Network communications

• US 9,037,631 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ether-2 Corp.
• Original Assignee: Ether-2 Corp.
• Inventors: Dietrich, David, Shields, Jon Barton
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, KENNY S
• Application Number:
  US13/767,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4135 using bit-wise arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/00 Packet switching elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0858 collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The Distributed Queue Switch Architecture (DQSA) family of protocols has previously focused upon fundamental research and computer-aided simulations. Distributed Queue Wireless Arbiter (DQWA), however, is the first member of the protocol family presented as a fully-drawn Medium Access Control protocol specification with cross-layering for reporting Physical layer characteristics, such as channel and state information, which can then be shared among nodes for security, quality and energy performance. DQWA has been designed for the implementation of fully interoperable DQSA networks, where disparate network types such as Cable TV and Internet Service Provider can now share a common platform for a data transmission and receiving network with a plurality of nodal apparatus for sending and receiving digital data across a cable or wireless physical network, or the logical equivalent, and where nodes can interact directly or via other nodes, and demonstrating a throughput which can achieve circuit-switched performance within a packet-switched environment.

Claims

1. An interconnect system for processing data at the lowest Medium Access Control (MAC) layer in a protocol stack, comprising a Distributed Queue Switch Architecture (DQSA) for application wherein a Distributed Queue Wireless Arbiter (DQWA) specification is processed in a network comprising:

a. a plurality of devices;

b. a first device of the plurality of devices is configured to provide data to a second device of the plurality of devices, and implementing a DQSA Medium Access Control;

c. the first device of the plurality of device further comprising;

i. A DQWA Common Terms;

ii. A Transmission Sequence describing the complete sequence of the standard periodic transmission that occurs within a Distributed Queue Service Set (DQSS);

iii. said DQSS Packet Segments are comprised of;

1. A Packet Segment Pre-header;

2. An optional Management Information Sub-Header and Directives;

3. An optional Frame Data Payload section;

4. A Packet Check Sequence (PCS);

5. A Short inter-frame space (SIFS) between each Packet Segment;

iv. said DQSS operates in one of three operational modes;

1. Static Association Mode;

2. Semi-Manual Association Mode;

or

3. Promiscuous Mode;

v. said DQSS, when configured to be in Semi-Manual Mode has all of the capabilities of a Static Association Mode DQSS and the additional ability to add nodes in real time, and where a confirmation of inclusion may require an explicit action from an external source; and

vi. said DQSS Semi-Manual Association Mode, wherein no operator intervention is required except for the case of an operator explicitly desiring to exclude a node from the DQSS.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the bits in a Management Information Sub-header are processed and indicate values for:

d. Reserved for future use, wherein a preferred embodiment may include directives for interleaving legacy (802.x.x) nodal apparatus, or for handoff or relay functions, or within a cooperative peering network for replacing missing or corrupted packets;

e. Distributing a DQSS Table Command;

f. Mandatory Disconnect Command

g. Disconnect Request from Station to Cluster Head;

h. Disconnect Confirmed Response from Cluster Head to Station;

i. Join Request from Station to Cluster Head;

j. Join Accepted Response from Cluster Head to Station;

k. Re-cluster Command from New Cluster Head;

l. Re-cluster Acknowledge Response from each individual station within cluster;

m. Link Quality SNR Exchange Request from Cluster Head to Station;

n. Link Quality SNR Exchange Response from Station to Cluster Head;

o. Bandwidth Management Command from Cluster Head to Station;

p. Bandwidth Management Acknowledge Response from Station to Cluster Head;

q. Maximum Frame Size Command with no acknowledgement from Cluster Head to Stations;

r. Switch Queue Command with no response;

s. Pause Queue Command with no response;

t. Pause Queue with Enable Join Request for Mini-Slot;

u. Resume Queue Command;

v. A security field is defined to indicate a public security key or a shared private key;

a payload limit, an optional management information sub-header, or encryption status, wherein a portion or the entire contents within a MAC layer frame may be encrypted;

w. A DQSS Node Join Request Bit may be used by nodes wishing to join the DQSS, wherein a node accepted into the network may be assigned both a Node Address and a constant size Code Word of constant Hamming Weight;

x. A DQSS Management Information sub-segment indicating a detected node state which may include;

i. Idle, wherein there is no signal in ARS Mini-Slot such that the Received Signal is below the RSSI (Noise) Threshold;

ii. Success, wherein the demodulation resulting in the correct hamming weight and correct code word value and node address combination;

iii. Collision, wherein the signal detected above the noise (RSSI) threshold not resulting in a translation into the digital domain of a code word with the correct hamming weight and correct code word value and node address combination wherein a Cluster Head may respond with the collision results as part of the DQSS Management Segment in order to clarify potential ambiguities, and an exemplary embodiment may include a standard DQSS Network address 12-bits in length, with the lower 10-bits assigned for the dynamic portion of a valid address, wherein the upper two bits have special meaning;

y. A DQSS Management Information field defined as the Most Significant Bit (MSB) of the address is reserved for the Cluster Head;

z. A DQSS Individual Address Sub-Field, wherein these bits are used for assigning individual addresses, assignable for an individual DQSS Network Address further comprising special addresses that may set aside for “

Directed Broadcasts” and

regular “

Broadcasts”

for all Mini-Cluster Sub-Field values, where a preferred embodiment may trigger a nodal request to any neighbor which may have stored a packet for replacement of a missing or corrupt packet in a cooperative peering broadcast with energy savings over retransmission from a distant node;

aa. A Data Fragment Management field wherein the settings directly determine whether or not the packet contains values for;

i. A Frame Length field;

ii. An initial segment of a fragmented frame

iii. An Application Data and DQSS Management Information;

iv. A DQSS Management Information only;

v. A First Data Packet of Frame;

vi. A First Resumed Data Packet of Frame;

vii. A Resumed Frame with Final Data Packet of Frame;

viii. An Intermediate Data Packet of Frame;

ix. A Final Data Packet of the Frame wherein a preferred embodiment may include a Standard Addressing Frame or an Extended Addressing Frame with additional addresses;

x. A Packet Control Sequence (PCS) validating the contents of the overall packet;

xi. A Frame Check Sequence (FCS), validating the contents of the overall frame;

xii. A Complete Frame within Data Packet;

xiii. A Reserved field for future use;

xiv. A Management Directive Bit;

xv. A Retransmission Bit;

xvi. A Dynamic Clustering Enable Bit;

xvii. A Power Management Bit;

xviii. An Encryption Enable Bit;

xix. A Priority Queuing Enable Bit;

xx. A Quality of Service (QoS) Level Bit wherein if a Priority Queuing Bit is enabled then levels of priority can be indicated, with a preferred embodiment increasing linearly with the value of the QoS bits from lowest to highest priority;

xxi. A Frame Length Field;

xxii. A Sequence Control Field containing a Sequence Number;

xxiii. An Acknowledgment Number Field;

xxiv. A Frame Address Field; and

xxv. A Frame Length Field.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein a DQSS Table comprised of:

bb. A DQSS Configuration Data;

cc. A MAC Address of every Node within the DQSS;

dd. A DQSS Address; and

ee. An Active or Inactive Indicator for Every DQSS member.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein a Synchronization Beacon may be transmitted within a feedback frame.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein a node knowing a decryption algorithm may send an entire message encrypted, including the header, and wherein the encryption is utilizing public and private key encryption.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein a Version Control indicates the Protocol Version in use by a machine or nodal apparatus, and is initially be set to a value 0000b.