Network protocol

• US 8,098,615 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: MILLENNIAL NET, INC. (PHC Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Rhee, Sokwoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/087,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 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:

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

receiving communications from the wireless mesh network, the communications passing from a second 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 communications until the device exits the low-power mode, and the at least one intermediate wireless device forwards the communications to the device when the device exits the low-power mode and is ready to receive.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending second communications to the wireless mesh network including an identifier of the device, the second communications passing through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the target device being selected based on a network route associated with the one or more intermediate wireless devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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.

6. The method of claim 5, 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.

7. The method of claim 5, 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.

8. The method of claim 7, 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.

9. The method of claim 5, 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.

10. A system comprising:

(i) wireless network devices comprising;

plural target devices; and

plural repeater devices for routing data; and

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

send communications to the wireless mesh network including an identifier of the device, the communications passing through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network to reach a target device of the plural target devices, wherein the target device being selected based on a network route associated with the one or more intermediate wireless devices.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communications reach the target device to which the communications can pass through the fewest number of intermediate wireless devices from the device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the device further runs the network protocol to;

receive second communications from the wireless mesh network, the second communications passing from one of the plural target devices through one or more intermediate wireless devices in the wireless mesh network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second communications are originated by a target device from which the message can pass through the fewest number of intermediate wireless devices to the device.

14. A non-transitory medium that stores instruction which, when executed, cause a device to:

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

receive communications from the wireless mesh network, the communications passing from a second 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 communications until the device exits the low-power mode, and the at least one intermediate wireless device forwards the communications to the device when the device exits the low-power mode and is ready to receive.