Dynamic source route computation to avoid self-interference

• US 9,401,863 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hui, Jonathan W., Vasseur, Jean-Philippe, Hong, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Beharry, Noel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mak, Rodrick
• Application Number:
  US14/136,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20150180772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/72 Routing based on the source address
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/16 based on interference
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a multiple interface, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of devices, interface options for a source route to minimize self-interferences are desired. The ability to request a interface technology for a device to use with neighboring devices allows multiple transmissions to occur simultaneously without interfering with each other. A root phase device obtains interface option information from the devices. Each device in a network path determines the interface options available, such as powerline communications (“PLC”) and radio frequency (“RF”). The device transmits the interface options to the parent device. The parent device transmits the interface options up the network path toward the root phase device, which collects the interface options and determines transmission routes to any needed endpoint device. The transmission route will comprise the device routes and a interface option for each hop from a parent device to a child device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first node in a network comprising a plurality of nodes, a data packet, the data packet identifying a destination node in the network to which the data packet is to be sent, each of the plurality of nodes comprising at least two communication interfaces, wherein the communication interfaces comprise at least one of a power line communication (“

PLC”

) interface and a radio frequency (“

RF”

) interface;

selecting, by the first node, a particular transmission path from the first node to the destination node, based on a determination that the selected transmission path will introduce a least number of interferences compared to one or more other transmission paths, each transmission path comprising either a PLC interface option or an RF interface option for each of at least one node between the first node and the destination node;

indicating, by the first node to each node in the selected transmission path, the particular interface option for that node in the particular transmission path;

transmitting, by the first node, the data packet to the second node via the particular transmission path using one of the selected PLC interface or the selected RF interface;

transmitting, by the second node, the data packet to a third node via the particular transmission path using one of the selected PLC interface or the selected RF interface and not the same communication interface as transmitted by the first node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a first node in the network, interface options of the first node; and

transmitting, by the first node, a request for interface options to each of a plurality of nodes in the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting, by the first node, a request for interface options to each of a plurality of nodes in the network comprises transmitting the request to one or more adjacent nodes which then transmit the request to one or more subsequent adjacent nodes, and wherein each subsequent node receiving the request transmits the request to subsequent adjacent nodes until all desired nodes in the network receive the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an interface selected for one of the nodes in the particular transmission path is different from an interface selected for another one of the nodes in the particular transmission path that is adjacent to the one of the nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular transmission path is identified despite not being the least costly of the one or more transmission paths.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first node, data from one or more nodes in the particular transmission path, the data comprising a listing of interferences experienced by of the one or more nodes reporting the data;

before transmission of the data packet, adjusting, by the first node, the selection of the interface option for at least one of the reporting nodes based on the received data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interference is caused by self-interference.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the interference is caused by a hidden terminal interference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprising the plurality of nodes is a low power and lossy network (LLN).

10. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having software encoded thereon, the software when executed by a processor operable to:

receive a request for interface options from a first node in a network comprising a plurality of nodes;

transmit the interface options to the first node, the interface options comprising at least a power line communication (“

PLC”

) interface and a radio frequency (“

RF”

) interface;

receive an indication of a particular interface option to be used when transmitting a data packet in a particular transmission path to a destination node;

receive a data packet, the data packet comprising a-an address of a destination node to which the data packet is to be sent and the particular transmission path, the data packet being received by a first interface option; and

communicate the data packet to a subsequent adjacent node in the particular transmission path using the particular interface option specified for the transmitting node, the particular interface option being different from the first interface option.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, the software when executed by a processor being further operable to:

transmit data comprising a listing of interferences experienced; and

before receiving the data packet, receiving an adjustment of the selection of the interface option for the transmission path based on the transmitted data.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the particular interface option specified is a different interface than the interface option specified for an adjacent node.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the identified particular transmission path is not the shortest of the one or more transmission paths.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the interference is caused by self-interference.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

determine interface options of a first node; and

transmit a request for interface options to each of a plurality of nodes in the network, the interface options for each of the plurality of nodes comprising at least a power line communication (“

PLC”

) interface and a radio frequency (“

RF”

) interface;

receive a data packet, the data packet identifying a destination node in the network to which the data packet is to be sent;

select a particular transmission path from the first node to the destination node, based on a determination that the selected transmission path will introduce a least number of interferences compared to one or more other transmission paths, each transmission path comprising a particular interface option for each of at least one node between the first node and the destination node;

indicate to each node in the selected transmission path, the particular interface option for that node in the particular transmission path; and

transmit the data packet to the destination node via the particular transmission path,

wherein each node in the particular transmission path communicates the data packet to a subsequent adjacent node using the particular interface option specified for the transmitting node.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the interference is caused by self-interference.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the interference is caused by a hidden terminal interference.