Method for establishing relay connectivity in ETSI smartBAN
AssigneeUniversity of Oulu
InventorsBerhane Gebremedhin, Tuomas Paso, Jussi Haapola
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a mechanism to initiate, establish, and maintain relay connectivity in a SmartBAN network while maintaining uninterrupted operations within the network. The present invention comprises the aspects of identifying and notifying an isolated node, initiating and establishing relay connectivity, maintaining the relay connectivity, and ending the relay connectivity when this is desired by either a hub, the isolated node or the nominated relay node. Some new frame formats comprising several new Information Units are also defined.
Claims19
A method for connecting an isolated node or a node with a connection problem back to a connected state in a wireless network, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- determining from lack of acknowledgement for a downlink data signal sent by a hub that a respective node is isolated or experiencing a connection problem;
- broadcasting an Isolated Node Notification Listen command by the hub to all connected nodes, thus triggering active listening by at least a portion of the connected nodes for a broadcast Isolated Node Notification originating from the isolated node;
- broadcasting Isolated Node Notifications to the wireless network by the isolated node;
- sending a received Isolated Node Notification by a candidate relay node to the hub;
- nominating a relay node by the hub based on messages received from at least one candidate relay node;
- sending slot allocation for a Relay Beacon, R-Beacon, from the hub to the nominated relay node;
- acknowledging the slot allocation for the R-Beacon by the nominated relay node to the hub;
- transmitting the R-Beacon by the nominated relay node to the isolated node;
- and
- acknowledging the received R-Beacon by the isolated node to the nominated relay node, resulting in a connection of the isolated node back to the wireless network.
An isolated node, wherein, when the isolated node is determined to lack connection to a wireless network, the isolated node is configured to perform the steps of:
- broadcasting Isolated Node Notifications to the wireless network;
- receiving a Relay Beacon, R-Beacon, from a nominated relay node;
- and
- acknowledging the received R-Beacon by the isolated node to the nominated relay node, resulting in a connection of the isolated node back to the wireless network.
A hub, wherein, when an isolated node is determined to lack connection to a wireless network, the hub is configured to perform the steps of:
- broadcasting an Isolated Node Notification Listen command to all connected nodes, thus triggering active listening by at least a portion of the connected nodes for a broadcast Isolated Node Notification originating from the isolated node;
- receiving at least one received Isolated Node Notification from at least one candidate relay node;
- nominating a relay node based on messages received from the at least one candidate relay node;
- sending slot allocation for a Relay Beacon, R-Beacon, to the nominated relay node;
- and
- receiving acknowledgement of received slot allocation for the R-Beacon from the nominated relay node.
A relay node, wherein, when an isolated node is determined to lack connection to a wireless network, the relay node is configured to perform the steps of:
- receiving an Isolated Node Notification Listen command from the hub;
- listening to broadcast Isolated Node Notifications from the isolated node;
- sending a received Isolated Node Notification to the hub;
- receiving a nomination for a nominated relay node from the hub;
- receiving slot allocation for a Relay Beacon, R-Beacon, from the hub;
- acknowledging received slot allocation for the R-Beacon to the hub;
- transmitting the R-Beacon to the isolated node;
- and
- receiving acknowledgement of the received R-Beacon from the isolated node, resulting in a connection of the isolated node back to the wireless network.
A computer program product for connecting an isolated node or a node with a connection problem back to a connected state in a wireless network, the computer program product comprising program code executable in a processor, wherein when executed, the computer program product is configured to perform the steps of:
- determining from lack of acknowledgement for a downlink data signal sent by a hub that a respective node is isolated or experiencing a connection problem;
- broadcasting an Isolated Node Notification Listen command by the hub to all connected nodes, thus triggering active listening by at least a portion of the connected nodes for a broadcast Isolated Node Notification originating from the isolated node;
- broadcasting Isolated Node Notifications to the wireless network by the isolated node;
- sending a received Isolated Node Notification by a candidate relay node to the hub;
- nominating a relay node by the hub based on messages received from at least one candidate relay node;
- sending slot allocation for a Relay Beacon, R-Beacon, from the hub to the nominated relay node;
- acknowledging the slot allocation for the R-Beacon by the nominated relay node to the hub;
- transmitting the R-Beacon by the nominated relay node to the isolated node;
- and
- acknowledging the received R-Beacon by the isolated node to the nominated relay node, resulting in a connection of the isolated node back to the wireless network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.