Low-latency multi-hop ad hoc wireless network

• US 7,161,926 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sensoria (Sensoria Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kaiser, William J., Girod, Lewis D., Elson, Jeremy, Merrill, William, Newberg, Lars Fredric, Schiffer, Brian, Sohrabi, Katayoun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chou; Albert T.
• Application Number:
  US10/188,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20030012168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 370/332, 370/238, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/269 Master/slave synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/041 using special codes as synchronising signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A multi-radio sensor node is provided that includes two or more communication devices. The communication devices include radio frequency (RF) devices like radios. Each communication device supports simultaneous communications among multi-radio sensor nodes of respective independent network clusters. A network structure is provided that includes two or more local network clusters. Each local network cluster includes numerous multi-radio sensor nodes. Each communication device of a multi-radio sensor node supports communication among the multi-radio sensor nodes of a different one of the local network clusters so that simultaneous communications are supported among the multi-radio sensor nodes of the local network clusters. The multi-radio sensor nodes of the local network clusters determine their locations relative to the other multi-radio sensor nodes of the independent network clusters with which they communicate. The location determination includes performing timing synchronization via synchronization signals communicated among the local network clusters, and acoustic signaling.

Claims

1. A network comprising a plurality of local network clusters that each include one or more nodes, wherein each of the nodes includes a plurality of communication radios that each support communication among the nodes so that simultaneous communications are supported among the nodes, wherein each node includes a subsystem for providing shared resource access management among two or more applications, wherein the resources include the communication radios, the subsystem including a routing module coupled to a radio driver interface, the routing module configured to receive radio access requests from the applications and generate calls representative of the received requests to the radio driver interface, the radio driver interface configured to receive the calls and in response determine radio availability using resource status information of the node, generate schedules wit the resource status information for granting access to the requested resources, and control access to the radios by the applications according to the generated schedules.

2. A node comprising two or more communication devices, wherein each communication device supports simultaneous communications among nodes of two or more respective independent network clusters, wherein the communication devices include radio frequency (RF) devices, wherein the node includes a subsystem for providing shared resource access management among two or more applications, wherein the resources include the communication devices, the subsystem including a routing module coupled to a radio driver interface, the routing module configured to receive radio access requests from the applications and generate calls representative of the received requests to the radio driver interface, the radio driver interface configured to receive the calls and in response determine communication device availability using resource status information of the node, generate schedules with the resource status information for granting access to the requested resources, and control access to the communication device by the applications according to the generated schedules.