Mesh network transmission decisions based on node performance metrics

• US 9,819,556 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• 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:
  US14/530,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 709223, 709224
• 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:

establishing, by a network device, an access point;

generating a first beacon packet including data associated with a network;

generating current performance metrics associated with the network device;

embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet;

embedding a query within the first beacon packet, wherein the query includes a request for a specifically targeted type of performance metric associated with a specific network device;

transmitting the first beacon packet on the network using the access point;

receiving a second beacon packet, wherein the second beacon packet includes a response to the query, wherein the response includes the specifically targeted type of performance metrics associated with the specific network device;

determining, by the network device, a chosen communication path, wherein determining the chosen communication path includes using the specifically targeted type of performance metrics associated with the specific network device;

generating updated performance metrics associated with the network device; and

transmitting the updated performance metrics associated with the network device on the chosen communication path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current performance metrics are continually stored and updated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the network device on the network, current performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network;

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

embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device and the current performance metrics associated with the additional network device within the first beacon packet.

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

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

6. The method of claim 1, wherein embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet includes embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within a frame body of the first beacon packet.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a communication including information associated with a location of the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting multiple beacon packets on the network, wherein each of the multiple beacon packets includes a portion of the current performance metrics associated with the network device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the multiple beacon packets are consecutively transmitted on the network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first beacon packet is configured to collect and store data from multiple network devices on the network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a local home automation network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the chosen communication path includes using the current performance metrics associated with the network device and the current performance metrics associated with the additional network device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first beacon packet includes a body and a header, wherein the current performance metrics associated with the network device are embedded within the body of the first beacon packet, and wherein the query is embedded within the header of the first beacon packet.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second beacon packet includes a body and a header, and wherein the header of the second beacon packet includes the response to the query.

15. 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;

establishing, by a network device, an access point;

generating a first beacon packet including data associated with a network;

generating current performance metrics associated with the network device;

embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet;

embedding a query within the first beacon packet, wherein the query includes a request for a specifically targeted type of performance metric associated with a specific network device;

transmitting the first beacon packet on the network using the access point;

receiving a second beacon packet, wherein the second beacon packet includes a response to the query, wherein the response includes the specifically targeted type of performance metrics associated with the specific network device;

determining, by the network device, a chosen communication path, wherein determining the chosen communication path includes using the specifically targeted type of performance metrics associated with the specific network device;

generating updated performance metrics associated with the network device; and

transmitting the updated performance metrics associated with the network device on the chosen communication path.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the current performance metrics are continually stored and updated.

17. The computing device of claim 15, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

receiving, at the network device on the network, current performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network;

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

embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device and the current performance metrics associated with the additional network device within the first beacon packet.

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

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the current performance metrics associated with the network device include latency metrics.

20. The computing device of claim 15, wherein embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet includes embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within a frame body of the first beacon packet.

21. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the network is a local home automation network.

22. The computing device of claim 15, wherein determining the chosen communication path includes using the current performance metrics associated with the network device and the current performance metrics associated with the additional network device.

23. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first beacon packet includes a body and a header, wherein the current performance metrics associated with the network device are embedded within the body of the first beacon packet, and wherein the query is embedded within the header of the first beacon packet.

24. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the second beacon packet includes a body and a header, and wherein the header of the second beacon packet includes the response to the query.

25. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

establishing, by a network device, an access point;

generating a first beacon packet including data associated with a network;

generating current performance metrics associated with the network device;

embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet;

embedding a query within the first beacon packet, wherein the query includes a request for a specifically targeted type of performance metric associated with a specific network device;

transmitting the first beacon packet on the network using the access point;

receiving a second beacon packet, wherein the second beacon packet includes a response to the query, wherein the response includes the specifically targeted type of performance metrics associated with the specific network device;

determining, by the network device, a chosen communication path, wherein determining the chosen communication path includes using the specifically targeted type of performance metrics associated with the specific network device;

generating updated performance metrics associated with the network device; and

transmitting the updated performance metrics associated with the network device on the chosen communication path.

26. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the current performance metrics are continually stored and updated.

27. The computer-program product of claim 25, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

receiving, at the network device on the network, current performance metrics associated with an additional network device on the network;

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

embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device and the current performance metrics associated with the additional network device within the first beacon packet.

28. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the current performance metrics associated with the network device include reliability metrics.

29. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the current performance metrics associated with the network device include latency metrics.

30. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within the first beacon packet includes embedding the current performance metrics associated with the network device within a frame body of the first beacon packet.

31. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the network is a local home automation network.

32. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein determining the chosen communication path includes using the current performance metrics associated with the network device and the current performance metrics associated with the additional network device.

33. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the first beacon packet includes a body and a header, wherein the current performance metrics associated with the network device are embedded within the body of the first beacon packet, and wherein the query is embedded within the header of the first beacon packet.

34. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the second beacon packet includes a body and a header, and wherein the header of the second beacon packet includes the response to the query.