Configuring new paths in a wireless deterministic network

• US 9,258,097 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wetterwald, Patrick, Vasseur, Jean-Philippe, Thubert, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): FOUD, HICHAM B
• Application Number:
  US13/954,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20150023325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861

Abstract

In one embodiment, a first node in a wireless deterministic network communicates to a second node configuration information identifying a destination-facing path portion of a particular one-way path traversing from a source node to a destination node within the wireless deterministic network. The destination-facing portion includes a path traversing from the second node over one or more additional nodes to the destination node over which to forward packets received over a first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the second node. The configuration information includes a particular time slot for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path. In one embodiment, the first node receives from the second node an acknowledgement message in the particular time slot that the destination-facing portion of the particular one-way path was configured and activated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

communicating, by a first node in a wireless deterministic network to a second node in the wireless deterministic network, configuration information identifying a destination-facing path portion of a particular one-way path traversing from a source node to a destination node within the wireless deterministic network, with the destination-facing portion including a path traversing from the second node over one or more additional nodes to the destination node over which to forward packets received over a first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the second node, and with said configuration information nation including a particular time slot for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path;

with the particular one-way path including the source node, the destination node, the first node, the second node, and said one or more additional nodes; and

receiving, by the first node from the second node, an acknowledgement message in the particular time slot that the destination-facing portion of the particular one-way path was configured and activated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration information includes a particular frequency for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path;

and wherein the first node said receives the acknowledgement message on the particular frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

listening, by the first node after waiting a nonzero predetermined wait time after the beginning of the particular time slot that allows the second node to communicate with the first node if the first node does not send information during the nonzero predetermined wait time, for the acknowledgement message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration information includes time slot allocation information for communicating among nodes in the destination-facing path.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said configuration information includes frequency allocation information for communicating among nodes in the destination-facing path.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said configuration information was determined by a path definition agent and communicated to the first node by going through nodes of the first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the first node.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by the first node from a prior node in the first portion of the particular one-way path a specific time slot for the first node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path; and

installing, by the first node, the specific time slot for receiving packets being sent over the particular one-way path.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

activating, by the first node in response to said receiving the acknowledgement message, forwarding information for forwarding packets to the second node over the particular one-way path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said configuration information was determined by a path definition agent and communicated to the first node by going through nodes of the first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the first node.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

listening, by the first node after waiting a nonzero predetermined wait time after the beginning of the particular time slot that allows the second node to communicate with the first node if the first node does not send information during the nonzero predetermined wait time, for the acknowledgement message.

11. A method, comprising:

communicating, by a first node in a wireless deterministic network to a second node in the wireless deterministic network, configuration information identifying a destination-facing path portion of a particular one-way path traversing from a source node to a destination node within the wireless deterministic network, with the destination-facing portion including a path traversing from the second node to the destination node over which to forward packets received over a first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the second node, and with said configuration information including a particular time slot for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path; and

wherein said configuration information was determined by a path definition agent and communicated to the first node by going through nodes of the first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the first node;

with the particular one-way path including the source node, the destination node, and the first node, and with the destination-facing path portion of the particular one-way path including the second node; and

in response to not receiving by the first node from the second node an acknowledgement message or receiving an error message, the first node communicating to the path definition agent a notification of the failure to install and activate the destination-facing portion of the particular one-way path;

receiving, by the first node, new configuration information identifying a new destination-facing portion for reaching the destination node, with the new destination-facing portion including a path traversing from a third node to the destination node without traversing the second node over which to forward packets received over the first portion of the particular one-way path, and with said new configuration information including a new particular time slot for the third node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path, with the new destination-facing path portion of the particular one-way path including the third node; and

receiving, by the first node from the third node, an acknowledgement message in the new particular time slot that the new destination-facing portion of the particular one-way path was configured and activated.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the first node from a prior node in the first portion of the particular one-way path a specific time slot for the first node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path; and

installing, by the first node, the specific time slot for receiving packets being sent over the particular one-way path.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

uninstalling, by the first node, the specific time slot for receiving packets being sent over the particular one-way path in response to the path definition agent determining a new one-way path traversing from the source node to the destination node within the wireless deterministic network over one or more nodes in the first portion but not including the first node.

14. A first node, comprising:

one or more processing elements;

memory;

one or more wireless interfaces configured to send and receive packets; and

wherein the first node is configured to communicate with a second node in a wireless deterministic network, including communicating configuration information identifying a destination-facing path portion of a particular one-way path traversing from a source node to a destination node within the wireless deterministic network, with the destination-facing portion including a path traversing from the second node to the destination node over which to forward packets received over a first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the second node, and with said configuration information including a particular time slot for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path; and

wherein the particular one-way path includes the source node, the destination node, the first node, and the second node; and

wherein the first node is configured to receive from the second node an acknowledgement message in the particular time slot that the destination-facing portion of the particular one-way path was configured and activated.

15. The first node of claim 14, wherein said configuration information includes a particular frequency for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path;

and wherein the first node said receives the acknowledgement message on the particular frequency.

16. The first node of claim 15, wherein the first node is configured to listen after waiting a nonzero predetermined wait time after the beginning of the particular time slot that allows the second node to communicate with the first node if the first node does not send information during the nonzero predetermined wait time, for the acknowledgement message.

17. The first node of claim 14, wherein said configuration information includes time slot allocation information for communicating among nodes in the destination-facing path.

18. The first node of claim 17, wherein said configuration information was determined by a path definition agent and communicated to the first node by going through nodes of the first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the first node.

19. The first node of claim 14, wherein the first node is configured to:

receive from a prior node in the first portion of the particular one-way path a specific time slot for the first node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path, and to install the specific time slot for receiving packets being sent over the particular one-way path.