Using battery-powered nodes in a mesh network

• US 8,223,783 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sigma Designs Incorporated
• Inventors: Shorty, Peter, Christensen, Tommas Jess, Johansen, Niels Thybo, Midtgaard, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhao, Wei
• Application Number:
  US11/684,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 370/140, 370/311, 370/406, 375/140
• US Class Current: 370/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• 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

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for associating a first node in a mesh network with a communication type; activating the first node at a predefined interval to detect the presence of a message of the communication type in a transmission from a second node in the mesh network; continuing to activate the first node at the predefined interval if the transmission from the second node does not conform to the associated communication type of the first node; activating the first node beyond the predefined interval if the associated communication type is detected in the transmission from the second node; and receiving a message at the first node from the second node following detection of the associated communication type.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a constant powered mesh network node to control a configuration of an intermittently powered mesh network node, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node includes a repeater node that periodically powers down for a time period to conserve energy, the method comprising:

transmitting a message beam to the repeater node, wherein a duration of the message beam length exceeds the time period that the repeater node is powered down, and wherein the message beam contains a preamble with data;

indicating that the repeater node is to remain powered up in order to receive a message; and

causing the intermittently powered mesh network node to request configuration information relating to a network topology from the constant powered mesh network node when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the constant powered mesh network node is powered by an AC power source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the constant powered mesh network node is powered by a DC power source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node is powered by a battery source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the constant powered mesh network node is a wakeup destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a configuration facility is used to configure the constant powered mesh network node.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information relating to the network topology is stored in a central network topology server.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information relating to the network topology is stored in a Static Update Controller.

7. A method comprising:

associating a first node in a mesh network with a communication type, wherein the first node includes a repeater node that periodically powers down for a time period;

transmitting a message beam to the first node from a second node, wherein a duration of the message beam length exceeds the time period that the first node is powered down, and wherein the message beam contains a preamble with data indicating;

(i) that the first node is to remain powered up in order to receive a message;

(ii) that the transmitted message is of the communication type;

activating the first node at predefined intervals to detect a transmission from the second node in the mesh network;

activating the first node beyond the predefined intervals when the transmission contains a preamble indicating that the message is of the communication type; and

receiving a transmitted message at the first node from the second node following detection that the transmission contains the preamble.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first node is powered by a battery.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the mesh network includes a battery-powered node.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the battery-powered node is associated with a device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the battery-powered node is associated with a capacitor that is further associated with the device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the battery-powered node is associated with a rechargeable battery that is further associated with the device.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first node is associated with a node ID.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein a node in the mesh network is associated with data indicating which nodes in the mesh network are battery-powered.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication type is identified based at least in part on data in a message preamble pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the message preamble includes route information.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the message is transmitted through the mesh network using a flooding algorithm.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein the activation of the first node beyond the predefined interval enables it to receive a plurality of messages prior to deactivating.

23. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication type relates to the configuration of an electronic device in a home control system.

19. A system comprising:

a configuration facility for configuring a constant powered mesh network node to control a configuration of an intermittently powered mesh network node, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node is a repeater node that periodically powers down for a time period to conserve energy;

a transmitting facility for transmitting a message beam to the repeater node, wherein a duration of the message beam exceeds the time period that the repeater node is powered down, and wherein the message beam contains a preamble with data;

indicating that the repeater node is to remain powered in order to

receive a message; and

a causation facility for causing the intermittently powered mesh network node to request configuration information relating to a network topology from the constant powered mesh network node when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up.

22. A method of:

configuring a constant powered mesh network node to control a configuration of an intermittently powered mesh network node, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node is a repeater node that periodically powers down for a time period, the method comprising;

transmitting a message beam to the repeater node, wherein the duration of the message beam exceeds the time period that the repeater node is powered down, and wherein the message beam contains a preamble with data indicating that the repeater node is to remain powered up in order to receive a message;

causing the intermittently powered mesh network node to request configuration information relating to a network topology from the constant powered mesh network node when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up; and

using the configuration information relating to the network topology to transmit the message to an electronic device in a home control system, wherein a route path used for the transmission includes, at least in part, the repeater node.