Fast opportunistic distributed resource reallocation for established connections in a multihop network

• US 8,923,163 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Larsson, Peter, Johansson, Niklas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jensen, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELETE, BERHANU D
• Application Number:
  US13/886,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 370/255, 3702301-234, 370237-238, 709/238
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/70 Routing based on monitoring results
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A multihop network and nodes are described herein that implement a reactive routing protocol that enables resources of the multihop network to be continuously adapted in a distributed/opportunistic manner in response to a topology change within the multihop network so as to optimize the performance of a connection between a source node and a destination node. The types of resources that can be adapted include for example: (1) a route; (2) a channel; and/or (3) physical layer parameters. The different types of topology changes that can occur include: (1) movement of a node; (2) quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node; (3) changes in traffic patterns in the multihop network; (4) changes in transmit patterns (e.g., power, beamforming direction) in the multihop network; and (5) changes in resource allocations in the multihop network.

Claims

1. A multihop network, comprising:

a source node;

a neighboring node;

an active node; and

a destination node;

wherein the neighboring node is within reach of the source node, the active node and the destination node;

wherein the multihop network has a topology;

wherein the active node is located in a connection between the source node and the destination node and is capable of receiving from another active node and transmitting to the neighboring node a beacon containing a measure of performance for the connection between the source node and the destination node, wherein the measure of performance contained in the beacon is related to a change of the topology of the multihop network, and wherein the change of the topology includes one or more of the following;

quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node, which quality variations comprises channel fading;

changes in transmit patterns of data traffic in the multihop network;

or

changes in allocations of a network resource in the multihop network;

wherein nodes implement a reactive routing protocol where the network resource of the multihop network is adapted in a distributed manner by the neighboring node or the active node in response to the change of the topology in the multihop network to optimize performance of the connection between the source node and the destination node;

wherein the change of the topology is determined to have occurred based on the measure of performance contained in the beacon;

wherein the distributed manner provides one resource adaptation at a time;

wherein the network resource includes one or more of the following;

the channel;

or

physical layer parameters; and

wherein the connection between the source node and the destination node is defined through the channel.

2. The multihop network of claim 1, wherein the multihop network is a wireless multi hop network, and wherein the data traffic is transmitted between the source node and the destination node.

3. The multihop network of claim 1, wherein one of the neighboring node or the active node adapts the network resource in an opportunistic manner in response to an instantaneous topology change in the multihop network.

4. The multihop network of claim 1, wherein one of the neighboring node or the active node adapts the network resource in the distributed manner where the neighboring node is inserted into the connection between the source node and the destination node, and wherein the active node is removed from the connection between the source node and the destination node.

5. The multihop network of claim 1, wherein one of the neighboring node or the active node adapts the network resource in the distributed manner where the active node is removed from the connection between the source node and the destination node.

6. The multihop network of claim 2, wherein the active node transmits the beacon containing the measure of performance for the connection between the source node and the destination node;

wherein the neighboring node is associated with the connection between the source node and the destination node, wherein the neighboring node performs the following steps;

receiving the beacon;

calculating a cost function based on the measure of performance in the beacon; and

adapting the network resource in the wireless multihop network if it is possible to improve the cost function with regards to signal to noise ratio, power, carrier to interference ratio, for the connection between the source node and the destination node.

7. The multihop network of claim 6, wherein the beacon includes a general broadcast part and a connection related part that contains the measure of performance which includes:

an accumulated cost for the connection between the source node and the destination node;

or

a maximum allowed power for transmitting by the active node.

8. A method for optimizing performance of a connection between a source node and a destination node in a multihop network, the multihop network comprising the source node, a neighboring node, an active node, and the destination node, wherein the neighboring node is within reach of the source node, the active node and the destination node;

wherein the multihop network has a topology;

wherein the active node is located in the connection between the source node and the destination node;

the method comprising;

receiving, at the active node, from another active node and transmitting, to the neighboring node, a beacon containing a measure of performance for the connection between the source node and the destination node;

which the measure of performance contained in the beacon is related to a change of the topology of the multihop network;

wherein the change of the topology includes one or more of the following;

quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node, which quality variations comprises channel fading;

changes in transmit patterns of data traffic in the multihop network;

or

changes in allocations of a network resource in the multihop network;

determining, at the active node or the neighboring node, the change of the topology based on the measure of performance contained in the beacon;

nodes implementing a reactive routing protocol;

adapting in a distributed manner by the neighboring node or the active node the network resource of the multihop network in response to the change of the topology in the multihop network to optimize the performance of the connection between the source node and the destination node, wherein the distributed manner provides one resource adaptation at a time;

wherein the network resource includes one or more of the following;

the channel;

or

physical layer parameters; and

wherein the connection between the source node and the destination node is defined through the channel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the multihop network is a wireless multihop network, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the data traffic between the source node and the destination node.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein one of the neighboring node or the active node adapts the network resource in an opportunistic manner in response to an instantaneous topology change in the multihop network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the adapting in the distributed manner by the neighboring node or the active node comprises:

inserting the neighboring node into the connection between the source node and the destination node; and

removing the active node from the connection between the source node and the destination node.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the adapting in the distributed manner by the neighboring node or the active node further comprises removing the active node from the connection between the source node and the destination node.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the active node transmits the beacon containing the measure of performance for the connection between the source node and the destination node;

wherein the neighboring node is associated with the connection between the source node and the destination node, wherein the neighboring node performs the following steps;

receiving the beacon;

calculating a cost function based on the measure of performance in the beacon; and

adapting the network resource in the wireless multihop network if it is possible to improve the cost function with regards to signal to noise ratio, power, carrier to interference ratio, for the connection between the source node and the destination node.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the beacon includes a general broadcast part and a connection related part that contains the measure of performance which includes:

an accumulated cost for the connection between the source node and the destination node;

or

a maximum allowed power for transmitting by the active node.

15. A node including a processor and memory for optimizing performance of a connection between a source node and a destination node in a multihop network,

wherein the node is within reach of the source node and the destination node;

wherein the multihop network has a topology;

wherein the node is capable of receiving and transmitting a beacon containing a measure of performance for the connection between the source node and the destination node;

which the measure of performance contained in the beacon is related to a change of the topology of the multihop network;

wherein the change of the topology includes one or more of the following;

quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node, which quality variations comprises channel fading;

changes in transmit patterns of data traffic in the multihop network;

or

changes in allocations of a network resource in the multihop network;

the node implementing a reactive routing protocol where the network resource of the multihop network is adapted in a distributed manner by the node in response to the change of the topology in the multihop network to optimize the performance of the connection between the source node and the destination node;

which change of the topology is determined to have occurred based on the measure of performance contained in the beacon;

which the distributed manner provides one resource adaptation at a time;

wherein the network resource includes one or more of the following;

the channel;

or

physical layer parameters; and

wherein the connection between the source node and the destination node is defined through the channel.

16. The node according to claim 15, wherein the node is an active node or a neighboring node, which the active node is located in the connection between the source node and the destination node and which the neighboring node is within reach of the source node, the active node and the destination node.