System and method for operating a large-scale wireless network

• US 8,391,183 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xfeer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Xfeer Corporation
• Inventors: Furukoshi, Akinori, Damke, Mikel
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOPKINS, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US12/100,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 370/255, 370/256
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures

Abstract

There is described an inventive system and method for reducing route computational work load by restricting the routing calculation to a local portion of the data path based on the consideration of the location of those member devices within the same cell, each of which wireless member units is operably connected to form a large-scale wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A method of relaying data, for use with a wireless network having a grid of cells, while reducing the computational work load of each wireless member unit (WMU) in a given cell with respect to a path between an originating WMU and a destination WMU, the method comprising:

querying other available WMUs within signal range to acquire cell identification data of each other available WMU within signal range in the grid of cells, wherein the grid of cells is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape;

completing calculations, based on the acquired cell identification data, to create a cell level routing table based on those portions of said path that are within said cell; and

relaying the data toward the destination WMU using said routing table to deliver said data to a first WMU on the path, the first WMU selected based on defined criteria for reducing the computational work load of each WMU in the given cell with respect to the path.

2. A wireless system for transferring data packets along a path through a network coverage area having a grid of cells in which member devices are located, the system comprising:

a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) to receive and send data between said member devices;

at least one database unit (DBU) to store and then to deliver cell identification data to said member devices upon their request wherein the grid of cell is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape; and

programming means for reducing computational work load with respect to said path by restricting a routing calculation to a local portion of said path based on consideration of a location of those member devices within a same cell, so as to limit a size of the routing table shared by member devices within that cell.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one gateway unit (GWU) to exchange data with external networks.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least one server unit (SU) for high capacity data transfer across the network coverage area.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising at least one fixed link unit (FLU) for long distance connection across the network coverage area.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising at least one peripheral peer unit (PPU), for use with connecting laptop computing devices to the system.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising at least one mobile stand-along peer unit (SPU).

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said SPU is enabled to relay data throughout the network coverage area.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said PPU is enabled to relay data throughout the network coverage area.

10. A method of enabling operation of a large-scale wireless communication network serving a network coverage area, to permit exchange of data packets between member devices, the method comprising:

defining a grid of cells in relation to said network coverage area, wherein the grid of cells is a an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape;

position a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) within said grid, each PLU being operably coupled to a member device located within a cell and a signal transmission range of at least one other PLU;

locating at least one wireless member unit (WMU) within said grid, to enable access to external sources of data;

assigning a cell identification number to each WMU within said grid; and

initiate communication between said at least one WMU to create a cell level routing table of information with respect to active links available to each member unit, to determine possible paths over which to route data packets within the grid.

11. A method of decreasing burden of computation of data travel paths by individual wireless member units by distributing routing computations between the wireless member units of a large-scale wireless communication network that serves a network coverage area defined as cells of a grid, the method comprising:

a) querying available wireless member units within direct signal transmission range of a current source unit and storing resulting network topology information onboard the current source unit, to enable reuse and share of said information;

b) comparing and ranking said available wireless member units, based on performance criteria, and computing only that part of a total data path route that falls within those cells neighboring a cell of the current source unit, the cells neighboring the cell of the current source unit being within the grid of the cells, and the grid of cells being an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells having a multi-dimensional geographical shape;

c) determining a grid direction for transmission from the current source unit to a destination unit;

d) transmitting a data packet from the current source unit in the determined direction; and

e) repeating c) and d), and additionally repeating a) and b) if there is a network topology change detected in the network coverage area.

12. A method for a mobile wireless member unit (WMU) maintaining communication with a destination node while switching relay nodes, the method comprising:

detecting when a next-hop non-mobile WMU from the mobile WMU has changed from a first next-hop non-mobile WMU to a second next-hop non-mobile WMU;

sending a location-update data packet, including a unit ID of the second non-mobile WMU, to the first non-mobile WMU;

establishing a temporary path including the second non-mobile WMU through which to relay packets by adding a unit ID of the second non-mobile WMU to a relay table of the first non-mobile WMU; and

relaying future data packets through the temporary path until a source WMU is informed of the change from the first next-hop non-mobile WMU to the second next-hop non-mobile WMU.

