Mesh network connections

• US 9,872,324 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John Stuart, Quigley, Thomas J., MacInnis, Alexander G., Behzad, Arya, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Buer, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US14/952,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20160081131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices located in near proximity of each other may be enabled to form a mesh (ad hoc wireless) network. WMC devices may form and/or tear down intra-mesh connection with other WMC devices in the same mesh network. WMC devices may utilize information related to other WMC devices in the mesh network in determining formation and tearing down of intra-mesh connections. This information may comprise relative speeds, locations, and directions of movement of the WMC devices forming/tearing intra-mesh connections. Other information including data bandwidth and/or power consumption may be utilized in such determination. This information may also comprise available services advertised by WMC devices in the mesh network.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor circuit configured to;

establish a first intra-mesh connection with another device of a mesh network using a first communication interface of a plurality of communication interfaces;

identify a change in at least one operational condition;

select a second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces based at least in part on the change in the at least one operational condition; and

modify the first intra-mesh connection with the another device from using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to using the second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces responsive to identifying the change in the at least one operational condition.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the change in the at least one operational condition comprises a change in at least one of a power availability of the device, a location of the device, a speed of the device, or a direction of movement of the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is configured to modify the first intra-mesh connection with the another device from using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces to using the second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces by:

tearing down the first intra-mesh connection with the another device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

re-establishing the first intra-mesh connection with the another device using the second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

receive an advertisement of an available service transmitted by the another device; and

select the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces for establishing the first intra-mesh connection based at least in part on the available service advertised by the another device and an intended use of the available service by the device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the available service is independent of each of the plurality of communication interfaces.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

select the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces for establishing the first intra-mesh connection based at least in part on at least one of a quality of service or a bandwidth associated with the available service advertised by the another device.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the available service further comprises at least one of forwarding data in the mesh network by the another device on behalf of the device, or buffering data in the mesh network by the another device on behalf of the device.

8. The device claim 4, wherein the advertisement further comprises a cost for enabling a use of the available service by the another device and the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces is selected for the first intra-mesh connection based at least in part on the cost.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

select the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces for the first intra-mesh connection based at least in part on a data rate at which the device intends to utilize the available service advertised by the another device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication interfaces comprises at least one of a wireless personal area network interface, a wireless local area network interface, or a device-based interface.

11. A method comprising:

forming, by a first device, at least one intra-mesh connection with at least one second device of a plurality of devices of a mesh network;

receiving, by the first device, intra-mesh connections updates corresponding to one or more of the plurality of devices of the mesh network;

determining, by the first device, whether the intra-mesh connection updates necessitate a modification to the at least one intra-mesh connection; and

modifying, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection with the at least one second device when the intra-mesh connection updates necessitate the modification to the at least one intra-mesh connection, otherwise maintaining the at least one intra-mesh connection.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection by utilizing a first communication interface that is selected based at least in part on an available service advertised by the at least one second device of the plurality of devices and upon an intended use of the available service by the first device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the advertised available service is independent of the first communication interface.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one intra-mesh connection with the at least one second device utilizes a first communication interface of a plurality of communication interfaces, and modifying, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection comprises:

modifying, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection with the at least one second device from using the first communication interface the plurality of communication interfaces to using a second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces, the second communication interface being different than the first communication interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein modifying, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection with the at least one second device from using the first communication interface the plurality of communication interfaces to using the second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces comprises:

tearing down the at least one intra-mesh connection with the second device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

establishing the at least one intra-mesh connection with the second device using the second communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of communication interfaces comprises at least one of a wireless personal area network interface, a wireless local area network interface, or a device-based interface.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one intra-mesh connection with the at least one second device utilizes a first communication interface, and modifying, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection comprises:

modifying, by the first device, the at least one intra-mesh connection from being through the at least one second device of the plurality of devices utilizing the first communication interface to being through at least one third device of the plurality of devices utilizing the first communication interface.

18. A computer program product comprising instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

establishing, by a first device, a first intra-mesh connection with a second device of a mesh network using a first communication interface of a plurality of communication interfaces;

identifying, by the first device, a change in at least one variable associated with the first device;

selecting, by the first device, a third device of the mesh network based at least in part on the change in the at least one variable associated with the first device; and

replacing, by the first device, the first intra-mesh connection with the first device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces with a second intra-mesh connection with the third device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein replacing, by the first device, the first intra-mesh connection with the second device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces with the second intra-mesh connection with the third device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces further comprises:

tearing down the first intra-mesh connection with the second device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

instructions to establish the second intra-mesh connection with the third device using the first communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the plurality of communication interfaces comprises at least one of a wireless personal area network interface, a wireless local area network interface, or a device-based interface.