Method and apparatus for reliable communications in underground and hazardous areas
First Claim
1. A method for managing a reliable wireless ad hoc mesh network architecture and protocol to support normal and emergency operation of voice, data and location communication for underground, industrial and other hazardous environments using a single wideband platform, the method comprising:
- providing an ad hoc wireless mesh network (WMN) system for underground communications comprising localized clusters of autonomous nodes with connection to gateway nodes where gateway nodes, fixed mesh nodes (FMNs) and mobile nodes contain an ad hoc mesh network protocol for automatic formation and maintenance of link connections in a network and communicate through RF links over an RF spectrum;
configuring each of the nodes of the WMN system to provide a combination of waveforms and features supported by the system;
supervising the functioning of each WMN to ensure operation of nodes located therein and to identify traffic pattern congestion within each WMN;
determining signal strength of the RF link and a traffic profile at proposed underground locations of the gateway node and at each of the fixed nodes as measured by transmissions from fixed mesh node transmitters to a mobile mesh radio;
optimizing a location of each of the gateway nodes and each of the fixed nodes by maximizing signal strength of the RF link and the traffic pattern for each such node;
optimizing a location of each of the mobile nodes based on a geolocation algorithm; and
reconfiguring any WMN in which traffic congestion is found to reduce latency and peak usage on each FMN, or in which unreliable nodes are identified, to improve RF coverage and the traffic profile for the underground communications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reliable wireless voice, data and location communication for deployment in underground, industrial and other hazardous environments using a wireless mesh network. The network includes protocol for dispatch operation, emergency operation, remote supervision, remote status, asset control, machine state of health and operational management. The architecture is based on localized clusters of autonomous nodes capable of ad hoc interconnection with nearby nodes and connection to gateway nodes. The resulting network is an ad hoc mesh topology comprised of fixed mesh nodes with approximately 50% coverage overlap between nodes. This provides a reliable communication network for mobile nodes carried by personnel and sensor nodes that are fixed or mobile that supports voice, data and tracking/situation awareness. Each cluster of nodes transfers digital voice and data to gateway nodes either directly or through multi-hop transactions.
92 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for managing a reliable wireless ad hoc mesh network architecture and protocol to support normal and emergency operation of voice, data and location communication for underground, industrial and other hazardous environments using a single wideband platform, the method comprising:
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providing an ad hoc wireless mesh network (WMN) system for underground communications comprising localized clusters of autonomous nodes with connection to gateway nodes where gateway nodes, fixed mesh nodes (FMNs) and mobile nodes contain an ad hoc mesh network protocol for automatic formation and maintenance of link connections in a network and communicate through RF links over an RF spectrum; configuring each of the nodes of the WMN system to provide a combination of waveforms and features supported by the system; supervising the functioning of each WMN to ensure operation of nodes located therein and to identify traffic pattern congestion within each WMN; determining signal strength of the RF link and a traffic profile at proposed underground locations of the gateway node and at each of the fixed nodes as measured by transmissions from fixed mesh node transmitters to a mobile mesh radio; optimizing a location of each of the gateway nodes and each of the fixed nodes by maximizing signal strength of the RF link and the traffic pattern for each such node; optimizing a location of each of the mobile nodes based on a geolocation algorithm; and reconfiguring any WMN in which traffic congestion is found to reduce latency and peak usage on each FMN, or in which unreliable nodes are identified, to improve RF coverage and the traffic profile for the underground communications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification