Method and apparatus for wirelessly routing data using doppler information

• US 8,614,997 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Herder, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waqas, Saad A
• Application Number:
  US12/570,892
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/026 Route selection considering the moving speed of individual devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A mobile ad hoc wireless network which utilizes Doppler data when deciding with which neighboring node to communicate. Using age of the Doppler data as well as the sign and the magnitude of the relative movement between nodes to make routing determinations.

Claims

1. A mobile ad hoc wireless network comprising:

a first mobile transmitter moving in a first direction at a first speed;

configured for transmitting and receiving digital data;

a second mobile transmitter moving in a second direction at a second speed;

configured for transmitting and receiving digital data;

a third mobile transmitter moving in a third direction at a third speed;

configured for transmitting and receiving digital data;

said first mobile transmitter receiving a data packet from each of said second mobile transmitter and said third mobile transmitter and further configured for generating Doppler data representative of a Doppler shift in a carrier associated with each of said data packets;

wherein said Doppler data comprises;

time of arrival data at said first mobile transmitter and Doppler sign data, which is representative of the relative direction of travel between the first mobile transmitter and one of said second mobile transmitter, said third mobile transmitter;

Doppler magnitude which represents the rate of change of separation between the first mobile transmitter and one of said second mobile transmitter, third mobile transmitter; and

age of the Doppler shift magnitude data for said digital data received from said first mobile transmitter, said second mobile transmitter and said third mobile transmitter;

means for making a determination as to which of said second mobile transmitter and said third mobile transmitter to communicate with depending upon said Doppler data;

wherein said means of making a determination further;

gathers and stores historic Doppler data;

creating a Doppler-route-suitability score;

applying the Doppler-route-suitability score as a weighted input to routing decisions;

creating a Doppler time-to-next needed update estimate based upon current and the historic Doppler data; and

changing a time to next route update metric based upon said Doppler time-to-next needed update estimate.

2. A method of routing messages in a high speed mobile ad hoc network comprising the steps of:

providing a first mobile transmitter and receiver;

measuring a signal strength, at said first mobile transmitter, for each of a plurality of received signals from a plurality of different mobile transmitters;

measuring a Doppler shift magnitude, at said first mobile transmitter, for each of said plurality of received signals from said plurality of different mobile transmitters;

using results of said step of measuring a Doppler shift magnitude to determine which of said plurality of different mobile transmitters to route a message to a network;

determining a Doppler sign for each of said plurality of received signals from said plurality of different mobile transmitters;

using a result of said step of determining a Doppler sign to route messages in a network;

determining an age of the Doppler shift magnitude data for each of said plurality of received signals from said plurality of different mobile transmitters;

using a result of said step of determining an age of the Doppler magnitude to route messages in a network;

creating a Doppler-route-suitability score;

applying the Doppler-route-suitability score as a weighted input to routing decisions;

determining historic Doppler data;

creating a Doppler time-to-next needed update estimate based upon current and the historic Doppler data; and

changing a time to next route update metric based upon said Doppler time-to-next needed update estimate.