초록 ▼

A wireless network of communicating devices, preferably including sensors, uses a distributed method of topology learning to organize multiple hop, relayed communication among the devices and with users. The method of topology learning identifies interference neighbors and communication neighbors fo

A wireless network of communicating devices, preferably including sensors, uses a distributed method of topology learning to organize multiple hop, relayed communication among the devices and with users. The method of topology learning identifies interference neighbors and communication neighbors for each device, preferably using ranging between devices and distributed calculation to limit the number of devices involved in each step of the topology learning method, thereby conserving energy and bandwidth. The identification of interference neighbors and communication neighbors for each device in the network facilitates scheduling of communications in any of a variety of multiple access protocols.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of determining the communication topology of a wireless network consisting of a plurality of distributed nodes, at least one but less than all of which comprise a network of member nodes, each of said nodes having a known maximum communication range g and a known maximum interference ran

1. A method of determining the communication topology of a wireless network consisting of a plurality of distributed nodes, at least one but less than all of which comprise a network of member nodes, each of said nodes having a known maximum communication range g and a known maximum interference range b, said interference range being the range from a transmitting node within which said transmitting node's transmissions may interfere with a receiving node's reception, comprising the steps of:selecting an inviting member node, one of said member nodes, transmitting to a new non-member node, by wireless transmission from said inviting member node, an invitation to join the network of member nodes, identifying a communicating set of member nodes within communication range g of said new node, in response to said invitation, and identifying an interfering set of member nodes within the interference range b of said new node, in response to said invitation.