Apparatus and method for adaptive data packet scheduling in mesh networks

• US 20090154481A1
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vigilent Corporation
• Original Assignee: Synapsense Corporation (Panduit Corporation)
• Inventors: Pandey, Raju, Han, Seokman Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,351,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0638 Clock or time synchronisation among nodes; Internode synchronisation synchronization for ring networks H04L12/422; data switching networks with synchronous transmission H04L12/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for adaptive data packet scheduling in a mesh network. An example embodiment is configured to divide a time period into a plurality of frames; subdivide each of the plurality of frames into a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots providing a time segment for local data communication between nodes in a mesh network; enable a first node to dynamically assign itself a first slot of the plurality of slots for local data communication, the first node using the first slot to receive data communications destined for the first node; and communicate to other nodes of the mesh network information indicative of the first node'"'"'s dynamic assignment of the first slot.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

dividing a time period into a plurality of frames;

subdividing each of the plurality of frames into a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots providing a time segment for local data communication between nodes in a mesh network;

enabling a first node to dynamically assign itself a first slot of the plurality of slots for local data communication, the first node using the first slot to receive data communications destined for the first node; and

communicating to other nodes of the mesh network information indicative of the first node'"'"'s dynamic assignment of the first slot.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including assigning a second slot of the plurality of slots to the first node of the mesh network for global data communication, the first node using the second slot to receive data communications destined for all nodes of the mesh network.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first node assigns itself the first slot using a randomizer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 including detecting network traffic conditions and wherein the first node assigns itself a third slot based on the detected network traffic conditions.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 including detecting network traffic conditions and wherein the first node de-assigns an assigned slot based on the detected network traffic conditions.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first node advertises slot assignment information to other nodes of the mesh network.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein other nodes of the mesh network query the first node for its slot assignment information.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a node of the mesh network sends a local data communication to the first node only during a time segment corresponding to the first slot.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mesh network is a wireless sensor network.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mesh network includes a gateway device.

11. A network node comprising:

a communication scheduler to divide a time period into a plurality of frames, the communication scheduler further to subdivide each of the plurality of frames into a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots providing a time segment for local data communication between the network node and other nodes in a mesh network, the communication scheduler further to enable the network node to dynamically assign itself a first slot of the plurality of slots for local data communication, the network node using the first slot to receive data communications destined for the network node; and

a network interface to communicate to other nodes of the mesh network information indicative of the network node'"'"'s dynamic assignment of the first slot.

12. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the communication scheduler being further configured to assign a second slot of the plurality of slots to the network node for global data communication, the network node using the second slot to receive data communications destined for all nodes of the mesh network.

13. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the communication scheduler being further configured to assign the first slot using a randomizer.

14. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the communication scheduler being further configured to detect network traffic conditions and wherein the network node assigns itself a third slot based on the detected network traffic conditions.

15. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the communication scheduler being further configured to detect network traffic conditions and wherein the network node de-assigns an assigned slot based on the detected network traffic conditions.

16. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the network interface being further configured to advertise slot assignment information to other nodes of the mesh network.

17. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the network interface being further configured to receive a query from other nodes of the mesh network, the query including a request for the slot assignment information for the network node.

18. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the network interface being further configured to receive a local data communication destined for the network node from other nodes of the mesh network only during a time segment corresponding to the first slot.

19. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the mesh network is a wireless sensor network.

20. The network node as claimed in claim 11 wherein the mesh network includes a gateway device.

21. A sensor network comprising:

a gateway to divide a time period into a plurality of frames, the gateway further to subdivide each of the plurality of frames into a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots providing a time segment for local data communication between the gateway and other sensors in the sensor network; and

a sensor in wireless data communications with the gateway, the sensor being configured to dynamically assign itself a first slot of the plurality of slots for local data communication, the sensor using the first slot to receive data communications destined for the sensor, the sensor being further configured to wirelessly communicate to other sensors of the sensor network information indicative of the sensor'"'"'s dynamic assignment of the first slot.

22. The sensor network as claimed in claim 21 wherein the sensor being further configured to assign a second slot of the plurality of slots to the sensor for global data communication, the sensor using the second slot to receive data communications destined for all nodes of the sensor network.

23. The sensor network as claimed in claim 21 wherein the sensor being further configured to detect network traffic conditions and wherein the sensor assigns itself a third slot based on the detected network traffic conditions.

24. The sensor network as claimed in claim 21 wherein the sensor being further configured to detect network traffic conditions and wherein the sensor de-assigns an assigned slot based on the detected network traffic conditions.

25. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

divide a time period into a plurality of frames;

subdivide each of the plurality of frames into a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots providing a time segment for local data communication between nodes in a mesh network;

enable a first node to dynamically assign itself a first slot of the plurality of slots for local data communication, the first node using the first slot to receive data communications destined for the first node; and

to

communicate to other nodes of the mesh network information indicative of the first node'"'"'s dynamic assignment of the first slot.