Roadside network unit and method of organizing, managing and maintaining local network using local peer groups as network groups

• US 7,848,278 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson), Toyota Infotechnology Center USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson), Toyota Infotechnology Center USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Chennikara-Varghese, Jasmine, Kwon, Taek-Jin, Lee, John, Pang, Marcus, Chen, Wai, Hikita, Toshiro, Onishi, Ryokichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): PLATA, EDD RIANNE L
• Application Number:
  US11/584,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20080095134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 370/248, 370/315, 370/328, 370/338, 455/73, 455/464, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

An ad-hoc wireless network with a roadside network unit (RSU) and a local peer group (LPG). The LPG is formed from a plurality of moving vehicles. The LPG includes a group header node (GH) for managing the LPG. The GH is elected from one of the moving vehicles. The LPG further includes group nodes (GN) designated from the remaining moving vehicles in a given area. Each of the moving vehicles, whether the GH or the GN, communicates with other using routing paths created based upon a first control packet broadcast from the GH and a second control packet broadcast from each of the GN. Each moving vehicle communicates with the RSU using a routing paths created based upon a beacon broadcast by the RSU and a reply signal from each of the moving vehicles. The RSU can also be a member of the LPG and act as GN or GH.

Claims

1. An ad-hoc wireless network system comprising;

more than one stationary roadside network unit (RSU) each having at least one co-located antenna, said RSUs form at least one RSU group functioning as one network entity, where the same configuration parameters for a moving vehicle are used for each RSU within an RSU group;

at least one local peer group (LPG), said LPG being formed from a plurality of moving vehicles,

said LPG includes;

a group header node (GH) for managing said LPG, said GH is elected from said plurality of moving vehicles;

at least one group node (GN) designated from the remaining moving vehicles of said plurality of moving vehicles,

each of said plurality of moving vehicles is configured to determine an identity of the RSU group based on beacon, and is further configured to determine if an RSU is of the same group, use the same configuration parameters if said group is determined to be the same,

each of said plurality of moving vehicles, whether said GH or said at least one GN, communicates with other of said plurality of moving vehicles using routing paths created based upon a first control packet broadcast from said GH and a second control packet broadcast from each of said at least one GN, each of said moving vehicles communicates with said at least one RSU group using a routing path created based upon a beacon broadcast by said at least one RSU group and a reply signal from each of said plurality of moving vehicles.

2. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, further comprising at least one remote access point under control of one of the at least one RSU group, said at least one remote access point handles MAC layer and Physical layer functions for said one of the at least one RSU group and said one of the at least one RSU group handles network layer functions.

3. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 2, further comprising a routing device positioned between an RSU and its corresponding at least one remote access point.

4. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 3, wherein said routing device is a hub switch.

5. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 4, wherein said hub switch directs a signal to a specific designated access point corresponding to a destination for said signal.

6. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 2, wherein said at least one access point performs mobility detection with respect to said plurality of moving vehicles.

7. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 6, wherein said mobility detection includes broadcasting a periodic beacon from said at least one access point and detecting a response from said plurality of moving vehicles, if said at least one access point detects a response from a specific moving vehicle, said at least one access point will become a next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle, and if said at least one access point does not detect a response from a specific moving vehicle, said at least one access point will remove said at least one access point from being the next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle.

8. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 7, wherein said at least one access point broadcasts next hop and forwarding node information to said one of the at least one RSU group.

9. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of moving vehicles performs mobility detection with respect to said at least one access point.

10. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 9, wherein said mobility detection includes a specific moving vehicle determining a received signal to noise (SNR) from each of said at least one access point and comparing said SNR with a predetermined threshold, if said SNR is above said predetermined threshold, all corresponding at least one access points will be removed as a next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle.

11. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 9, wherein said mobility detection includes a specific moving vehicle determining a received signal strength (RSS) from each of said at least one access point and selecting one of said at least one access points that has a strongest RSS as a next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle.

12. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 3, wherein said routing device is a broadcast bus.

13. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 12, wherein said broadcast bus broadcasts a signal to all of said at least one access points, and specific designated access point corresponding to a destination for said signal forwards the signal to said destination.

14. The ad-hoc wireless system of claim 1, wherein one of said RSU in said RSU group assigns a dedicated channel for communicating between the RSU group and said plurality of vehicles.

15. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RSU group routes signals between more than one LPG.

16. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, further including a connection to an Internet, said Internet is connected to said at least one RSU.

17. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RSU group includes a means for storing signals broadcast from said plurality of moving vehicles and transmits said signals to other of said plurality of moving vehicles within a radio range of said at least one RSU group.

18. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RSU group includes a means for accessing maintenance information regarding each of said plurality of moving vehicles within a radio range of said at least one RSU group and periodically broadcasts status messages to each of said plurality of moving vehicles.

19. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RSU group includes a means for tracking and locating at least one of said plurality of moving vehicles.

20. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RSU group includes a means for collecting and processing tolls.

