초록 ▼

A timely organized ad hoc network is provided, including at least one access point, and a plurality of network nodes operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point, in which at least one of the plurality of network nodes transmits th

A timely organized ad hoc network is provided, including at least one access point, and a plurality of network nodes operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point, in which at least one of the plurality of network nodes transmits the at least one node information message to a first selected one of at least one neighboring destination, the first selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the first selected neighboring destination including one of: i) the at least one access point, and ii) a first neighboring network node of the plurality of network nodes, if the at least one network node is prevented from directly transmitting the node information to the at least one access point.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A network, comprising:at least one access point; and a plurality of network nodes arranged in a self-assigned hierarchy and operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point; wherein at least one of the plurality of network nodes tra

1. A network, comprising:at least one access point; and a plurality of network nodes arranged in a self-assigned hierarchy and operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point; wherein at least one of the plurality of network nodes transmits the at least one node information message to a first selected one of at least one neighboring destination, the first selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the first selected neighboring destination including one of: i) the at least one access point, and ii) a first neighboring network node in a next level of the self-assigned hierarchy of network nodes, if the at least one network node is prevented from directly transmitting the node information message to the at least one access point. 2. The network according to claim 1, wherein the at least one network node is a source of at least a portion of the at least one node information message.3. The network according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the at least one node information message is transmitted to the at least one network node by another one of the plurality of network nodes.4. The network according to claim 3, wherein the at least one network node is operable to transmit and receive the at least one node information message wirelessly using a timely organized communication method.5. The network according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is operable to be assigned to one of a plurality of time slots of a time-slotted communications interval.6. The network according to claim 5, further comprising:a device radio communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of network nodes, and configured to communicate with the at least one of the plurality of network nodes during a time slot assigned to the at least one of the plurality of network nodes. 7. The network according to claim 6, wherein the device radio is configured to conserve energy.8. The network according to claim 6, wherein the device radio is configured to enter a sleep mode when not communicating.9. A network comprising:at least one access point; and a plurality of network nodes operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point; wherein at least one of the plurality of network nodes transmits the at least one node information message to a first selected one of at least one neighboring destination, the first selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the first selected neighboring destination including one of: i) the at least one access point, and ii) a first neighboring network node of the plurality of network nodes, if the at least one network node is prevented from directly transmitting the node information message to the at least one access point, wherein the at least one access point is assigned one of a plurality of hierarchal levels, and each of the plurality of network nodes is operable to assign itself one of the plurality of hierarchal levels in accordance with a number of intervening transmissions required to ensure that the at least one node information message reaches the at least one access point. 10. The network according to claim 9, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol selects the first selected neighboring destination in accordance with the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one neighboring destination.11. The network according to claim 10, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol selects the first selected neighboring destination such that the hierarchal level assigned to the first selected neighboring destination is lower than the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one network node.12. The network according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is further operable to transmit its assigned hierarchal level.13. The network according to claim 12, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol receives the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one neighboring destination from a transmission of the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one neighboring destination.14. The network according to claim 13, wherein the transmission of the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one neighboring destination is transmitted by the at least one neighboring destination.15. The network according to claim 13, wherein the at least one network node is operable to package its hierarchal level and the at least one node information message into a data packet, the at least one network node being further operable to transmit the data packet.16. The network according to claim 13, wherein the at least one network node transmits the data packet in accordance with the dynamic self-routing protocol.17. The network according to claim 9, wherein the at least one access point is operable to transmit at least one acknowledgment message destined for at least one source network node of the plurality of network nodes, the at least one source network node being a source of at least a portion of the at least one node information message.18. The network according to claim 17, wherein the at least one source network node is configured to retransmit the at least one acknowledgment message.19. The network according to claim 18, wherein the at least one source network node is configured to retransmit the at least one acknowledgment message at a lower power than a normal operation.20. The network according to claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is operable to receive and transmit the at least one acknowledgment message.21. The network according to claim 20, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol selects the first neighboring destination in accordance with the at least one acknowledgment message.22. The network according to claim 17, wherein the at least one network node is operable to transmit and receive the at least one node information message wirelessly using a timely organized communication method.23. The network according to claim 22, wherein the at least one network node is operable to transmit and receive the at least one node information message wirelessly using a TDMA communication method.24. The network according to claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is operable to be assigned to one of a plurality of time slots of a time-slotted communications interval.25. The network according to claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is assigned to one of the plurality of time slots in accordance with the at least one acknowledgment message.26. The network according to claim 17, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol selects the first selected neighboring destination in accordance with the at least one acknowledgment message.27. The network according to claim 20, wherein the at least one network node transmits the acknowledgment information to a second selected neighboring destination of the plurality of neighboring destinations, the second selected neighboring destination being selected by the dynamic self-routing protocol, the second neighboring destination including one of:i) the at least one source network node, and ii) a second neighboring network node of the plurality of network nodes. 