Collision avoidance for wireless networks

• US 9,479,963 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Shetty, Sandeep J., Vasseur, Jean-Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, XAVIER S
• Application Number:
  US14/484,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20150003251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/286 Time to live
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, a particular node in a wireless network may receive a wireless signal, and may determine whether the wireless signal is intended for itself. In response to determining that the wireless signal is intended for the particular node, the particular node may transmit a non-colliding wireless carrier sense detected alert (CSDA) signal during the received wireless signal to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node refrain from transmitting for a duration of the received wireless signal. In another embodiment, a node listens on a first frequency for a wireless CSDA signal regarding a second (colliding) frequency, and in response to receiving a CSDA signal, may refrain from transmitting a wireless signal on the second frequency for the particular duration, or else (if not receiving a CSDA signal), may allow transmission of a wireless signal on the second frequency, accordingly.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, on a first frequency, a wireless signal at a particular node in a wireless network from a sending node, the wireless signal including an indication of a duration of the received wireless signal;

determining, at the particular node, whether the wireless signal is intended for the particular node before the wireless signal is completely received by examining a header of the received wireless signal to determine whether a destination address within the header corresponds to an address of the particular node; and

in response to determining that the wireless signal is intended for the particular node, transmitting, on a second frequency orthogonal from the first frequency, a non-colliding wireless carrier sense detected alert (CSDA) signal from the particular node while the wireless signal is being received to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node, except the sending node, refrain from transmitting for the duration of the received wireless signal.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting the CSDA signal as a continuous signal for the duration of the received wireless signal.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting the CSDA signal as a message that indicates the duration of the received wireless signal.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising:

including within the message a frequency of the received wireless signal to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node refrain from transmitting on the frequency of the received wireless signal for the duration of the received wireless signal.

5. The method as in claim 3, further comprising:

including within the message a time-to-live (TTL) value of zero to prevent the other nodes from forwarding the message.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting the CSDA signal as;

i) a first message that requests that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node refrain from transmitting; and

ii) a second message that indicates that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node can resume transmitting.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more wireless network interfaces configured to receive a wireless signal on a first frequency, the wireless signal including an indication of a duration of the received wireless signal;

a processor coupled to the wireless network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and

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

determine, at the apparatus, whether the received wireless signal is intended for the apparatus before the wireless signal is completely received at the apparatus by examining a header of the received wireless signal to determine whether a destination address within the header corresponds to an address of the particular node; and

transmit, in response to the wireless signal being intended for the apparatus, on a second frequency orthogonal from the first frequency, a non-colliding wireless carrier sense detected alert (CSDA) signal on at least one of the wireless network interfaces while the wireless signal is being received to request that other nodes within communication distance of the apparatus, except the sending node, refrain from transmitting for the duration of the received wireless signal.

8. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the CSDA signal comprises a continuous signal transmitted for the duration of the received wireless signal.

9. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the CSDA signal comprises a message that indicates the duration of the received wireless signal.

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

determine, at the particular node, whether a wireless signal received on a first frequency at a particular node is intended for the particular node before the wireless signal is completely received by examining a header of the received wireless signal to determine whether a destination address within the header corresponds to an address of the particular node; and

in response to a determination that the wireless signal is intended for the particular node, transmit, on a second frequency orthogonal from the first frequency, a non-colliding wireless carrier sense detected alert (CSDA) signal from the particular node while the wireless signal is being received to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node, except the sending node, refrain from transmitting for the duration of the received wireless signal.

11. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media as in claim 10, wherein the CSDA signal comprises a continuous signal transmitted for the duration of the received wireless signal.

12. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media as in claim 10, wherein the CSDA signal comprises a message that indicates the duration of the received wireless signal.

13. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media as in claim 12, the software when executed by the processor configured to:

include within the message a frequency of the received wireless signal to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node refrain from transmitting on the frequency of the received wireless signal for the duration of the received wireless signal.