Mini-slot communication protocol

• US 8,457,094 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Frei, Randy, Gordon, Paul, Huston, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Renner, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taha, Shaq
• Application Number:
  US12/912,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20110038315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 370/345
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling

Abstract

Mesh communications based on a plurality of time-slots in which every time slot is associated with communications between a pair of nodes, in which at least one time-slot is associated with communications between a first node and a second node, and in which at least a second time-slot is associated with communications between the first node and a third node. The first node and the second node communicate during the at least one time-slot, while the third node awaits communications with the first node during the second time-slot. If the first node is still communicating with the second node during the second time-slot the first node does not communication with the third node.

Claims

1. A mesh network, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes for establishing a plurality of time-slots in a time frame and associating every time-slot with communications between a pair of nodes, wherein at least one time-slot is associated with communications between a first node and a second node, and wherein a second time-slot is associated with communications between the first node and a third node, wherein the first node and the second node communicate during at least one time-slot, wherein the third node awaits communications with the first node in the second time-slot, wherein the first node does not communicate with the third node in the second time-slot if the first node continues to communicate with the second node beyond a time period defined by the at the least one time slot, wherein while the third node awaits communications with the first node the third node receives signals from other nodes and wherein while the third node awaits communications with the first node the third node directs an antenna toward the first node.

2. The network according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of network nodes comprises neighborhood access points coupled to a backhaul.

3. The network according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first node, the second node and the third node comprises:

a transceiver for sending and receiving signals within a mesh network;

an antenna comprising a plurality of antenna arrays, where each of the plurality of antenna arrays comprises a plurality of sectors; and

a switching means for (i) selecting an antenna array from the plurality of antenna arrays;

(ii) selecting, within the selected antenna array, at least one sector corresponding to a location of a given network node of the mesh network, wherein the location is known by the network node; and

(iii) coupling the transceiver to the selected at least one sector.

4. The network according to claim 1, wherein the first node communicates with the third node in the second time-slot if the first node has completed communicating with the second node.

5. The network according to claim 1, wherein the first node and the second node communicate includes having the first node send polling information during the at least one time-slot.

6. The network according to claim 5, wherein the first node sends an identification signal to the second node.

7. The network according to claim 1, wherein the first node transmits data to the second node during the at least one time-slot.

8. The network according to claim 1, wherein the first node receives data from the second node during the at least one time-slot.

9. The network according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes synchronize the time.

10. The network according to claim 1, wherein the first node and the second node establish wireless communications during the at least one time-slot.

11. A network for providing a mesh communication protocol comprising:

a master node;

a first slave node coupled to the master node, wherein the master node polls the first slave node during a first time-slot of a plurality of first time-slots by sending a slave identification signal to the first slave node, wherein the first slave node listens to the master node during each time-slot of the plurality of first time-slots, wherein the first slave node responds after identifying its slave identification signal; and

a second slave node coupled to the master node and the first slave node, wherein the second slave node listens to the master node during each time-slot of a plurality of second time-slots;

wherein the second slave node not respond to the master node if the second slave node does not identify a slave identification signal meant for the second slave node during the plurality of second time slots, wherein the first slave node and the master node exchange information during polling, wherein the second slave node is allowed to communicate with its own slave node during a first time-slot.

12. A mesh network for inter-nodal communications, comprising:

a plurality of nodes for establishing a plurality of first time slots and a plurality of second time slots in each time frame of a sequence of time frames, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises;

a node acting as a master node by sending first polling information that includes a first slave identification signal during a first time slot of the plurality of first time slots;

another node acting as a first slave node by receiving the first polling information during the first time slot, wherein the first slave node responds to the first polling information after identifying the first slave identification signal; and

yet another node acting as a second slave node by receiving second polling information during the plurality of second time slots, wherein the second slave node does not respond to the master node if a second slave identification signal is not identified, wherein the second slave node communicates with still yet another node during the first time slot.

13. The network according to claim 12, wherein the master node and the first slave node negotiate a transfer of data during the first time slot.

14. The network according to claim 13, wherein the master node and the first slave node perform the negotiated transfer of data.

15. The network according to claim 12, wherein the master node points an antenna toward the first slave node during the first time slot.

16. The network according to claim 12, wherein the master node receives data from the first slave node during at least a first mini-slot of the plurality of first time slots.