Node configuration and self-healing for ad hoc networks
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsAriton E. Xhafa, Jianwei Zhou, Xiaolin Lu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network includes at least one node to communicate with at least one other node via a wireless network protocol. The node includes a network configuration module to periodically switch a current node function of the node between an intermediate node function and a leaf node function. The switch of the current node function enables automatic reconfiguration of the wireless network based on detected communications between the at least one node and at least one intermediate node or at least one leaf node via the wireless network protocol.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- configuring a first device of a wireless network as an intermediate node that transmits beacons;
- switching the first device from the intermediate node to a leaf node, responsive to detecting no communications between the first device and at least one leaf node of the wireless network during a time period, wherein the first device does not transmit beacon frames while functioning as a leaf node;
- switching the first device from the leaf node back to the intermediate node to detect whether subsequent leaf nodes are present in the wireless network;
- and
- utilizing a dynamic parameter that defines a time percentage of a given time period that the first device functions as the intermediate node.
A device comprising:
- a transceiver;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- during a time interval, cause the transceiver to transmit beacons while the device operates as an intermediate node in a wireless network,
- after a portion of the time interval, switch the device from operating as the intermediate node to operating as a leaf node, responsive to detecting no communications between the device and at least one leaf node of the wireless network during the portion of the time interval;
- and
- switch the device from operating as the leaf node to operating as the intermediate node responsive to an expiration of the time interval.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions configured to cause a processor of a device to:
- during a time interval, cause a transceiver to transmit beacons while the device operates as an intermediate node in a wireless network,
- after a portion of the time interval, switch the device from operating as the intermediate node to operating as a leaf node, responsive to detecting no communications between the device and at least one leaf node of the wireless network during the portion of the time interval;
- and
- switch the device from operating as the leaf node to operating as the intermediate node responsive to an expiration of the portion of the time interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.