Wireless device link metric for effective comparison of multi-hop routes in wireless mesh networks

A multi-path radio communications network for monitoring and controlling an industrial process, the network comprising:

• a plurality of processor-based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate in a mesh network wherein each radio communicates with multiple other radio devices in the mesh network;
• and
• wherein at least one of the plurality of processor-based radio device is configured to:
• measure a signal strength value for a first communication link established through at least one neighbouring radio device;
• calculate a signal strength performance metric based on the measured signal strength of the first communication link;
• measure a traffic level value observed by the input/output device at the remote end of the first communication link;
• calculate a traffic level performance metric based on the measured traffic value of the device at the remote end of the first communication link;
• determine a link metric for the first communication link, based on the calculated signal strength performance metric and the calculated traffic level performance metric;
• and
• utilize the link metric to evaluate a preferred path for routing of a message.

A multi-path radio communications system comprising:

• a plurality of processor based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate with one another in a mesh network having a frequency hopping spread spectrum topology, each of the plurality of processor based radio devices configured to:
• measure a signal strength value for a first communication link established through at least one neighbouring radio;
• calculate a signal strength performance metric based on the measured signal strength for the first communication link;
• measure a traffic level value observed by the input/output device at the remote end of the first communication link;
• calculate a traffic level performance metric based on the measured traffic value of device at the remote end of the first communication link;
• determine a link metric for the first communication link, based on the calculated signal strength performance metric and the calculated traffic level performance metric;
• and
• utilize the link metric to evaluate a preferred path for routing of a message.

The multi-path radio communications system wherein each of the plurality of processor based radio devices is further configured to:

• identify a plurality of communication paths to a destination radio device, at least one the plurality identified communication paths including a multi-hop communication path including a plurality of communication links between respective ones of the plurality of processor based radio devices;
• calculate link metrics for each respective link associated each of the multiple paths identified;
• accumulate the respective link metrics for each one of the multiple paths identified to determine respective path metrics of the multiple paths identified;
• and
• utilize the determined path metrics of the respective multiple paths identified to select a preferred communication path.