Source routing bandwidth activation

• US 8,396,022 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dust Networks Incorporated (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lindsay, William Alan, Doherty, Lance R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHU, BO HUI ALVIN
• Application Number:
  US12/288,342
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 703/227, 370/338, 370/389, 370/390, 370/392, 370/395.4
• US Class Current: 370/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing

Abstract

A method for processing a source routed packet comprises determining a next node in a source route for a source routed packet in a mesh network and transmitting the source routed packet to the next node in the source route. A method for creating a source routed packet comprises determining a source route path to a destination node and transmitting a source routed packet that includes the source route path to a first node associated with the source route path.

Claims

1. A method for processing a source routed packet, comprising:

receiving a source routed packet at a first node in a mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by a first communications schedule for the mesh network, wherein the first communications schedule comprises a set of a plurality of timeslots and a plurality of channels, wherein a combination of one of the plurality of timeslots and one of the plurality of channels comprises a slot able to specify a communication link between two nodes, wherein the first communications schedule includes a plurality of channels associated with one timeslot of the plurality of timeslots that are able to specify links that communicate at the same time on multiple channels, wherein the source routed packet includes a source route comprising an ordered list of nodes;

determining a position of the first node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

determining a previous node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

determining whether a next node exists;

in the event that a next node does exist;

determining a next node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

transmitting the source routed packet to the next node in the mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by the first communications schedule; and

activating a second communications schedule on the first node, wherein the second communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying a communication link to the next node, based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route, and based at least in part on an instruction in the source routed packet;

in the event that a next node does not exist;

determining an originating node of the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

transmitting an acknowledgment packet to the originating node; and

activating a third communications schedule on the first node, wherein the third communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying a communication link to the previous node, based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route, and based at least in part on the instruction in the source routed packet.

2. A system for processing a source routed packet, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a source routed packet at a first node in a mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by a first communications schedule for the mesh network, wherein the first communications schedule comprises a set of a plurality of timeslots and a plurality of channels, wherein a combination of one of the plurality of timeslots and one of the plurality of channels comprises a slot able to specify a communication link between two nodes, wherein the first communications schedule includes a plurality of channels associated with one timeslot of the plurality of timeslots that are able to specify links that communicate at the same time on multiple channels, wherein the source routed packet includes a source route comprising an ordered list of nodes;

a processor for determining a position of the first node, a next node, a previous node, and an originating node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

an activator for activating a second communications schedule or a third communications schedule on the first node, wherein the second communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying a communication link to the next node, wherein the third communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying a communication link to the previous node, and wherein a time for activating is based at least in part on an instruction comprised in the source routed packet;

a transmitter for transmitting the source routed packet to the next node in the mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by the first communications schedule in the event that a next node does exist, and for transmitting an acknowledgment packet to the originating node in the event that a next node does not exist.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein determining the next node in the source route comprises:

traversing the ordered list of nodes in the source route until the first node is found; and

determining that the next node in the source route comprises the next node in the ordered list of nodes.

4. A system as in claim 2, wherein the second communications schedule has a lower latency for communicating messages in the mesh network than the first communications schedule.

5. A system as in claim 4, further comprising switching to using the second communications schedule enabling communication in a high bandwidth mode.

6. A system as in claim 2, wherein determining the previous node in the source route comprises:

traversing the ordered list of nodes in the source route until the first node is found; and

determining that the previous node in the source route comprises the previous node in the ordered list of nodes.

7. A system as in claim 2, wherein determining the originating node in the source route comprises identifying a source node in the ordered list of nodes.

8. A system as in claim 2, wherein the link to the next node in the second communications schedule on the first communications schedule is deactivated.

9. A system as in claim 2, wherein the link to the previous node in the second communications schedule on the first communications schedule is deactivated.

10. A computer program product for processing a source routed packet, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable non-transitory storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a source routed packet at a first node in a mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by a first communications schedule for the mesh network, wherein the first communications schedule comprises a set of a plurality of timeslots and a plurality of channels, wherein a combination of one of the plurality of timeslots and one of the plurality of channels comprises a slot able to specify a communication link between two nodes, wherein the first communications schedule includes a plurality of channels associated with one timeslot of the plurality of timeslots that are able to specify links that communicate at the same time on multiple channels, wherein the source routed packet includes a source route comprising an ordered list of nodes;

determining a position of the first node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

determining a previous node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

determining whether a next node exists;

in the event that a next node does exist;

determining a next node in the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

transmitting the source routed packet to the next node in the mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by the first communications schedule; and

activating a second frame communications schedule on the first node, wherein the second communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying a communication link to the next node, based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route, and based at least in part on an instruction in the source routed packet;

in the event that a next node does not exist;

determining an originating node of the source route based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

transmitting an acknowledgment packet to the originating node; and

activating a third communications schedule on the first node, wherein the third communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying a communication link to the previous node, based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route, and based at least in part on the instruction in the source routed packet.

