Determining bidirectional path quality within a wireless mesh network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wireless mesh network comprising:
- at least one access node transmitting first routing packets;
at least one gateway estimating an upstream link quality based on reception of the first routing packets, wherein the upstream link quality is determined by determining what percentage of first routing packets are successfully received by the at least one gateway;
the at least one gateway transmitting second routing packets, wherein the second routing packets include the upstream link quality;
the at least one access node receiving the second routing packets from the gateway, the at least one access node selecting a routing path to the gateway based at least partially upon the upstream link quality of a link between the at least one gateway and the at least one access node; and
multi-hop access nodes that are more than one hop away from the at least one gateway, the multi-hop access nodes receiving routing packets from upstream access nodes;
whereinthe at least one access node repopulates beacons lost in reception, ensuring that the at least one access node transmits the same set number of routing packets per unit of time.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for communicating link quality information between access nodes is disclosed. A first step includes a first access node transmitting first routing packets. A second step includes a second access node receiving at least one of the first routing packets over a first direction of a first link. A third step includes the second access node transmitting second routing packets. A fourth step includes the first access node receiving at least one of the second routing packets over a second direction of the first link, and determining a first direction link quality of the first link based upon the second routing packets.
36 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A wireless mesh network comprising:
-
at least one access node transmitting first routing packets; at least one gateway estimating an upstream link quality based on reception of the first routing packets, wherein the upstream link quality is determined by determining what percentage of first routing packets are successfully received by the at least one gateway; the at least one gateway transmitting second routing packets, wherein the second routing packets include the upstream link quality; the at least one access node receiving the second routing packets from the gateway, the at least one access node selecting a routing path to the gateway based at least partially upon the upstream link quality of a link between the at least one gateway and the at least one access node; and multi-hop access nodes that are more than one hop away from the at least one gateway, the multi-hop access nodes receiving routing packets from upstream access nodes;
whereinthe at least one access node repopulates beacons lost in reception, ensuring that the at least one access node transmits the same set number of routing packets per unit of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of routing a data path within a mesh network, comprising:
-
a gateway receiving first routing packets from at least one access node and determining an uplink quality of an upstream link between the at least one access node and the gateway, wherein the upstream link quality is determined by determining what percentage of first routing packets are successfully received by the gateway from at least one access node the gateway transmitting beacons, wherein the beacons include the determined uplink quality; at least one access node receiving the beacons from the gateway; the at least one access node selecting a routing path to the gateway based the received beacons, and at least partially upon an upstream link quality of a link between the at least one gateway and the at least one access node, and multi-hop access nodes that are more than one hop away from the at least one gateway receiving routing packets from upstream access nodes;
whereinat least one access node repopulates beacons lost in reception, ensuring that the at least one access node transmits the same set number of routing packets per unit of time.
-
Specification