Wireless device link metric for effective comparison of multi-hop routes in wireless mesh networks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An input/output device comprising:
- a radio frequency transmitter;
a radio frequency receiver; and
a processor-based control element configured to;
iteratively and dynamically determine a path metric for each of a plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths established with and between a plurality of neighbouring input/output devices to route a message to a desired destination in a radio transmission network, wherein the path metric for each of a plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths in the radio transmission network is based upon an approximate signal strength performance and an approximate traffic level performance associated with the neighbouring input/output devices without calculating an actual performance of each signal path, whereby the determined path metrics facilitate an estimated performance comparison of multi-hop signal paths of varying length in the radio transmission network; and
select, based on the determined path metrics for each of the respective multi-hop signal paths and regardless of the path length of the multi-hop signal paths, a preferred one of the multi-hop signal paths to route the message to the desired destination in the radio transmission network.
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Abstract
Link metrics for communication paths in multi-hop wireless mesh networks of industrial radio device are determined based on signal strength and traffic level performance of each link in the communication paths. A path metric is determined from the link metrics and path metrics are compared and utilized for optimal routing of messages through the network.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An input/output device comprising:
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a radio frequency transmitter; a radio frequency receiver; and a processor-based control element configured to; iteratively and dynamically determine a path metric for each of a plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths established with and between a plurality of neighbouring input/output devices to route a message to a desired destination in a radio transmission network, wherein the path metric for each of a plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths in the radio transmission network is based upon an approximate signal strength performance and an approximate traffic level performance associated with the neighbouring input/output devices without calculating an actual performance of each signal path, whereby the determined path metrics facilitate an estimated performance comparison of multi-hop signal paths of varying length in the radio transmission network; and select, based on the determined path metrics for each of the respective multi-hop signal paths and regardless of the path length of the multi-hop signal paths, a preferred one of the multi-hop signal paths to route the message to the desired destination in the radio transmission network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 27)
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12. A multi-path radio communications network for monitoring and controlling an industrial process, the network comprising:
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a plurality of processor-based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate in a mesh communication network, wherein each processor-based radio device communicates with multiple other ones of the plurality of processor-based radio devices in the mesh communication network; and wherein at least one of the plurality of processor-based radio devices is configured to iteratively determine a path metric for each of a plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths established between neighbouring input/output devices in the mesh communication network, wherein at least one of the processor-based radio devices in order to iteratively determine the path metric is configured to; successively select each one of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths; and successively select each one of a plurality of communication links in the selected multi-hop signal path, and for each selected one of the plurality of communication links; obtain a measured actual signal strength value for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; compare the obtained measured actual signal strength value to a plurality of predetermined signal strength performance levels to determine an approximate signal strength performance metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; obtain a measured actual traffic level value of a respective one of the neighbouring input/output devices at a remote end of the selected one of the plurality of communication links; compare the obtained measured actual traffic level value to a plurality of predetermined traffic level performance thresholds to determine an approximate traffic level performance metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; and determine, without calculating an actual performance of the selected communication link, a link metric utilizing both of the approximate signal strength performance metric and the approximate traffic level performance metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 28)
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22. A multi-path radio communications system comprising:
a plurality of processor-based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate with one another in a mesh communication network having a frequency hopping spread spectrum topology, each of the plurality of processor-based radio devices being configured to; successively select each one of a plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths to route a message to a desired destination in the mesh communication network; successively select each one of a plurality of communication links in the selected one of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths, and for each selected one of the plurality of communication links; obtain a measured actual signal strength value for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; compare the obtained measured actual signal strength value to a plurality of predetermined signal strength performance levels to determine an approximate signal strength performance metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; obtain a measured actual traffic level value of a respective one of the neighbouring input/output devices at a remote end of the selected one of the plurality of communication links; compare the obtained measured actual traffic level value to a plurality of predetermined traffic level performance thresholds to determine an approximate traffic level performance metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; and determine a link metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links utilizing both of the approximate signal strength performance metric and the approximate traffic level performance metric for the selected one of the plurality of communication links; and utilize the determined link metric for the selected communication links in each one of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths to evaluate an estimated performance of each one of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths without calculating an actual performance each one of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths; and select, based upon the evaluated estimated performance of each of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths and without regard to path length, a preferred one of the plurality of possible multi-hop signal paths to route the message to the desired destination in the mesh communication network. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 29)
Specification