11. A method for activating bandwidth between a source node and a destination node in a mesh network, comprising:

determining a source route path to a destination node, wherein the source route path comprises an ordered list of nodes; and

transmitting a source routed packet that includes the source route path to a first node associated with the source route path, wherein the source routed packet includes an instruction for activating a first communications schedule for the mesh network, and wherein the first communications schedule comprises a plurality of timeslots and a plurality of channels, wherein a combination of one of the plurality of timeslots and one of the plurality of channels comprises a slot able to specify a communication link between two nodes, wherein the first communications schedule includes a plurality of channels associated with one timeslot of the plurality of timeslots that are able to specify links that communicate at the same time on multiple channels;

wherein the source routed packet causes;

a position of the first node to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

a previous node in the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

existence of a next node to be determined;

in the event that a next node does exist;

a next node in the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

the source routed packet to be transmitted to the next node in the mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by the first communications schedule;

a second communication link to the next node to be added to a second communications schedule on the first node based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path, wherein the second communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying the second communication link; and

the second communications schedule on the first node to be activated;

in the event that a next node does not exist;

an originating node of the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

an acknowledgment packet to be transmitted to the originating node;

a third communication link to the previous node to be added to a third communications schedule on the first node based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path, wherein the third communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying the third communication link; and

the third communications schedule on the first node to be activated.

12. A system for activating bandwidth between a source node and a destination node in a mesh network, comprising:

a determiner for determining a source route path to a destination node, wherein the source route path comprises an ordered list of nodes;

a transmitter for transmitting a source routed packet that includes the source route path to a first node associated with the source route path, wherein the source routed packet includes an instruction for activating a first communications schedule for the mesh network, and wherein the first communications schedule comprises a plurality of timeslots and a plurality of channels, wherein a combination of one of the plurality of timeslots and one of the plurality of channels comprises a slot able to specify a communication link between two nodes, wherein the first communications schedule includes a plurality of channels associated with one timeslot of the plurality of timeslots that are able to specify links that communicate at the same time on multiple channels;

wherein the source routed packet causes;

a position of the first node to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

a previous node in the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

existence of a next node to be determined;

in the event that a next node does exist;

a next node in the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

the source routed packet to be transmitted to the next node in the mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by the first communications schedule;

a second communication link to the next node to be added to a second communications schedule on the first node based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path, wherein the second communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying the second communication link; and

the second communications schedule on the first node to be activated;

in the event that a next node does not exist;

an originating node of the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

an acknowledgment packet to be transmitted to the originating node;

a third communication link to the previous node to be added to a third communications schedule on the first node based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path, wherein the third communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying the third communication link; and

the third communications schedule on the first node to be activated.

13. A system as in claim 12, wherein determining a source route path includes determining a route with one or more of the following:

a path length that meets a path length criteria within a mesh network, a number of hops that meets a number of hops criteria within a mesh network.

14. A system as in claim 12, wherein determining a source route path includes determining a path wherein a node associated the path has an average uptime that meets an uptime criteria, an average node latency that meets a node latency criteria, an average node bandwidth that meets a node bandwidth criteria, a battery level that meets a battery level criteria, or an average node error rate that meets a node error rate criteria.

15. A system as in claim 12, wherein the source routed packet includes a source route flag.

16. A system as in claim 12, wherein the first node is included in a plurality of nodes.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises nodes specified by the source route path.

18. A system as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises nodes not specified by the source route path.

19. A system as in claim 12, wherein the added link is added based at least in part on a formula, wherein the formula is based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path.

20. A computer program product for activating bandwidth between a source node and a destination node in a mesh network, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable non-transitory storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

determining a source route path to a destination node, wherein the source route path comprises an ordered list of nodes; and

transmitting a source routed packet that includes the source route path to a first node associated with the source route path, wherein the source routed packet includes an instruction for activating a first communications schedule for the mesh network, wherein the first communications schedule comprises a plurality of timeslots and a plurality of channels, wherein a combination of one of the plurality of timeslots and one of the plurality of channels comprises a slot able to specify a communication link between two nodes, wherein the first communications schedule includes a plurality of channels associated with one timeslot of the plurality of timeslots that are able to specify links that communicate at the same time on multiple channels;

wherein the source routed packet causes;

a position of the first node to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

a previous node in the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

existence of a next node to be determined;

in the event that a next node does exist;

a next node in the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

the source routed packet to be transmitted to the next node in the mesh network in a timeslot and on a channel as specified by the first communications schedule;

a second communication link to the next node to be added to a second communications schedule on the first node based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path, wherein the second communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying the second communication link; and

the second frame communications schedule on the first node to be activated;

in the event that a next node does not exist;

an originating node of the source route path to be determined based at least in part on the ordered list of nodes;

an acknowledgment packet to be transmitted to the originating node;

a third communication link to the previous node to be added to a third communications schedule on the first node based at least in part on the position of the first node in the source route path, wherein the third communications schedule for the mesh network includes a combination of a timeslot and a channel specifying the third communication link; and

the third frame communications schedule on the first node to be activated.