detected for the channel by the second node immediately after the transmission of the message, and wherein the second node is configured to perform a comparison between the energy level signal and a threshold and to determine whether to retransmit the message through the channel based on the comparison.

8. The wireless sensor network of claim 7, wherein the comparison indicates whether the message is successfully received by the first node, and wherein the second node is configured to retransmit the message through the channel to the first node if the comparison indicates that the message is not successfully received.

9. A method for communicating messages in a wireless sensor network, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transmitting a message through a channel of the wireless sensor network;

detecting an amount of energy for the channel immediately after transmission of the message through the channel; and

determining whether to retransmit the message through the channel based on the detecting step.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an amount of energy for the channel prior to the transmitting step; and

determining when to perform the transmitting step based on the step of detecting the amount of energy for the channel prior to the transmitting step.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

transmitting an energy level signal indicative of the amount of energy detected for the channel; and

comparing the energy level signal to a threshold,

wherein the determining step is based on the comparing step.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the comparing step indicates whether the message is successfully received by another node of the wireless sensor network, and wherein the method further comprises the step of retransmitting the message through the channel, based on the determining step, if the comparing step indicates that the message is not successfully received.