28. The network according to claim 27, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol selects the second selected neighboring destination in accordance with the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one neighboring destination.29. The network according to claim 28, wherein the dynamic self-routing protocol selects the second selected neighboring destination such that the hierarchal level assigned to the second selected neighboring destination is higher than the hierarchal level assigned to the at least one network node.30. The network according to claim 29, wherein the at least one network node receives the at least one node information message from the second selected neighboring destination, so that the at least one acknowledgment message is transmitted to the at least one source network node using a same path used by the at least one source network node to transmit the at least one node information message to the at least one access point.31. A timely organized ad hoc network, comprising:at least one access point; and a plurality of network nodes arranged in a self-assigned hierarchy and operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point, at least one of the plurality of network nodes including: means for selecting a first selected neighboring destination of at least one neighboring destination in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, and means for transmitting the at least one node information message to the first selected neighboring destination, the first neighboring destination including one of: i) the at least one access point, and ii) a first network node in a next level of the self-assigned hierarchy of network nodes, if the at least one network node is prevented from directly transmitting the at least one node information message to the at least one access point. 32. The network according to claim 31, wherein the at least one network node is a source of at least a portion of the at least one node information message.33. The network according to claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the at least one node information message is transmitted to the at least one network node by another one of the plurality of network nodes.34. The network according to claim 31, wherein the at least one network node is operable to transmit and receive the at least one node information message wirelessly using a timely organized communication method.35. The network according to claim 34, wherein each of the plurality of network nodes is operable to be assigned to one of a plurality of time slots of a time-slotted communications interval.36. A network, comprising:at least one access point; and a plurality of network nodes arranged in a self-assigned hierarchy, the plurality of network nodes and the at least one access point being operable to transmit and receive at least one data packet, each of the at least one data packet being destined for a respective ultimate destination; wherein at least one of the network nodes and the at least one access point transmits the at least one data packet to a neighboring destination selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the neighboring destination including one of: i) the ultimate destination, and ii) a first network node in a next level of the self-assigned hierarchy of network nodes, if the at least one network node is prevented from directly transmitting the at least one data packet to the ultimate destination. 37. The network according to claim 36, wherein the at least one data packet includes at least one of:i) at least one Broadcast Data Packet, ii) at least one Command Data Packet, and iii) at least one Network Data Packet. 38. The network according to claim 36, wherein the ultimate destination includes the at least one access point.39. The network according to claim 36, wherein the ultimate destination includes at least one of the plurality of network nodes.40. A network node, comprising:a microprocessor arrangement; a transceiver arrangement communicatively coupled to the microprocessor arrangement; and a device arrangement communicatively coupled to the microprocessor arrangement, the device arrangement receiving source node information from at least one of at least one sensor, at least one measuring device, and at least one controlling device; wherein the microprocessor arrangement is configured to transmit the source node information to a first selected neighboring destination of at least one neighboring destination, the microprocessor arrangement transmitting the source node information via the transceiver arrangement, the first selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the first selected neighboring destination including one of: i) at least one access point, and ii) a first network node in a next level of a self-assigned hierarchy of network nodes, if the microprocessor arrangement is prevented from directly transmitting the source node information to the at least one access point via the transceiver arrangement. 41. The node according to claim 40, wherein the microprocessor arrangement is configured to receive external node information via the transceiver arrangement, the microprocessor arrangement being further configured to transmit the external node information to the first selected neighboring destination via the transceiver arrangement in accordance with the dynamic self-routing protocol.42. A network node comprising:a microprocessor arrangement; a transceiver arrangement communicatively coupled to the microprocessor arrangement; and a device arrangement communicatively coupled to the microprocessor arrangement, the device arrangement receiving source node information from at least one of at least one sensor, at least one measuring device, and at least one controlling device; wherein the microprocessor arrangement is configured to transmit the source node information to a first selected neighboring destination of at least one neighboring destination, the microprocessor arrangement transmitting the source node information via the transceiver arrangement, the first selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the first selected neighboring destination including one of: i) at least one access point, and ii) a first network node of the plurality of network nodes, if the microprocessor arrangement is prevented from directly transmitting the source node information to the at least one access point via the transceiver arrangement, wherein the microprocessor arrangement is further configured to receive acknowledgment information via the transceiver arrangement, the acknowledgment information being destined for a source network node of the plurality of network nodes, the microprocessor arrangement being further configured to transmit the acknowledgment information to a second selected neighboring destination of the at least one neighboring destination, the microprocessor arrangement transmitting the acknowledgment information via the transceiver arrangement, the second selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with the dynamic self-routing protocol, the second selected neighboring destination including one of: i) the source network node, and ii) a second network node of the plurality of network nodes. 43. A method of communicating data between a plurality of network nodes and at least one access point, the method comprising:providing a network, including the at least one access point and the plurality of network nodes arranged in a self-assigned hierarchy, the plurality of network nodes operable to transmit and receive at least one node information message destined for the at least one access point, at least one of the plurality of network nodes transmitting the at least one node information message to a first selected one of at least one neighboring destination, the first selected neighboring destination being selected in accordance with a dynamic self-routing protocol, the first selected neighboring destination including one of: i) the at least one access point, and ii) a first neighboring network node in a next level of the self-assigned hierarchy of network nodes, if the at least one network node is prevented from directly transmitting the node information message to the at least one access point.