Systems and Methods for Optimizing the Distribution of Point-to-Point and Broadcast Messages in a Layered Mesh Network

• US 20130064159A1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Technology, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Cellnet Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Edwards, Bruce H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,001,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06

Abstract

Various aspects of the present invention relate to optimizing the distribution of point-to-point and broadcast messages in a layered mesh network of nodes. In one aspect, a node in the mesh network identifies a point-to-point frequency for sending a point-to-point message to a preferred node, which facilitates communication with a collector node. The node also identifies a broadcast frequency of the preferred node that is distinct from the point-to-point frequency. According to one configuration, the broadcast frequency is offset a predetermined number of frequency channels from the point-to-point frequency. In addition to listening on the broadcast frequency, the node further identifies and listens on a receive frequency for point-to-point messages from other nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, at a node in a mesh network, a point-to-point frequency for communicating a point-to-point message to a preferred node, wherein the preferred node facilitates communication to a collector node;

identifying, at the node, a broadcast frequency of the preferred node, wherein the broadcast frequency is distinct from the point-to-point frequency;

identifying, at the node, a receive frequency for receiving a point-to-point message from a lower layer node;

listening, at the node, to both the broadcast frequency and the receive frequency;

receiving a broadcast message at the node on the broadcast frequency; and

sending the broadcast message using a second broadcast frequency, wherein the second broadcast frequency is associated with the node.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast frequency is offset a predetermined number of frequency channels from the point-to-point frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the preferred node is selected by the node from a plurality of nodes based on a comparison of at least one of transmission time, baud rate, tickle success rate, and data success rate.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the preferred node is selected by the node from a plurality of nodes based on the preferred node'"'"'s logical proximity to the collector node.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, subsequent to the selection of the preferred node, selecting another node as a subsequent preferred node that facilitates communication to the collector node.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the lower layer node identifies the receive frequency as the node'"'"'s point-to-point frequency for sending a point-to-point message to the node.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the point-to-point frequency for sending a point-to-point message to the node is distinct from the second broadcast frequency.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

hopping, by the node, between a predetermined plurality of frequencies reserved for point-to-point communication and a second predetermined plurality of frequencies reserved for broadcast communication.

9. A system comprising:

a collector node in a mesh network;

a preferred node in a first layer of the mesh network, wherein the preferred node facilitates communication to the collector node; and

a node in a second layer of the mesh network, wherein the node identifies a point-to-point frequency for sending a point-to-point message to the preferred node and identifies a broadcast frequency of the preferred node for receiving a broadcast message from the preferred node, wherein the node identifies a receive frequency for receiving a point-to-point message from a node in a third layer, and wherein the node hops between frequencies to listen to both the broadcast frequency of the preferred node and the receive frequency.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the node receives a broadcast message on the broadcast frequency and sends the broadcast message using a second broadcast frequency, wherein the second broadcast frequency is associated with the node.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the broadcast frequency of the preferred node is offset a predetermined number of frequency channels from the point-to-point frequency and the second broadcast frequency of the node is offset the predetermined number of frequency channels from the receive frequency.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the broadcast frequency is distinct from the point-to-point frequency.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the preferred node is selected by the node from a plurality of nodes based on a comparison of at least one of transmission time, baud rate, tickle success rate, and data success rate, and based on the preferred node'"'"'s logical proximity to the collector node.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein, subsequent to the node selecting the preferred node, the node selects another node as a subsequent preferred node that facilitates communication to the collector node.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the node includes one radio associated with point-to-point communications and a second radio associated with broadcast communications.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the node hops between a predetermined plurality of frequencies reserved for point-to-point communications and a second predetermined plurality of frequencies reserved for broadcast communications.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for:

identifying, at a node in a mesh network, a point-to-point frequency for sending a point-to-point message to a preferred node, wherein the preferred node is an upper layer node;

identifying, at the node, a broadcast frequency of the preferred node, wherein the broadcast frequency is distinct from the point-to-point frequency;

identifying, at the node, a receive frequency for receiving a point-to-point message from a lower layer node;

identifying, at the node, a second broadcast frequency for broadcasting messages from the node;

listening, at the node, to both the broadcast frequency and the receive frequency;

receiving a broadcast message at the node on the broadcast frequency; and

sending, at the node, the broadcast message using the second broadcast frequency.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the broadcast frequency is offset a predetermined number of frequency channels from the point-to-point frequency.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein a predetermined plurality of frequencies are reserved for broadcast communication and a predetermined plurality of frequencies are reserved for point-to-point communication.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for:

listening, at the node, to a third broadcast frequency, wherein the third broadcast frequency is associated with another node.