Determining Role Assignment in a Hybrid Mesh Network

• US 20110119401A1
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kish, William S., Mok, Ron, Miu, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,999,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/18 Loop-free operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention solve problems experienced by mesh networks concerning loop formation where two nodes are connected by both a wired and wireless link. The present invention prevents or ‘breaks’ a loop that that would otherwise result in continually repeating and delayed network data transmission.

Claims

1. A method for determining role assignment in a hybrid mesh network, the method comprising:

sending a message from a node to a gateway via an Ethernet connection, the message requesting a response from a gateway; and

executing instructions stored in memory of the node, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor of the node determines whether the node has a direct or indirect connection with the gateway based on the gateway response to the message and a detectable presence of a wired beacon on the Ethernet connection, wherein the node having a direct connection to the gateway communicates with the gateway without requiring an uplink connection to another node, and wherein the node has an indirect connection to the gateway communicates with the gateway via an uplink connection with another node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is determined to have an indirect connection to the gateway based on a lack of any received gateway response to the message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is determined to have an indirect connection to the gateway based on a received gateway response to the message and a detectable presence of a wired beacon on the Ethernet connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is determined to have a direct connection to the gateway based on a received gateway response to the message and a lack of detectable presence of a wired beacon on the Ethernet connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is an address resolution protocol message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the node sends the message periodically.

7. A system for determining role assignment in a hybrid mesh network, the system comprising:

a gateway configured to allow a first node access to another device or network, the gateway configured to receive and respond to a message sent by the first node; and

a first node communicatively connected to the gateway, the first node configured to send a message to the gateway via an Ethernet connection, the message requesting a response from the gateway.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the node is determined to have an indirect connection to the gateway based on a lack of any received gateway response to the message.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the node is determined to have an indirect connection to the gateway based on a received gateway response to the message and a detectable presence of a wired beacon on the Ethernet connection.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the node is determined to have a direct connection to the gateway based on a received gateway response to the message and a lack of detectable presence of a wired beacon on the Ethernet connection.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the message is an address resolution protocol message.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the node periodically sends the message.