Method, apparatus, and computer program product for synchronization packet transmitter selection in a wireless network

• US 9,204,244 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rantala, Enrico, Kasslin, Mika, Marin, Janne
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US13/858,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20140302787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/90.2, 455450-454, 455/41.3, 455/3.06, 455/515, 455/411, 455/11.1, 455/404.1, 455/436, 370/254, 370/342, 370/255, 370/386, 370/328, 370/338, 370/436, 370/315, 370/238, 370/329, 370/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product example embodiments enable access to a wireless communications medium. In example embodiments, a method comprises determining, by a first wireless node, whether there are enough master nodes within range in a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of wireless nodes; and assuming, by the first wireless node, a role of a master node to participate in synchronization message contention in the wireless communication network, in response to determining that there are not enough master nodes within range.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a first wireless node, communication events within range in a wireless communication network;

determining, by the first wireless node, that there are not enough master nodes within range, when detecting communication events only from a single node, wherein a master node competes with other master nodes to transmit a synchronization message in the wireless communication network, when detecting communication events having a synchronization message only from a single node; and

assuming, by the first wireless node, a role of a master node to participate in contention to transmit a synchronization message in the wireless communication network, in response to the determination that there are not enough master nodes within range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether there are enough master nodes within range in the wireless communication network comprises:

detecting, by the first wireless node, communication events within range in the wireless communication network; and

calculating, by the first wireless node, a number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the first wireless node, that there are not enough master nodes within range when the calculated number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message exceeds a first predefined threshold number.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined first threshold number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message is 3.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined first threshold number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message is 5.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether there are enough master nodes within range in the wireless communication network comprises:

detecting, by the first wireless node, communication events within range in the wireless communication network; and

calculating, by the first wireless node, a number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from a single node.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, by the first wireless node, that there are not enough master nodes within range when the calculated number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from the single node exceeds a predefined second threshold number.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined second threshold number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from the single node without detection of a synchronization message is 5.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined second threshold number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from the single node without detection of a synchronization message is 7.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first wireless node, that there are enough master wireless nodes within range in the wireless communication network;

calculating, by the first wireless node, a random draw based on at least one of a current number of master wireless nodes within range or an estimated number of wireless nodes within range in the wireless communication network; and

assuming, by the first wireless node, a role of a master wireless node to participate in synchronization message contention in the communications network, in response to winning the random draw.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

detect communication events within range in a wireless communication network;

determine that there are not enough master nodes within range, when detecting communication events only from a single node, wherein a master node competes with other master nodes to transmit a synchronization message in the wireless communication network, when detecting communication events having a synchronization message only from a single node; and

assume a role of a master node to participate in contention to transmit a synchronization message in the wireless communication network, in response to the determination that there are not enough master nodes within range.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining whether there are enough master nodes within range in the wireless communication network comprises:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

detect communication events within range in the wireless communication network; and

calculate a number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

determine that there are not enough master nodes within range when the calculated number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message exceeds a first predefined threshold number.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the predefined first threshold number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message is 3.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the predefined first threshold number of consecutive communication events without detection of a synchronization message is 5.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining whether there are enough master nodes within range in the wireless communication network comprises:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

detect communication events within range in the wireless communication network; and

calculate a number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from a single node.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

determine that there are not enough master nodes within range when the calculated number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from the single node exceeds a predefined second threshold number.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predefined second threshold number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from the single node without detection of a synchronization message is 5.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predefined second threshold number of consecutive communication events with a synchronization message from the single node without detection of a synchronization message is 7.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

determine that there are enough master wireless nodes within range in the wireless communication network;

calculate a random draw based on at least one of a current number of master wireless nodes within range or an estimated number of wireless nodes within range in the wireless communication network; and

assume a role of a master wireless node to participate in synchronization message contention in the communications network, in response to winning the random draw.

21. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for detecting, by a first wireless node, communication events within range in a wireless communication network;

code for determining, by the first wireless node, that there are not enough master nodes within range, when detecting communication events only from a single node, wherein a master node competes with other master nodes to transmit a synchronization message in the wireless communication network, when detecting communication events having a synchronization message only from a single node; and

code for assuming, by the first wireless node, a role of a master node to participate in contention to transmit a synchronization message in the wireless communication network, in response to the determination that there are not enough master nodes within range.