13. A non-mobile wireless member device within a system for transferring data packets along a path through a network coverage area having a grid of cells in which the member devices are located, the system comprising:

a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) to receive and send data between said member devices;

at least one database unit (DBU) to store and then to deliver cell identification data to said member devices upon their request, wherein the grid of cells is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape; and

programming means for reducing computational work load with respect to said path by restricting a routing calculation to a local portion of said path based on consideration of a location of those member devices within a same cell, so as to limit a size of the routing table shared by member devices within the same cell, the non-mobile wireless member device comprising;

at least one multi-sectored directional antenna or array communicably coupled to said non-mobile wireless member device; and

at least one transceiver operably coupled to said directional antenna or array and to a processor of the non-mobile wireless member device.

14. A non-mobile wireless member device within a system for transferring data packets along a path through a network coverage area having a grid of cells in which the member devices are located, the system comprising:

a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) to receive and send data between said member devices;

at least one database unit (DBU) to store and then to deliver cell identification data to said member devices upon their request, wherein the grid of cells is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape; and

programming means for reducing computational work load with respect to said path by restricting a routing calculation to a local portion of said path based on consideration of a location of those member devices within a same cell, so as to limit a size of the routing table shared by member devices within the same cell, the non-mobile wireless member device comprising;

at least one 3 sectored directional antenna or array communicably coupled to said non-mobile wireless member device;

at least one transceiver operably coupled to said directional antenna or array and to a processor of the non-mobile wireless member device; and

means for adjusting electro-physical characteristics of said directional antenna or array, in order to control lobe shape.

15. A non-mobile wireless member device within a system for transferring data packets along a path through a network coverage area having a grid of cells in which the member devices are located, the system comprising:

a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) to receive and send data between said member devices;

at least one database unit (DBU) to store and then to deliver cell identification data to said member devices upon their request, wherein the grid of cells is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape; and

programming means for reducing computational work load with respect to said path by restricting a routing calculation to a local portion of said path based on consideration of a location of those member devices within a same cell, so as to limit a size of the routing table shared by member devices within the same cell, the non-mobile wireless member device comprising;

at least one 6 sectored directional antenna or array communicably coupled to said non-mobile wireless member device;

at least one transceiver operably coupled to said directional antenna or array and to a processor of the non-mobile wireless member device; and

means for adjusting electro-physical characteristics of each said directional antenna or array, in order to control lobe shape.

16. A non-mobile wireless member device within a system for transferring data packets along a path through a network coverage area having a grid of cells in which the member devices are located, the system comprising:

a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) to receive and send data between said member devices;

at least one database unit (DBU) to store and then to deliver cell identification data to said member devices upon their request, wherein the grid of cells is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape; and

programming means for reducing computational work load with respect to said path by restricting a routing calculation to a local portion of said path based on consideration of a location of those member devices within a same cell, so as to limit a size of the routing table shared by member devices within the same cell, the non-mobile wireless member device comprising;

an omni-directional antenna communicably coupled to the non-mobile wireless member device; and

an adjustable transceiver operably coupled to said antenna and to a processor of the non-mobile wireless member device.

17. A method of reducing the number of house-keeping packets sent to wireless member units (WMUs) within a system for transferring data packets along a path through a network coverage area having a grid of cells in which the member devices are located, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of portable link units (PLUs) to receive and send data between said member devices;

providing at least one database unit (DBU) to store and then to deliver cell identification data to said member devices upon their request, wherein the grid of cells is an ordered set of cells and each cell within the grid of cells has a multi-dimensional geographical shape; and

providing programming means for reducing computational work load with respect to said path by restricting a routing calculation to a local portion of said path based on consideration of a location of those member devices within a same cell, so as to limit a size of the routing table shared by member devices within the same cell, the method for use with the system and further comprising;

enabling the at least one of the member devices to receive at least one mis-directed data packet;

enabling the at least one of the member devices to read a header of said mis-directed data packet;

enabling the at least one of the member devices to update a local or cell level routing table with respect to available status of a sending WMU; and

enabling the at least one of the member devices to delete said mis-directed data packet.