Mesh network transmission decisions based on node performance metrics

• US 9,762,458 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Ryan Yong, Pathuri, Venkata Subba Rao, Sidhu, Gursharan, Schneider, Aaron, Knopf, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US14/512,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 709223, 709224, 709220, 709221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/14 Routing performance; Theoretical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/70 Routing based on monitoring results
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality

Abstract

Systems and methods for transmission of data through mesh networks are disclosed. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for using performance metrics of nodes in a mesh network to make data transmission decisions. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a computer-implemented method. The method comprises receiving, at a network device on a network, performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network; generating performance metrics associated with the network device; storing the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device; and transmitting the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with an additional network device, wherein when the performance metrics are received, the performance metrics are used to determine whether data will be transmitted to the network device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a network device of a set of network devices on a network, performance metrics associated with an additional network device of the set of network devices on the network;

generating performance metrics associated with the network device;

storing the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device;

determining, using the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device, that the network device should initiate a reshaping of the set of network devices, wherein a reshaping of the set of network devices includes reorganizing communication paths between the network devices to determine an updated topology that includes one or more updated communication paths on the network;

transmitting a first communication to the set of network devices indicating that the network device will initiate a reshaping of the set of network devices;

receiving a second communication from the additional network device, wherein the second communication includes an indication that the additional network device will not participate in the reshaping of the set of network devices;

initiating the reshaping of the set of network devices without the additional network device; and

transmitting the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with an additional network device, wherein the performance metrics are transmitted using the updated communication paths.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a network device on a network, updated performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network; and

generating updated performance metrics associated with the network device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the updated performance metrics associated with the network device and the updated performance metrics associated with the additional network device; and

transmitting the updated performance metrics associated with the network device and the updated performance metrics associated with the additional network device, wherein when the updated performance metrics are received, the updated performance metrics are used to determine whether data will be transmitted to the network device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device are generated at a point in time earlier than the updated performance metrics associated with the network device are generated.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a beacon packet including data associated with the network; and

embedding the performance metrics associated with the network device within the beacon packet.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting the performance metrics associated with the network device includes transmitting the beacon packet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device include reliability metrics.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device include latency metrics.

9. A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including;

receiving, at a network device of a set of network devices on a network, performance metrics associated with an additional network device of the set of network devices on the network;

generating performance metrics associated with the network device;

storing the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device;

determining, using the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device, that the network device should initiate a reshaping of the set of network devices, wherein a reshaping of the set of network devices includes reorganizing communication paths between the network devices to determine an updated topology that includes one or more updated communication paths on the network;

transmitting a first communication to the set of network devices indicating that the network device will initiate a reshaping of the set of network devices;

receiving a second communication from the additional network device, wherein the second communication includes an indication that the additional network device will not participate in the reshaping of the set of network devices;

initiating the reshaping of the set of network devices without the additional network device; and

transmitting the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with an additional network device, wherein the performance metrics are transmitted using the updated communication paths.

10. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

receiving, at a network device on a network, updated performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network; and

generating updated performance metrics associated with the network device.

11. The computing device of claim 10, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

storing the updated performance metrics associated with the network device and the updated performance metrics associated with the additional network device; and

transmitting the updated performance metrics associated with the network device and the updated performance metrics associated with the additional network device, wherein when the updated performance metrics are received, the updated performance metrics are used to determine whether data will be transmitted to the network device.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device are generated at a point in time earlier than the updated performance metrics associated with the network device are generated.

13. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

generating a beacon packet including data associated with the network; and

embedding the performance metrics associated with the network device within the beacon packet.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein transmitting the performance metrics associated with the network device includes transmitting the beacon packet.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device include reliability metrics.

16. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device include latency metrics.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive, at a network device of a set of network devices on a network, performance metrics associated with an additional network device of the set of network devices on the network;

generate performance metrics associated with the network device;

storing the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device;

determine, using the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with the additional network device, that the network device should initiate a reshaping of the set of network devices, wherein a reshaping of the set of network devices includes reorganizing communication paths between the network devices to determine an updated topology that includes one or more updated communication paths on the network;

transmit a first communication to the set of network devices indicating that the network device will initiate a reshaping of the set of network devices;

receive a second communication from the additional network device, wherein the second communication includes an indication that the additional network device will not participate in the reshaping of the set of network devices;

initiate the reshaping of the set of network devices without the additional network device; and

transmit the performance metrics associated with the network device and the performance metrics associated with an additional network device, wherein the performance metrics are transmitted using the updated communication paths.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

receive, at a network device on a network, updated performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network; and

generate updated performance metrics associated with the network device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

store the updated performance metrics associated with the network device and the updated performance metrics associated with the additional network device; and

transmit the updated performance metrics associated with the network device and the updated performance metrics associated with the additional network device, wherein when the updated performance metrics are received, the updated performance metrics are used to determine whether data will be transmitted to the network device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device are generated at a point in time earlier than the updated performance metrics associated with the network device are generated.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

generate a beacon packet including data associated with the network; and

embed the performance metrics associated with the network device within the beacon packet.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to transmit the performance metrics associated with the network device includes instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to transmit the beacon packet.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device include reliability metrics.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the performance metrics associated with the network device include latency metrics.