# US 11,910,224 B2 · Receiver-centric communication by combined network technologies for enhanced reliability > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,224 B2 - Document ID: US11910224B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/437,456 - Filed: 2020-03-04 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-14 - Assignees: Signify Holding B.V. - Applicants: Signify Holding B.V. - Inventors: Xiangyu Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910224B2 ## CPC - H04W 28/021: {in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks (self-organizing networks H04W84/18)} - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 69/26: {Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures (network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12)} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 8/22: Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities - H04W 16/04: Traffic adaptive resource partitioning - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04W 28/082: among bearers or channels - H04W 28/0883: {between entities in ad-hoc networks} - H04W 28/0908: {based on time, e.g. for a critical period only} - H04W 28/0992: {based on the type of application} - H04W 40/248: {Connectivity information update} - H04W 48/06: based on traffic conditions - H04W 52/0212: {managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower} - H04W 72/1215: {for collaboration of different radio technologies} - H04W 74/085: {collision avoidance} - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - G16Y 10/75: Information technology; Communication - G16Y 20/30: relating to resources, e.g. consumed power - G16Y 30/00: IoT infrastructure - G16Y 40/40: Maintenance of things - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W 92/02: Inter-networking arrangements - H04W 92/18: between terminal devices - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G16Y: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS [IoT] - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract The present invention relates to a receiver-centric transmission system for IoT systems, such as lighting networks, with combo protocol radio chips that share a single radio front-end for two or more transmission protocols of different network technologies while preventing unacceptable performance degradations in one or both protocol modes. The receiver-centric approach allows implementation of two networks with acceptable performances on one single radio chip per node rather than requiring two radio chips per node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A network node for use in a network, the network node configured to transmit or receive either in a first communication mode using a first network technology or a second communication mode using a second network technology on a time-sharing basis according to a predetermined duty cycle, the network node comprising an apparatus for controlling transmission of a network node in a network, wherein the apparatus comprises: a determination unit for determining a preferred communication mode of a target node of the transmission, the preferred mode being a communication mode of the target node, out of the first and second communication mode, that the target node uses most; and a selecting unit for selecting one of the first and second communication modes for the transmission to the target node based on the determined preferred communication mode of the target node, wherein the preferred communication mode is based on information about the target node, which information is retrieved from the target node directly, indirectly from a further node or gateway, or may result from pre-configured rules. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the network node is configured as an end device of the second network technology which operates as a device of the first network technology with a larger duty cycle ratio of the first communication mode as compared to the respective duty cycle ratio of the other communication mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The network node claim 1, wherein the first network technology is a single-hop technology and the second network technology is a multi-hop technology. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The network node of claim 3, wherein the selection unit is configured to select the second communication mode for transmission to a parent node or next-hop node, if the determination unit determines a gateway device of the network as the target node of the transmission. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The network node of claim 3, wherein the selection unit is configured to select the second communication mode for a broadcast transmission to a parent node, if the determination unit determines all network nodes of the network as target nodes of the transmission. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the network node is configurable as either an end device or router device of the first network technology, which is operated with a larger duty cycle ratio of the first communication mode as compared to the respective duty cycle ratio of the other communication mode, or as either an end device or router device of the second network technology, which is operated with a larger duty cycle ratio of the second communication mode as compared to the respective duty cycle ratio of the other communication mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The network node of claim 6, wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the preferred communication mode of the target node via an out-of-band mechanism, and wherein the selection unit is configured to select the determined preferred communication mode for the transmission to the target node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The network node of claim 6, wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the preferred communication mode of the target node based on an application that the network node is operating in for the transmission, and wherein the selection unit is configured to select the determined preferred communication mode for the transmission to the target node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A lighting system comprising a plurality of network nodes as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the first network technology is used for receiving beacon signals from tag devices of an asset tracking system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of network nodes comprise first network nodes configured as end device of the second network technology and operated as a device of the first network technology with a larger duty cycle ratio of the first communication mode as compared to the respective duty cycle ratio of the other communication modes, and second network nodes configured as a router device of the second network technology and operated with a larger duty cycle ratio of the second communication mode, wherein the second network nodes are configured to forward information of a received broadcast message of the second communication mode in an advertisement message of the first communication mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of network nodes comprise first network nodes configured as a router device of the first network technology and operated with a larger duty cycle ratio of the first communication mode, and second network nodes configured as an end device or router device of the second network technology and operated with a larger duty cycle ratio of the second communication mode, wherein the first network nodes are configured to forward a received broadcast message of the first communication mode in both first and second communication modes, or wherein the second network nodes are configured to translate a received unicast message of the second communication mode to a message of the first communication mode or to tunnel the received unicast message in a message of the first communication mode, if the next-hop node is a first network node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the preferred communication mode is based on information about the target node, which information is retrieved from the target node directly via an out-of-band mechanism or results from pre-configured rules. ### Claim 14 A method of controlling transmission of a network node in a network, the network node being configured to transmit or receive in a first communication mode using a first network technology and in a second communication mode using a second network technology on a time sharing basis according to a predetermined duty cycle, wherein the method comprises: determining a preferred communication mode of a target node of the transmission, the preferred mode being a communication mode of the target node, out of the first and second communication mode, that the target node uses most; and selecting one of the first and second communication modes for the transmission to the target node based on the determined preferred communication mode of the target node, wherein the preferred communication mode is based on information about the target node, which information is retrieved from the target node directly, indirectly from a further node or gateway, or may result from pre-configured rules. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A non-transitory computer program product comprising code means for executing the steps of claim 14 when run on a network node.