Method and apparatus for maximizing data throughput in a packet radio mesh network
AssigneeRicochet Networks, Inc.
InventorsGeorge Henry Flammer, III, Curtis Bradford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a mesh network communication system, net throughput is optimized on the link between the communicating nodes by dynamically modifying signal characteristics of the signals transmitted between nodes in response to performance metrics which have been determined from analysis at the receivers for the corresponding links. The signal characteristics can be the data rate, modulation type, on-air bandwidth, etc. The performance metrics are calculated based on data-link on-air characteristics of received signals.
Claims28
In a mesh network communication system capable of dynamically establishing links between communicating nodes, a method for optimizing net throughput on a link from a first node to a second node, the method comprising steps of:
- dynamically establishing the link between the first node and the second node with a first signal, wherein:
- the first and second nodes are part of a mesh network communication system, and
- each of the first and second nodes sends, receives, forwards packets with the mesh network communication system;
- determining at least one performance metric, at the second node, of data-link on-air characteristics of the first signal from the first node;
- relaying information relating to the at least one performance metric from the second node to the first node;
- and
- dynamically modifying at least one signal characteristic of a second signal transmitted from the first node to the second node, wherein the dynamically modifying step is responsive to at least one performance metric.
In a mesh network communication system capable of dynamically establishing links between a plurality of communication nodes substantially simultaneously, a method for optimizing net throughput on the links between connected nodes, the method comprising steps of:
- dynamically establishing links between the plurality of communication nodes, wherein the mesh network transports communications through a series of the plurality of communication nodes in the mesh network;
- determining at least one performance metric of data-link on-air characteristics for each of a plurality of signals received at a plurality of receiving nodes;
- relaying information relating to the at least one performance metric of data-link on-air characteristics for each of the plurality of signals to a corresponding plurality of transmitting nodes;
- and
- dynamically modifying at each of the plurality of transmitting nodes at least one signal characteristic for each of the plurality of signals transmitted to the respective plurality of receiving nodes, wherein the modifying step for a particular transmitting node of the plurality of transmitting nodes is responsive to the determining step for a particular receiving node of the plurality of receiving nodes that receives a particular signal sent from the particular transmitting node.
In a mesh network communication system capable of dynamically establishing links between communication nodes, a transceiver in each node of the communication system comprising:
- a receiver for receiving signals transmitted from at least one other node;
- a transmitter for transmitting to at least one other node, wherein all nodes are part of the mesh network communication system capable of dynamically establishing links between communication nodes;
- a controller connected to the receiver and the transmitter for computing at least one performance metric based on data-link on-air characteristics for each of selected ones of the received signals;
- and
- wherein the transmitter dynamically modifies signal characteristics of selected ones of the transmitted signal based on performance metrics corresponding to the transmitted signals at respective receiving nodes.
In a mesh network wireless communication system having dynamically established links between nodes, a controller in a node of said communication system comprising:
- a receiver for receiving inbound data signal from at least one other node, wherein the node and the other node are part of a mesh network wireless communication system having dynamically established links between nodes to transport data through a multitude of nodes in the mesh network wireless communication system;
- a transmitter for transmitting outbound data signal to at least one other node;
- a demodulator connected to the receiver for demodulating the received signal from the receiver;
- means for detecting data rate of the demodulated signal from the demodulator;
- and
- means for controlling data rate of the outbound data signal applied to the transmitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.