Mesh Network Defragmentation
AssigneeSilicon Laboratories Inc.
InventorsRichard Kelsey, Matteo Paris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of reassembling a mesh network which has been disrupted by the unavailability of a node or a link are disclosed. Nodes continuously receive beacon messages originating from a leader node. These beacon messages may be transmitted directly by the leader node, or may have been retransmitted by an intermediate node. When a node determines that it has not received a beacon message in a certain time period, it concludes that it is now disconnected from that leader node. At this point, it may choose to act as a leader node and form a new network, or may join with another network. The determination of which network to join may be based on some indicia associated with the leader node of that network.
Claims12
A method of creating a mesh network having a single leader node, from a plurality of nodes, wherein each of said plurality of nodes executes said method, said method comprising:
- receiving one or more beacon messages at said node, wherein each node sending a beacon message temporarily assumes leader node status, and wherein each of said beacon messages comprises a unique indicia associated with said sending node;
- comparing, at said receiving node, said indicia of each of said received beacon messages;
- selecting a leader node based on said comparison;
- and
- retransmitting from said receiving node said beacon message comprising said indicia of said selected leader node.
A method of creating a connected network fragment from a plurality of nodes, formerly connected to an original mesh network, said method executed by each of said plurality of nodes, said method comprising:
- monitoring a time since a beacon message was last received at a node;
- determining, based on said monitored time, that said node is no longer connected to said original mesh network;
- sending, based on said determination, a beacon message comprising an indicia that identifies said node as a leader node;
- receiving a beacon message from another node, said received beacon message comprising an indicia identifying a second potential leader node;
- and
- determining whether said node should join network associated with said second potential leader node or continue as a leader node, based on said indicia.
A method for a node to switch network association within a mesh network having a first leader node, comprising:
- receiving at said node a beacon message comprising an indicia of said first leader node;
- receiving at said node a second beacon message comprising an indicia of a second leader node;
- comparing said indicia to determine which of said first leader node and said second leader node has a higher priority;
- and
- transmitting a beacon message comprising an indicia of said leader node having said higher priority.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.