Protocol accelerator module with packet forwarding function and a method of transceiver operation for rapid forwarding of data packets
First Claim
1. A protocol accelerator module, referred to in the following as an accelerator module, for a first transceiver, said first transceiver being configured to forward a data packet from a second transceiver to one or more third transceiver according to a TDMA-based data transmission protocol, said accelerator module being configuredto query a reference table upon receiving the data packet from the second transceiver during a first time slot, said reference table containing references of at least two of the following of reference types:
- a) a reference in a specific reception time slot to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers, according to which a data packet received by the first transceiver during the specific reception time slot is to be forwarded to the respective one of the one or more third transceivers;
b) a reference in an identifier of a specific second transceiver, as transmitter, to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers as the predetermined receiver of the data packet, referred to in the following as a virtual connection; and
c) a reference in a predetermined message contained in payload data of the data packet to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more the third transceiver as the predetermined receiver of the data packet; and
if one of said a references of at least two reference types contained in said reference table corresponds to the data packet to detect in the reference table an identifier of the respective at least one third transceiver as the receiver of the data packet; and
during a second time slot immediately following the first time slot to cause the data packet to be sent to the respective at least one third transceiver if the second time slot has been assigned to said first transceiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a protocol accelerator module for a data transmission protocol level of a transceiver, particularly but not exclusively for rapid forwarding of data packets in wireless sensor networks using the time-division multiple access method according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The invention also relates to a method of transceiver operation for rapid forwarding of data packets, likewise particularly, but not exclusively, in wireless sensor networks using the time-division multiple access method according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The core of the invention is a reference table which stores references from identifiers of second transceivers to identifiers of third transceivers as well as references from specific messages to identifiers of third transceivers. A transceiver can check during reception of a data packet whether it is a data packet to be forwarded, and can take appropriate precautions for rapid sending of a data packet to be forwarded. This allows real-time conditions of many applications to be met.
13 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A protocol accelerator module, referred to in the following as an accelerator module, for a first transceiver, said first transceiver being configured to forward a data packet from a second transceiver to one or more third transceiver according to a TDMA-based data transmission protocol, said accelerator module being configured
to query a reference table upon receiving the data packet from the second transceiver during a first time slot, said reference table containing references of at least two of the following of reference types: -
a) a reference in a specific reception time slot to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers, according to which a data packet received by the first transceiver during the specific reception time slot is to be forwarded to the respective one of the one or more third transceivers; b) a reference in an identifier of a specific second transceiver, as transmitter, to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers as the predetermined receiver of the data packet, referred to in the following as a virtual connection; and c) a reference in a predetermined message contained in payload data of the data packet to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more the third transceiver as the predetermined receiver of the data packet; and
if one of said a references of at least two reference types contained in said reference table corresponds to the data packet to detect in the reference table an identifier of the respective at least one third transceiver as the receiver of the data packet; andduring a second time slot immediately following the first time slot to cause the data packet to be sent to the respective at least one third transceiver if the second time slot has been assigned to said first transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A first transceiver comprising;
- a protocol accelerator module, referred to in the following as an accelerator module, wherein said first transceiver is configured to forward a data packet from a second transceiver to one or more third transceivers according to a TDMA-based data transmission protocol, and wherein said accelerator module is configured
to query a reference table upon receiving the data packet from the second transceiver during a first time slot, said reference table containing reference of at least two of the following reference types; a) a reference in a specific reception time slot to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers, according to which a data packet received by the first transceiver during the specific reception time slot is to be forwarded to the respective one or more third transceivers; b) a reference in an identifier of a specific second transceiver, as transmitter, to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers as the predetermined receiver of the data packet, referred to in the following as a virtual connection; and c) a reference in a predetermined message contained in payload data of the data packet to an identifier of at least a respective one of the third transceiver as the predetermined receiver of the data packet; and
if one of said references of the at least two reference types contained in said reference table corresponds to the data packet, to detect in the reference table an identifier of the respective at least one third transceiver as the receiver of the data packet; andduring a second time slot immediately following the first time slot to cause the data packet to be sent to the respective at least one third transceiver if the second time slot has been assigned to said first transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
- a protocol accelerator module, referred to in the following as an accelerator module, wherein said first transceiver is configured to forward a data packet from a second transceiver to one or more third transceivers according to a TDMA-based data transmission protocol, and wherein said accelerator module is configured
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10. A method of operating a first transceiver, comprising:
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forwarding of a data packet from a second transceiver to one or more third transceivers according to a TDMA-based data transmission protocol, said forwarding comprising the following steps; receiving the data packet from the second transceiver during a first time slot; querying a reference table, said reference table containing references of at least two of the following reference types; a) a reference in a specific reception time slot to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers, according to which a data packet received by the first transceiver during the specific reception time slot is to be forwarded to the third transceiver; b) a reference in an identifier of a specific second transceiver, as transmitter, to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers as the predetermined receiver of the data packet, referred to in the following as a virtual connection; and c) a reference in a predetermined message contained in payload data of the data packet to an identifier of at least a respective one of the one or more third transceivers as the predetermined receiver of the data packet; detecting in the reference table an identifier of the third transceiver as the receiver of the data packet, if a matching reference for the data packet is present, or detecting an identifier of a respective one or more third transceivers in the data payload of the received data packet, if no reference matching the data packet is present; and sending the data packet to the respective one of the one or more third transceivers during a second time slot immediately following the first time slot, if the second time slot has been assigned to the first transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification