Synchronizing nodes of a multi-hop network
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAlexandru Caracas, Urs Hunkeler, Hong Linh Truong
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Abstract
A method for synchronizing nodes of a multi-hop network with a Time Division Multiplex Access scheme (TDMA), the nodes being hierarchically arranged in different levels, including a step of organizing the TDMA by periodic superframes, the respective superframe having a number of frames including at least a broadcast frame, a step of providing the respective broadcast frame with a number of slots, the number of slots being equal to a number of parent nodes in the multi-hop network, a step of assigning each parent node one slot in the broadcast frame in dependence on its level, and a step of distributing a synchronization information to the parent nodes by means of the broadcast frame, respectively.
Claims24
A method for synchronizing nodes of a multi-hop network with a Time Division Multiplex Access (TDMA) scheme, the nodes being hierarchically arranged in different levels, the method comprising:
- organizing the TDMA scheme by periodic superframes, the respective superframe having a number of frames including at least a broadcast frame;
- providing the respective broadcast frame with a number of slots, the number of slots being equal to a number of parent nodes in the multi-hop network;
- assigning each parent node one slot in the broadcast frame in dependence on its level;
- and
- distributing synchronization information to the parent nodes by means of the broadcast frame.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a computer readable program code having computer readable instructions which, when implemented, cause a computer to carry out the steps of a method comprising;
- organizing the TDMA scheme by periodic superframes, the respective superframe having a number of frames including at least a broadcast frame;
- providing the respective broadcast frame with a number of slots, the number of slots being equal to a number of parent nodes in the multi-hop network;
- assigning each parent node one slot in the broadcast frame in dependence on its level;
- and
- distributing synchronization information to the parent nodes by means of the broadcast frame.
A device for synchronizing nodes of a multi-hop network with a Time Division Multiplex Access (TDMA) scheme, the nodes being hierarchically arranged in different levels, the device comprising:
- a scheduler for organizing the TDMA by periodic superframes, the respective superframe having a number of frames including at least a broadcast frame,
- a provider for providing the respective broadcast frame with a number of slots, the number of slots being equal to a number of parent nodes in the multi-hop network,
- a processor for assigning each parent node one slot in the broadcast frame in dependence on its level, and
- a synchronizer for respectively distributing synchronization information to the parent nodes by means of the broadcast frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.