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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
First Claim
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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.

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