Multinode arrangement

• US 7,483,392 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBN Technologies (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Redi, Jason Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Huy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phung; Luat
• Application Number:
  US10/804,375
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/310, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

The present invention provides a multinode arrangement that utilizes a plurality of nodes that communicate with each other by RF transmissions and hardwire communications. The use of both hardwire and RF transmission provides the advantages obtained with both forms of transmission.

Claims

1. A multinode arrangement for establishing a communication network for transmitting information between a first object and a second object, comprising:

a plurality of nodes defining a plurality of node pairs;

wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least a first node and a second node defining one of the plurality of node pairs, wherein the first node and the second node are connected by and communicate through a hardwire connection;

wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least a third node in another of the plurality of node pairs that communicates with at least the first node or the second node through an RF communication link; and

wherein said first node is configured to prevent interference of communications by refraining from communicating with one of said second node and said third node for a predetermined amount of time in response to said second node and said third node communicating with one another.

2. The multinode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes establishes a communication network between the first object and the second object.

3. The multinode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the nodes of at least one of the node pairs includes an RF communication link to communicate with another of the nodes of a second of the node pairs.

4. The multinode arrangement according to claim 3, wherein:

the node pairs are distributed in an end to end fashion; and

each node of a node pair that is proximate a node of a different node pair includes an RF communication link-to communicate with the node of the different node pair.

5. The multinode arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the node pairs are located at least partially in a passage.

6. The multinode arrangement according to claim 5, wherein:

the node pairs form a communication network between the first object and the second object; and

wherein the first object is located inside the passage and the second object is located outside the passage.

7. The multinode arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the first object is a digital camera and the second object is a device that captures digital information, wherein the communication network passes picture information from the digital camera to the device that captures digital information.

8. The multinode arrangement according to claim 4, wherein:

each node of a node pair is proximate a node of a different node pair to establish communication with the node of the different node pair by transmitting a hello signal to the node of the different node pair.

9. The multinode arrangement according to claim 8, wherein:

each node of the node pair transmits the hello signal at a predetermined frequency and signal strength.

10. The multinode arrangement according to claim 9, wherein:

each node of the node pair reduces the signal strength of the hello signal after a communication link is established with the node of the different node pair until the communication link is broken; and

each node of the node pair increases the signal strength of the hello a predefined amount after the communication link is broken to reestablish the communication link.

11. The multinode arrangement according to claim 4, wherein:

each node of the node pair establishes a second communication link with another node of the different node pair if the communication link is broken.

12. The multinode arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising a means for preventing the second communication link from interfering with another communication link between two of the plurality of nodes.

13. The multinode arrangement according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the nodes comprises a means for receiving information from multiple nodes and transmitting information to multiple nodes.

14. A multinode arrangement for establishing a communication network for transmitting information between a first object and a second object, comprising:

a communication means for communicating information from the first object to the second object across a plurality of nodes;

wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least a first node and a second node defining one of the plurality of node pairs, wherein the first node and the second node are connected by and communicate through a hardwire connection;

wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least a third node in another of the plurality of node pairs that communicates with at least the first node or the second node through an RF communication link;

a reestablishing means for reestablishing a communication link between at least two of the plurality of nodes when an original communication link between the two of the plurality of nodes is broken; and

a collision prevention means for preventing interference of communications between one node and at least two other nodes for a predetermined amount of time in response to said two other nodes communicating with one another.

15. The multinode arrangement according to claim 14, further comprising:

a noninterference means for preventing the reestablished communication link from interfering with a communication link between at least two of the plurality of nodes.

16. The multinode arrangement according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the nodes comprises a means for receiving information from multiple nodes and transmitting information to multiple nodes.

17. A method for providing a communication network between a first object and a second object, comprising:

providing a plurality of node pairs, wherein each of the node pairs comprises at least two nodes that are connected by and communicate through a hardwire connection;

distributing the plurality of node pairs between the first object and the second object;

establishing a communication network by linking nodes of node pairs with nodes of other node pairs, wherein the linking comprises RF communication links; and

configuring one of said nodes to prevent interference of communications by refraining from communicating with at least two other nodes for a predetermined amount of time in response to said two other nodes communicating with one another.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein for each node of a node pair, the step of establishing further comprises:

transmitting a hello to a node of an adjacent node pair; and

establishing a communication link between the node and the adjacent node if a response is received from the adjacent node.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting the hello at a predefined signal strength;

reducing the signal strength if the response is received until the communication link is broken; and

increasing the signal strength a predetermined amount to reestablish the communication link.

20. The method according to claim 17, for any of the nodes of the node pairs, further comprising reestablishing an RF communication link between the node and an adjacent node pair if the RF communication link between the node and an adjacent node of the adjacent node pair is broken.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of reestablishing further comprises:

transmitting a hello from the node;

receiving the hello with another node of the adjacent node pair; and

establishing the second RF communication link between the node and the other node of the adjacent node pair.