Discovery and acquisition methods for directional networking

• US 9,185,639 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Sherman, Matthew J., Haessig, David A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris, Derrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rangel, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US13/803,242
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method of assisting a radio in finding a network is presented. A method first detects existing nodes. A message is received on a slow communication link in a slow network from a new node. One or more existing nodes are found that may connect to new node with a fast communication link in a fast network. The fast network has a data rate that is faster than the slow network. A message is transmitted over the slow network to the new node to provide the new node possible existing nodes that are near it that it may connect to. Based on that message the new node establishes a fast communications link on the fast network between the new node and an existing node. The fast communications link can be a directional link.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a radio in finding a network comprising:

establishing a search pattern and a variable search beamwidth based on distance between a plurality of existing nodes, and wherein the search pattern includes one of the plurality of existing nodes staring at one tile in the search pattern for N dwell times, wherein N is the number of tiles in the search pattern and N is greater than 1, and the search pattern includes one of the plurality of existing nodes scanning all tiles in the search pattern consecutively using one dwell time each;

detecting a plurality of existing nodes at a discovery controller by receiving messages, including location and status information via short burst data (SBD) messages, from the plurality of existing nodes on slow communications links on a slow network;

receiving a message on a slow communication link of the slow network from a new node;

determining at least one node of the plurality of existing nodes for connecting to the new node with a fast communication link of a fast network;

transmitting a message over the slow network to the new node to provide the new node at least one instruction on how to establish a fast communications link with the at least one node of the plurality of existing nodes for connecting the new node to the fast network;

and based, at least in part, on the message establishing a fast communications link on the fast network between the new node and the existing node that the new node can establish the fast communication link with, wherein the last network has a data rate that is faster than the slow network.

2. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 wherein the plurality of existing nodes are connected to the fast network with directional links and wherein the establishing a fast communications link on the fast network between the new node and the one node of the plurality of existing nodes for connecting the new node further comprises:

on the fast network, establishing a directional link between the new node and the one node of the plurality of existing nodes for connecting the new node, wherein the directional link is not omnidirectional.

3. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 wherein the establishing a directional link further comprises:

pointing a direction antenna at the new node toward the one node of the plurality of existing nodes for connecting the new node.

4. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a hotspot from a hotspot node in the fast network allowing new nodes that enter the hotspot to establish new fast communication links with the hotspot node.

5. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 4 wherein the creating a hotspot from a hotspot node further comprises:

creating the hotspot node from an airplane.

6. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 4 wherein the creating a hotspot from a hotspot node further comprises:

creating the hotspot node from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

7. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 wherein the establishing a fast communications link further comprises:

establishing the fast communications link on an E-Band between 2 GHz and 3 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum.

8. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 wherein the transmitting the message over the slow network further comprise:

transmitting the message over the slow network in a frequency band between 1618.85 MHz and 1626.5 MHz.

9. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 wherein the transmitting the message over the slow network further comprises:

transmitting the message to a satellite orbiting the earth.

10. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 9 wherein the satellite is an Iridium satellite.

11. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 further comprising:

tracking the plurality of existing nodes to determine locations of the plurality of nodes.

12. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 11 wherein the tracking further comprises:

tracking one of the plurality of nodes that is moving to determine its geographic location and predicting a future geographic location of the one of the plurality of nodes.

13. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 11 wherein the tracking further comprises:

tracking one of the plurality of nodes that is an unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 further comprising:

using prediction algorithms to generate updated position of moving nodes, and wherein the determining at least one node of the plurality of existing nodes for connecting the new node to the fast communication link is based, at least in part on the updated positions.

15. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 further comprising:

pointing a directional antenna at the new node to the existing node that the new node can establish the fast communication link with in a direction based, at least in part, on the at least one instruction.

16. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1 further comprising:

periodically communicating to every node on the fast network locations of the plurality of existing nodes and the new node.

17. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1, wherein the short burst data (SBD) is sent to and received from the network controller using a discovery controller radio that is less than thirty grams and consumes less than one watt average power.

18. The method of assisting a radio in finding a network of claim 1, wherein prior to the step of establishing a search pattern and a variable search beamwidth comprises the step of:

setting the dwell times in the search pattern to double modem acquisition time to ensure acquisition of asynchronous links.

19. A method for adding a new node to a fast network using directional links comprising:

establishing, at a plurality of existing nodes, a search pattern and a variable search beamwidth controlled by a discovery controller, and wherein the search pattern includes one of the plurality of existing nodes staring at one tile in the search pattern for N dwell times, wherein N is the number of tiles in the search pattern and N is greater than 1, and the search pattern includes one of the plurality of existing nodes scanning all tiles in the search pattern consecutively using one dwell time each,

and the search pattern adapted to locate an unlinked new node approaching the search pattern;

and wherein the new node is detected at the discovery controller by receiving messages, including location and status information via short burst data (SBD) messages, from the plurality of existing nodes on slow communications links on a slow network;

communicating with a new node over the slow network without using a directional link, wherein the data rate of the slow network is less than the data rate of the fast network;

sending a message to the new node over the slow network indicating at least one existing node on the fast network that is near the new node;

in response to the message, pointing a directional antenna associated with the new node toward the at least one existing node that is near the new node;

and establishing a directional fast communications link on the fast network between the new node and the at least one existing node.

20. The method for adding a new node to a fast network using directional links of claim 19 wherein the new node is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the at least one existing node is a first at least one existing node, the directional fast communications link is a first directional fast communications link and further comprising:

tracking the UAV with respect to the first at least one existing node;

determining when the UAV is moving away from the first at least one existing node;

determining that a second at least one existing node that can provide a second directional fast communications link;

when the UAV has moved a threshold distance away from the first at least one existing node, establishing the second directional fast communications link on the fast network between the new node and the second at least one existing node.

21. The method for adding a new node to a fast network using directional links wherein of claim 19 the plurality of further comprising:

tracking the at least one existing node.

22. The method for adding a new node to a fast network using directional links of claim 19 wherein the slow network is a wireless network and the fast network is a wireless network and further comprising:

operating the fast network in an E-Band between 2 GHz and 3 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum; and

operating the slow band between 1618.85 MHz and 1626.5 MHz v in the electromagnetic spectrum.