21. An ad-hoc wireless network system comprising;

more than one stationary roadside network unit (RSU) each having at least one co-located antenna, said RSUs form at least one RSU group functioning as one network entity, where the same configuration parameters for a moving vehicle are used for each RSU within an RSU group;

at least one local peer group (LPG), said LPG being formed from a plurality of moving vehicles and at least one stationary roadside network unit (RSU), said LPG includes;

a group header node (GH) for managing said LPG, said GH is elected from said plurality of moving vehicles and said at least one RSU;

at least one group node (GN) designated from the remaining moving vehicles of said plurality of moving vehicles and said at least one RSU,

each of said plurality of moving vehicles is configured to determine an identity of the RSU group based on beacon, and is further configured to determine if an RSU is of the same group, use the same configuration parameters if said group is determined to be the same,

each of said plurality of moving vehicles and said at least one RSU, whether said GH or said at least one GN, communicates with each other using routing paths created based upon a first control packet broadcast from said GH and a second control packet broadcast from each of said at least one GN.

22. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 21, wherein one of said at least one RSU is said GH, said one of said at least one RSU broadcasts said first control packet over a dedicated vehicle to RSU channel.

23. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 22, wherein, upon receipt of said first control packet, said plurality of vehicles joins said LPG via said one of said at least one RSU.

24. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 21, wherein said at least one RSU is said GN, said at least one RSU joins said LPG via said GH upon receipt of said first control packet and then broadcasts said second control packet.

25. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 21, further comprising a special relay node selected from said at least one RSU, said special relay node is used as backup routing path.

26. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 25, wherein said special relay node broadcasts a status indicator including its status and a load.

27. A method for managing an ad-hoc wireless network comprising steps of:

forming, from more than one stationary roadside network unit (RSU) each having at least one co-located antenna, at least one RSU group operable to function as one network entity, where the same configuration parameters for a moving vehicle are used for each RSU within an RSU group;

forming at least one local peer group (LPG) from a plurality of moving vehicles, electing a group header node (GH) for managing said LPG, said GH is elected from said plurality of moving vehicles;

designating at least one group node (GN) from the remaining moving vehicles of said plurality of moving vehicles;

each of said plurality of moving vehicles is configured to determine an identity of the RSU group based on beacon, and is further configured to determine if an RSU is of the same group, use the same configuration parameters if said group is determined to be the same,

communicating between each of said plurality of moving vehicles, whether said GH or said at least one GN, using routing paths created based upon a first control packet broadcast from said GH and a second control packet broadcast from each of said at least one GN;

and communicating between each of said moving vehicles and said at least one RSU group using a routing path created based upon a beacon broadcast by said at least one RSU group and a reply signal from each of said plurality of moving vehicles.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

assisting, using the RSU group, in LPG formation; and

providing network configuration assistance through the RSU group.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of detecting mobility, using at least one access point, with respect to said plurality of moving vehicles.

30. The method of claim 29, said step of detecting mobility further comprising:

broadcasting a periodic beacon from at least one access point; and

detecting a response from said plurality of moving vehicles, wherein if said at least one access point detects a response from a specific moving vehicle, said at least one access point will become a next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle, and if said at least one access point does not detect a response from a specific moving vehicle, said at least one access point will remove said at least one access point from being the next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said at least one access point broadcasts next hop and forwarding node information to said at least one RSU group.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of detecting mobility, using said plurality of moving vehicles, with respect to at least one access point.

33. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 32, said detecting mobility further comprising:

determining, with a specific moving vehicle, a received signal to noise (SNR) from each of said at least one access point; and

comparing said SNR with a predetermined threshold, wherein if said SNR is above said predetermined threshold, all corresponding at least one access points will be removed as a next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle.

34. The ad-hoc wireless network system of claim 32, wherein said step of detecting mobility further comprises:

determining, using a specific moving vehicle, a received signal strength (RSS) from each of said at least one access point; and

selecting one of said at least one access points that has a strongest RSS as a next hop or forwarding node for said specific moving vehicle.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

accessing maintenance information regarding each of said plurality of moving vehicles within a radio range of said at least one RSU group; and

periodically broadcasts status messages to each of said plurality of moving vehicles.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of tracking and locating, using said RSU group, at least one of said plurality of moving vehicles.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of collecting and processing tolls using said RSU group.

38. A method for managing an ad-hoc wireless network comprising steps of:

forming, from more than one stationary roadside network unit (RSU) each having at least one co-located antenna, at least one RSU group operable to function as one network entity, where the same configuration parameters for a moving vehicle are used for each RSU within an RSU group;

forming at least one local peer group (LPG) from a plurality of moving vehicles and at least one stationary roadside network unit (RSU),

electing a group header node (GH) for managing said LPG, said GH is elected from said plurality of moving vehicles and said at least one RSU;

designating at least one group node (GN) from the remaining moving vehicles of said plurality of moving vehicles and said at least one RSU;

each of said plurality of moving vehicles is configured to determine an identity of the RSU group based on beacon, and is further configured to determine if an RSU is of the same group, use the same configuration parameters if said group is determined to be the same,

communicating between each of said plurality of moving vehicles and said at least one RSU, whether said GH or said at least one GN, using routing paths created based upon a first control packet broadcast from said GH and a second control packet broadcast from each of said at least one GN.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of pre-configuring the moving vehicles for network settings.