Low-power ad hoc network entry

• US 7,551,892 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BBN Technologies (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Elliott, Brig Barnum
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/786,288
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/68, 455/70, 455/522, 455/571
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method, a node and an energy-conserving ad hoc network are provided that facilitate nodes joining the energy-conserving ad hoc network. A node includes a transceiver (210), a transmitter (206), and processing logic (202). The processing logic (202) is configured to control operation of the transceiver (210) and the transmitter (206). The processing logic (202) is further configured to transmit a wake-up signal via the transmitter (206) and receive a network entry message (600) from one of a group of existing nodes (101) in the network (100). The network entry message (600) includes scheduled times (620, 640) in which at least one of the existing nodes (101) in the network is available to receive. The processing logic (202) is further configured to join the network (100) based on the received scheduled times (620, 640).

Claims

1. An energy-conserving ad hoc network including a plurality of nodes, each of the nodes comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive and transmit data messages;

processing logic;

a memory configured to store a schedule of reception times;

a bellringer transmitter; and

a bellringer receiver, wherein;

when the node is an existing node in the network,

the processing logic is configured to;

receive a wake-up signal via the bellringer receiver, and

responsive to the receiving of the wake-up signal, transmit, via the transceiver, a message including the schedule of reception times,

when the node is a node joining the network,

the processing logic is configured to;

transmit the wake-up signal,

receive the message from an existing one of the nodes in the network, and

join the network based on the message.

2. The energy-conserving ad-hoc network of claim 1, wherein when the node is an existing node, the processing logic of the node is further configured to wait a random time interval before responding to the wake-up signal.

3. The energy-conserving ad hoc network of claim 1, wherein when the node is an existing node, the processing logic further is configured to determine whether to respond to the received wake-up signal based on one of a random decision, a received signal strength of the wake-up signal, a current density of the network from a point of view of the existing node, and one or more certain time periods during which the existing node is configured to respond to the received wake-up signal.