# US 2018/0027472 A1 · Node equipment, data packet forwarding method and mesh network system thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0027472 A1 - Document ID: US20180027472A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/644,445 - Filed: 2017-07-07 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20 - Assignees: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD - Applicants: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD - Inventors: Junjie Qiao; Linyan Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180027472A1 ## CPC - H04L 27/0008: {arrangements for allowing a transmitter or receiver to use more than one type of modulation (negotiating modulation type for two-way transmission paths H04L5/1453)} - H04L 69/323: in the physical layer [OSI layer 1] - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04W 40/20: based on geographic position or location - H04L 45/122: by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops - H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract An apparatus can include: a network controller in a mesh network, and that transmits and receives first type data packets; node devices in the mesh network, each operable in a first or second mode; a node device being configured to convert at least part of the first type data packets to second type data packets, and to transmit the second type data packets, when the node device operates in the first mode; the node device being configured to convert at least part of the second type data packets to the first type data packets when the node device operates in the first mode; and the node device being configured to transmit and receive the second type data packets when the node device operates in the second mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a) a network controller in a mesh network, and being configured to transmit and receive first type data packets; b) a plurality of node devices in said mesh network, wherein each node device is configured to operate in a first mode or a second mode; c) a node device of said plurality of node devices being configured to convert at least part of said first type data packets to second type data packets, and to then transmit said second type data packets, when said node device operates in said first mode; d) said node device being configured to convert at least part of said second type data packets to said first type data packets when said node device operates in said first mode; and e) said node device being configured to transmit and receive said second type data packets when said node device operates in said second mode, wherein said first type data packets are configured as data packets of a predetermined physical layer protocol, and wherein said second type data packets are configured as data packets with an enhanced physical layer performance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first mode or said second mode of said node device is determined in accordance with a relative position of said node device in said mesh network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said relative position is determined in accordance with the hops number of a shortest forwarding path between said node device and said network controller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said node device operates in said first mode when said relative position is that said node device is adjacent to said network controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: a) said network controller is configured to generate command data packets; b) said command data packets are transmitted in a broadcast mode; and c) said relative position of said node device is determined in accordance with the minimum forwarding number when said command data packet is received. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first mode or said second mode of said node device is determined in accordance with a state of an adjacent node device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first type data packet is configured as a data packet in accordance with a first modulation mode, and said second type data packet is configured as a data packet in accordance with a second modulation mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second modulation mode has at least one of: a lower receiving sensitivity, a lower rate, and use of spreading spectrum technology, as compared with said first modulation mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: a) said first modulation mode comprises a 1 Mbps GFSK modulation mode; and b) said second modulation mode is selected from: 1 Mbps BPSK, 250 KHz GFSK, spreading spectrum BPSK, spreading spectrum GFSK, and spreading spectrum QPSK modulation modes. ### Claim 10 A node device configured in a mesh network, the node device comprising: a) a multimode transceiver configured to transmit and receive first type data packets and second type data packets; b) a controller configured to convert at least part of received first type data packets to said second type data packets that are then transmitted by said multimode transceiver, and being configured to convert at least part of received second type data packets to said first type data packets that are then transmitted by said multimode transceiver in a first mode, wherein said controller is configured to control said multimode transceiver to transmit and receive said second type data packets in a second mode; and c) wherein said first type data packets are configured as data packets of a predetermined physical layer protocol, and said second type data packets are configured as data packets with enhanced physical layer performance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The node device of claim 10, wherein said controller is configured to control said node device to operate in said first mode or said second mode of said node device in accordance with a relative position of said node device in said mesh network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The node device of claim 11, wherein said relative position is determined in accordance with the hops number of a shortest forwarding path between said node device and said network controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The node device of claim 12, wherein: a) said relative position of said node device is determined in accordance with said shortest forwarding path when command data packets are received by said controller; and b) said command data packets are generated by said network controller and transmitted in a broadcast mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The node device of claim 11, wherein said controller on said node device operates in said first mode when said relative position is that said node device is adjacent to said network controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The node device of claim 10, wherein said first type data packets are data packets in accordance with a first modulation mode, and said second type data packets are data packets in accordance with a second modulation mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The node device of claim 15, wherein said second modulation mode has at least one of: a lower receiving sensitivity, a lower rate, and use of spreading spectrum technology, as compared with said first modulation mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mesh network system of claim 16, wherein: a) said first modulation mode comprises a 1 Mbps GFSK modulation mode; and b) said second modulation mode is selected from: 1 Mbps BPSK, 250 KHz GFSK, spreading spectrum BPSK, spreading spectrum GFSK, and spreading spectrum QPSK modulation modes. ### Claim 18 A method of forwarding a data packet from a node device in a mesh network, the method comprising: a) in a first mode, converting at least part of received first type data packets to second type data packets; b) transmitting said second type data packets; c) converting at least part of received second type data packets to said first type data packets; d) transmitting said first type data packets; and e) in a second mode, transmitting and receiving said second type data packets, wherein said first type data packets are configured as data packets of predetermined physical layer protocol, and said second type data packets are configured as data packets with enhanced physical layer performance. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising determining said first mode or said second mode of said node device in accordance with a relative position of said node device in said mesh network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining said relative position in accordance with the hops number of a shortest forwarding path between said node device and a network controller of said mesh network.