摘要:
Mediation devices in an asynchronous network of low power consumption communication devices are leveraged through the use of new protocols (2500) that analyze relevant QoS parameters (2520) in order to provide a better than best effort service in the network. These protocols invoke adaptive quality of service (QoS) mechanisms to capitalize on the strength and flexibility provided to the network by the presence of one or more MDs, as described above. Expanded functionality of the MD includes control information messaging and service differentiation for the purpose of improving QoS of the network.
摘要:
A low power consumption protocol for low power communication devices attached to an asynchronous network is described. In this protocol, one or more mediation devices (MDs) facilitate data processing capabilities in the network, whether in a dedicated MD or distributed MD network environment. These capabilities may be provided by the functions of packet caching, removal of replicated packets, and multiple communication types performed by the one or more MDs in accordance with a common synchronization schedule (2510) managed by the one or more MDs and communicated to other devices in the network (2530).
摘要:
During operation a node (500) that has associated with a network (100) will periodically broadcast a beacon (303) during a beacon interval as part of a superframe. The beacon will be periodically broadcast for a first period of time, based on a time it takes for nodes to associate with the network. After the first period of time has passed, the beacon will be switched off for a second period of time, after which, the beacon will again be periodically broadcast.
摘要:
A method for peer-to-peer ranging and discovery of a rigid body existing in a scatternet having piconets and nodes includes the steps of defining a node (12) in a piconet (10) to be a piconet controller (PNC) having controller functions, locating a rigid body seed including the node (12), and discovering a rigid body by sequentially downloading controller functions of the piconet controller (12) to at least one border node. Also provided is a communications node including a receiver for receiving communications from other communications nodes in a communications range (R), a transmitter for sending communications to other communications nodes in the communications range (R), a memory storing at least ranging information and a unique identification for describing the node, and a processor connected to the receiver, to the transmitter, and to the memory, the processor being programmed to carry out the method according to the present invention.
摘要:
A method for estimating the location of a blindfolded node (235) in a wireless network having reference nodes (225, 230) is provided. The reference nodes (225, 230) are combined into pairs (301) and each pair is checked to determine if the reference nodes are within each other's communication rage (304). A plurality of probable regions (315) for the blindfolded node are obtained (313, 315). These probable regions are overlapped (320), and the blindfolded node's estimated location is estimated to be the geometric center of the overlapped regions (325).
摘要:
Protocols for ad-hoc wireless networks (200) that use mediation devices (202–210) to facilitate communication between low power, low duty cycle wireless devices (212–226) are provided. In order to avoid premature battery exhaustion in particular devices, devices operating as mediation devices (202–210) report their communication load to low duty cycle wireless devices (212–226) that are positioned to be able to use the mediation devices (202–210). Based on the information as to communication load received from multiple mediation devices (202–210), and optionally on a virtual hop count that is a predictor of how rapidly the use of a route through a particular mediation device will lead to battery exhaustion, low duty cycle wireless devices (212–226) choose a mediation device (202–210) to use or proportion use of mediation devices (202–210) in order to delay battery exhaustion in the network.
摘要:
A method for peer-to-peer ranging and discovery of a rigid body existing in a scatternet having piconets and nodes includes the steps of defining a node (12) in a piconet (10) to be a piconet controller (PNC) having controller functions, locating a rigid body seed including the node (12), and discovering a rigid body by sequentially downloading controller functions of the piconet controller (12) to at least one border node. Also provided is a communications node including a receiver for receiving communications from other communications nodes in a communications range (R), a transmitter for sending communications to other communications nodes in the communications range (R), a memory storing at least ranging information and a unique identification for describing the node, and a processor connected to the receiver, to the transmitter, and to the memory, the processor being programmed to carry out the method according to the present invention.
摘要:
Location related information is collected for a network of communication devices that each is operable in a coordinating mode and in a non-coordinating mode. While in the coordinating mode, each communication device collects and stores location determining information (410, 420). Using the location determining information collected by one or more of the communication devices over multiple instances of operation in the coordinating mode, location information is calculated or updated for selected devices within the network (510, 520, 530, 540). In one embodiment, each device operates to mediate communication activities among others devices of the network while in the coordinating mode.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for determining a node's proper duty cycle is provided herein. All nodes (500) within a network (100) will interactively switch duty-cycles based on a number of hops a device is from a personal area network coordinator PNC. Changing duty cycles based on a number of hops from a PNC assures that spatial patterns of duty-cycles form in a network to maximize data throughput and minimize network wide power consumptions.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for locating a remote unit (or node) is provided herein. During operation, location-finding equipment (106) will determine a gross location of non-located nodes (104) by determining distances of the nodes (104) to reference nodes (105). Additionally an error estimate in the location for each node is determined. A first subset of nodes having relatively lower error estimates are “promoted” to reference nodes, and a second subset of nodes having higher error estimates are again located based on a distance to the newly-promoted reference nodes.