Mesh network node service in a sleeping mesh network

• US 8,547,888 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Filoso, John P., George, Jay Douglas, Schwartz, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris, Derrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Esmaeilian, Majid
• Application Number:
  US12/696,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• 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

A set sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power, and a temporarily reduced sleep period is coordinated among the plurality of nodes to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity. The reduced sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced, or reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period after predetermined period of time. Temporarily reducing the sleep period includes distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless mesh network, comprising:

setting an original sleep period in a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power such that the plurality of mesh network nodes are synchronized in sleep and awake states, wherein during sleep states the mesh network nodes are configured not to send or receive data, wherein the plurality of mesh network nodes are further configured to send and receive data during awake states;

in response to a received network command sent by installer via the internet, distributing by the mesh network gateway device, a maintenance schedule to one or more of the plurality of mesh network nodes during an awake state to temporarily reduce the original sleep period in the one or more of the plurality of mesh network nodes to a reduced sleep period that facilitates adding a mesh network node; and

the mesh network nodes resuming their original sleep period after adding a mesh network node is confirmed by installer as completed.

2. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.

3. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, further comprising reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period after predetermined period of time.

4. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, further comprising reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period when triggered by a technician.

5. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein the temporarily reduced sleep time is at least ten times shorter than set sleep period.

6. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

7. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating data between a new network node and one or more of the plurality of nodes during an awake state of the reduced sleep period such that the new network node joins the mesh network; and

wherein restoring the original sleep period comprises restoring the original sleep period once the new network node joins the mesh network.

8. A wireless mesh network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless mesh network nodes having an original sleep period to conserve power such that the plurality of mesh network nodes are synchronized in sleep and awake states, wherein during the sleep period the mesh network nodes are configured not to send or receive data, wherein the plurality of mesh network nodes are further configured to send and receive data during awake states; and

a mesh network gateway device configured to distribute a maintenance schedule to one or more of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes in response to a received network command sent by installer via the internet;

the one or more of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes operable to temporarily reduce the sleep period to a reduced sleep period based on the distributed schedule, the reduced sleep period selected to facilitate servicing a mesh network node or installation activity, wherein the one or more of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes are further operable to resume their original sleep period after adding a mesh network node is confirmed by installer as completed.

9. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.

10. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original coordinated sleep period after predetermined period of time.

11. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original sleep period when manually triggered by a technician.

12. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein the temporarily reduced sleep time is at least ten times shorter than set sleep period.

13. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

14. The wireless mesh network of claim 8, wherein the sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of the mesh network nodes such that the nodes are awake at the same time and operable to route data from other nodes.

15. A wireless mesh network node, said wireless network node comprising a memory storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computerized system perform the step of:

setting a sleep period to conserve power such that the wireless mesh network node is synchronized in sleep and awake states with a plurality of other mesh network nodes, wherein during the sleep period the wireless mesh network node is configured not to send or receive data, wherein the wireless mesh network node is further configured to send and receive data during awake states, and

wherein the wireless mesh network node is further operable to temporarily reduce the coordinated sleep period to a reduced sleep period based on a maintenance schedule distributed by a mesh network gateway device during an awake state in response to a received network command sent by installer via the Internet, the reduced sleep period configured to facilitate adding a mesh network node;

wherein the wireless mesh network node is further operable to resume the original sleep period after said adding a mesh network node is confirmed by the installer as completed.

16. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.

17. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, the wireless mesh network node further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original coordinated sleep period after predetermined period of time.

18. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, the wireless mesh network node further operable to revert from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original sleep period when manually triggered by a technician.

19. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein the temporarily reduced sleep time at least ten times shorter than set sleep period.

20. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

21. The wireless mesh network node of claim 15, wherein the sleep period is coordinated with one or more other mesh network nodes such that the nodes are awake at the same time and operable to route data from other nodes.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to:

set a sleep period in a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power such that the plurality of mesh network nodes are synchronized in sleep and awake states, wherein during sleep states the mesh network nodes are configured not to send or receive data, wherein the plurality of mesh network nodes are further configured to send and receive data during awake states;

temporarily reduce the sleep period in one or more of the plurality of nodes to a reduced sleep period based on a maintenance schedule distributed by a mesh network gateway device during an awake state in response to a received network command sent by installer via the internet, the reduced sleep period configured to facilitate adding a mesh network node; and

the mesh network nodes resuming their original sleep period after adding a mesh network node is confirmed by installer as completed.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein temporarily reducing the sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced.