Techniques for ad-hoc mesh networking

• US 7,697,893 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kossi, Jouni, Vainio, Miia
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/870,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.2, 455/519, 455/500, 455/514, 455/517
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• 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

Abstract

A wireless communications device includes a first radio and a second radio. The first radio is receives information regarding an ad-hoc mesh wireless network from at least one remote device. The second radio exchanges user data with the ad-hoc wireless mesh network. The wireless communications device also includes a buffer and a scheduler. The buffer stores user data for transmission to one or more remote devices in the ad-hoc wireless mesh network. The scheduler schedules transmissions by the second radio of the user data based on the received information. The first and second radios may employ various communications technologies. Examples of such technologies include Bluetooth, wireless local area network (WLAN), and ultra wideband (UWB). The information received from the remote device may include one or more of the following: configuration information (e.g., topology information) corresponding to the ad-hoc wireless mesh network; routing information; and information regarding communications capabilities of one or more nodes within the ad-hoc wireless mesh network.

Claims

1. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a control radio in the wireless device, configured to wirelessly receive control information regarding an ad-hoc wireless network from at least one remote device belonging to the ad-hoc network;

a data radio in the wireless device, configured to wirelessly exchange user data with the ad-hoc wireless network;

a buffer connected to the data radio, configured to store user data for transmission to one or more remote devices in the ad-hoc wireless network; and

a scheduler connected to the control radio and the data radio, configured to schedule transmission by the data radio of the user data based on the control information received by the control radio.

2. The wireless communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the received control information.

3. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the control radio is further configured to communicate according to Bluetooth.

4. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the control radio is further configured to communicate according to WLAN.

5. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the data radio is further configured to communicate according to ultra wideband (UWB).

6. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the received control information includes configuration information corresponding to the ad-hoc wireless network.

7. The wireless communications device of claim 6, wherein the network configuration information includes topology information corresponding to the ad-hoc wireless network.

8. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the received control information includes routing information.

9. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the received control information includes information regarding communications capabilities of one or more nodes within the ad-hoc wireless network.

10. The wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein the received control information includes information regarding interference levels in the ad-hoc network.

11. A method comprising:

(a) establishing a short-range wireless communications link with a remote device, wherein the short-range wireless communications link employs a control radio in a wireless device, configured to receive control information over the link regarding an ad-hoc wireless network;

(b) exchanging control information between the control radio and the remote device regarding the ad-hoc wireless network, the exchange being across the short-range wireless communications link;

(c) controlling a data radio in the wireless device, with the control radio by using the control information, to enable the data radio to exchange user data with one or more devices in the ad-hoc wireless network to schedule transmission by the data radio of the user data based on the control information received by the control radio; and

(d) transmitting the user data across a data link with the data radio, in response to the control information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless communications link is a Bluetooth link.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless communications link is a WLAN link.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless data link is an ultra wideband (UWB) link.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises:

establishing a transmission schedule for the user data, and

sending the transmission schedule to the remote device across the short-range wireless communications link.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises:

transmitting to the remote device across the short-range wireless communications link a request for additional communications capacity when a communications capacity allocated to the data radio is insufficient for transmission of the user data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (d) further comprises:

receiving from the remote device across the short-range wireless communications link a grant of additional communications capacity for the data radio.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises:

transmitting to the remote device across the wireless data link a request for additional communications capacity when a communications capacity allocated to the data radio is insufficient for transmission of the user data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (d) further comprises:

receiving from the remote device across the wireless data link a grant of additional communications capacity for the data radio.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises initiating the wireless data link for the data radio.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein initiating the wireless data link comprises performing data link initiation communications across the short-range wireless communications link.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises designating the data radio based on its data rate capabilities.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises designating the data radio based on its associated interference level.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises designating the data radio based on its one or more available communications routes.

25. A wireless communications device, comprising:

means for establishing a short-range wireless communications link with remote device, wherein the short-range wireless communications link employs a control radio in the wireless device, configured to receive control information over the link regarding an ad-hoc wireless network;

means for exchanging control information between the control radio and the remote device regarding the ad-hoc wireless network, the exchange being across the short-range wireless communications link;

means for controlling a data radio in the wireless device, with the control radio by using the control information, to enable the data radio to exchange user data with one or more devices in the ad-hoc wireless network to schedule transmission by the data radio of the user data based on the control information received by the control radio; and

means for transmitting the user data with the data radio, in response to the control information.

26. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a control radio in the wireless device, configured to exchange control information regarding an ad-hoc wireless network across the short-range wireless communications link;

one or more data radios in the wireless device, connected to the control radio and configured to exchange user data with one or more devices in the ad-hoc wireless network based on the control information exchanged by the control radio to schedule transmission by the one or more data radios of the user data based on the control information received by the control radio; and

a controller connected to the control radio and the one or more data radios, configured to select among the control radio and the one or more data radios for the transmission of data that is ready to be sent to a remote node in the ad-hoc wireless network.

27. The wireless communications device of claim 26, wherein the control radio is further configured to communicate according to Bluetooth.

28. The wireless communications device of claim 26, wherein the control radio is further configured to communicate according to WLAN.

29. The wireless communications device of claim 26, wherein, at least on of the data radios is further configured to communicate according to ultra wideband (UWB).

30. The wireless communications device of claim 26, wherein the control is further configured to select among the control radio and the one or more data radios based on data rate capabilities of the control radio and the one or more data radios.

31. The wireless communications device of claim 26, wherein the control is further configured to select among the control radio and the one or more data radios based on interference levels associated with the control radio and the one or more data radios.

32. The wireless communications device of claim 26, wherein the control is further configured to select among the control radio and the one or more data radios based on available communications routes associated with the control radio and the one or more data radios.

33. A memory stores instructions for instructing a processor in a wireless communications device, the memory comprising:

instructions for enabling the processor to establish a short-range wireless communications link with remote device, wherein the short-range wireless communications link employs a control radio in the wireless device, configured to receive control information over the link regarding an ad-hoc wireless network;

instructions for enabling the processor to exchange control information between the control radio and the remote device regarding the ad-hoc wireless network, the exchange being across the short-range wireless communications link;

instructions for enabling the processor to control a data radio in the wireless device, with the control radio by using the control information, to enable the data radio to exchange user data with one or more devices in the ad-hoc wireless network to schedule transmission by the data radio of the user data based on the control information received by the control radio; and

instructions for enabling the processor to transmit the user data with the data radio, in response to the control information.