Hierarchical tree network using TDMA protocol with 802.11 infrastructure nodes for fire detection systems and other systems

• US 9,380,638 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Mandiganal, Santosh M., Gonia, Patrick S., Huseth, Steve D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crutchfield, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): LINDENBAUM, ALAN LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US13/826,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/212 Time-division multiple access [TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/005 Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system includes multiple nodes, where each node includes one or more 802.11 wireless radios. The nodes are arranged in a hierarchical tree structure in which one or more nodes residing in one level of the tree structure are configured to communicate with one or more nodes residing in another level of the tree structure to propagate information in the tree structure. At least a first of the nodes is configured to operate its associated radio(s) in an 802.11 access point mode and in an 802.11 station mode. The first node is configured to relay data to and from one or more nodes in a lower level of the tree structure using the 802.11 access point mode. The first node is further configured to transmit data to and receive data from one or more nodes in a higher level of the tree structure using the 802.11 station mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

multiple nodes, each node comprising one or more 802.11 wireless radios configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;

the nodes distributed in a monitoring and alarm system and arranged in a hierarchical tree structure in which one or more nodes residing in one level of the tree structure are configured to communicate with one or more nodes residing in another level of the tree structure to propagate information in the tree structure to provide network coverage for all nodes in the monitoring and alarm system, the hierarchical tree structure including four or more levels of nodes, a first level including a gateway node, a second level including a first node, a third level including a second node, and a fourth level including a third node, the third node configured to communicate directly with the second node and configured to communicate indirectly with the first node through the second node, the second node configured to communicate directly with the first node, communicate directly with the third node, and configured to provide communications from the third node to the first node, the first node configured to communicate directly with the gateway node and the second node;

the second node of the nodes configured to operate a first wireless radio of the one or more 802.11 wireless radios in an 802.11 access point mode and a second radio of the one or more 802.11 wireless radios in an 802.11 station mode, the second node configured to relay data to and from one or more nodes in the third level of the tree structure using the first wireless radio, the second node further configured to transmit data to and receive data from one or more nodes in the first level of the tree structure using the second wireless radio,

wherein the first node has only one 802.11 wireless radio configured to operate using the 802.11 access point mode and is configured to communicate with other 802.11 wireless radios in other nodes using Wi-Fi Direct, wherein in the access point mode the second node receives data from and routes data to the third node and allows the third node to join a basic service set (BSS) provided by the second node and in the station mode the second node communicates to other nodes through the first node and joins a BSS provided by the first node in access point mode,

wherein the third node has only a single 802.11 wireless radio configured to operate using the 802.11 station mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the nodes, when operating using the 802.11 access point mode, is configured to create a separate infrastructure network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second node and the third node comprise monitoring nodes, each monitoring node configured to monitor one or more conditions in a surrounding environment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first level of the tree structure further comprises:

a central station configured to monitor environmental conditions detected by the monitoring nodes and generate alarms.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the first, second, and third nodes are configured to communicate using a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the nodes form multiple 802.11 basic service sets (BSSs) one or more basic service set for each level below the first level, each BSS configured to communicate on different 802.11 channels; and

the TDMA protocol comprises a repeating pattern of intervals, each interval comprising a sub-interval for each BSS, each sub-interval comprising multiple time slots for communications amongst devices in the associated BSS.

7. A method comprising:

monitoring, using multiple nodes in a monitoring and alarm system, at least one environmental condition each node of the multiple nodes comprising one or more 802.11 wireless radios configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, the multiple nodes arranged in a hierarchical tree structure in which one or more nodes residing in one level of the tree structure are configured to communicate with one or more nodes residing in another level of the tree structure to propagate information in the tree structure to provide network coverage for all nodes in the monitoring and alarm system, the hierarchical tree structure including four or more levels of nodes, a first level including a gateway node, a second level including a first node, a third level including a second node, and a fourth level including a third node, the third node configured to communicate directly with the second node and configured to communicate indirectly with the first node through the second node, the second node configured to communicate directly with the first node, communicate directly with the third node, and configured to provide communications from the third node to the first node, the first node configured to communicate directly with the gateway node and the second node;

relaying, using a first radio of the second node, data to and from one or more nodes in the third level of the tree structure, the first radio configured to operate in an 802.11 access point mode;

when the second node is in the access point mode, allowing the third node to join a basic service set (BSS) provided by the second node;

transmitting data to and receiving data from, using a second radio of the second node, one or more nodes in the first level of the tree structure, the second radio configured to operate in an 802.11 station mode;

when the second node is in the station mode, communicating, using the second radio of the second node, to other nodes through the first node and joining a BSS provided by the first node in access point mode,

transmitting data to and receiving data from, using the second radio of the second node, one or more nodes in the first level of the tree structure;

communicating with other 802.11 wireless radios in other nodes using one 802.11 wireless radio of the first node using Wi-Fi Direct, wherein the first node has only one 802.11 wireless radio configured to operate using the 802.11 access point mode; and

communicating to the first radio of the second node using the third node, wherein the third node has only a single 802.11 wireless radio configured to operate using the 802.11 station mode.