US-12628066-B2 - Node configuration and self-healing for ad hoc networks

US12628066B2US 12628066 B2US12628066 B2US 12628066B2US-12628066-B2

Abstract

A network includes at least one node to communicate with at least one other node via a wireless network protocol. The node includes a network configuration module to periodically switch a current node function of the node between an intermediate node function and a leaf node function. The switch of the current node function enables automatic reconfiguration of the wireless network based on detected communications between the at least one node and at least one intermediate node or at least one leaf node via the wireless network protocol.

Inventors

Ariton E. Xhafa
Jianwei ZHOU
Xiaolin Lu

Assignees

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240404

Claims (20)

1 . A method comprising: configuring a first device of a wireless network as an intermediate node that transmits beacons; switching the first device from the intermediate node to a leaf node, responsive to detecting no communications between the first device and at least one leaf node of the wireless network during a time period, wherein the first device does not transmit beacon frames while functioning as a leaf node; switching the first device from the leaf node back to the intermediate node to detect whether subsequent leaf nodes are present in the wireless network; and utilizing a dynamic parameter that defines a time percentage of a given time period that the first device functions as the intermediate node.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: holding the first device as the intermediate node for the time percentage; switching the first device from the intermediate node to the leaf node if there are no leaf nodes connected to the intermediate node, and after each given time period; and switching the first device to the intermediate node for the time percentage to detect if other subsequently detected parentless leaf nodes are present.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the dynamic parameter by a time amount over a number of intervals of a time period when no leaf nodes are detected.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the dynamic parameter over a number of intervals until a minimum time percentage is achieved.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the minimum time percentage is 5%.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: monitoring the first device when operating as the intermediate node; and when there is no communications detected by the intermediate node with the leaf node within a time period defined by a keep alive timer, switching the first device from the intermediate node to the leaf node.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate node transmits beacons according to a time slotted channel hopping (TSCH) protocol.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising defining a time interval when the first device is configured as the leaf node, wherein the time interval is set to a time of a beacon interval associated with the wireless network.
9 . A device comprising: a transceiver; and a processor configured to: during a time interval, cause the transceiver to transmit beacons while the device operates as an intermediate node in a wireless network, after a portion of the time interval, switch the device from operating as the intermediate node to operating as a leaf node, responsive to detecting no communications between the device and at least one leaf node of the wireless network during the portion of the time interval; and switch the device from operating as the leaf node to operating as the intermediate node responsive to an expiration of the time interval.
10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to detecting communications between the device as at least one leaf node of the wireless network during the portion of the time interval of the time interval, cause the device to continue to operate as the intermediate node for a remainder of the time interval.
11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the portion of the time interval.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust the portion of the time interval responsive to whether there is no communication between the device and at least one leaf node during the time interval.
13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to decrease the portion of the time interval when there no communication between the device and at least one leaf node is detected during the time interval.
14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to decrease the portion of the time interval by half for a next time interval responsive to detecting no communication between the device and at least one leaf node during the time interval.
15 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to decrease the portion of the time interval each successive time interval in which no communication between the device and at least one leaf node is detected until reaching a minimum portion of the time interval.
16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the minimum portion of the time interval is 5% of the time interval.
17 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the portion of the time interval is between 5% and 90% of the time interval.
18 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the transceiver is configured to operate according to a time slotted channel hopping (TSCH) protocol.
19 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions configured to cause a processor of a device to: during a time interval, cause a transceiver to transmit beacons while the device operates as an intermediate node in a wireless network, after a portion of the time interval, switch the device from operating as the intermediate node to operating as a leaf node, responsive to detecting no communications between the device and at least one leaf node of the wireless network during the portion of the time interval; and switch the device from operating as the leaf node to operating as the intermediate node responsive to an expiration of the portion of the time interval.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to, in response to detecting communications between the device as at least one leaf node of the wireless network during the portion of the time interval of the time interval, cause the device to continue to operate as the intermediate node for a remainder of the time interval.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/064,636, filed Dec. 12, 2022, which is a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 16,864,405, filed May 1, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,528,653, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/591,867, filed May 10, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,681,610, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/346,879, filed Jun. 7, 2016, which applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to networks, and more particularly to network nodes that can automatically change node configuration to facilitate self-healing of an ad hoc wireless network. BACKGROUND Network time slotted protocols are widely used to establish communications between network nodes utilizing a predictable time frame slotting technique for nodes to communicate, where each network node communicates according to predefined slots. Such protocols provide scheduled, contention-free channel access to improve throughput performance compared to carrier sense techniques. These protocols are often employed in the formation of ad hoc wireless communications networks, for example. Ad hoc wireless communications networks are formed dynamically as nodes come within range of existing network resources. These networks may be utilized in many applications to provide communications between lower level devices on the networks such as sensors and upper tier devices communicating with the sensors. In some applications, routing protocols are created that define relationships in the network and how the network operates as conditions change. For example, each node within the network can have a preferred parent node that it can communicate in an upwards direction and possibly having multiple child nodes for downward communications. The parent nodes are sometimes referred to as a root node or intermediate node and the child nodes are sometimes referred to as leaf nodes. SUMMARY This disclosure relates to network nodes that can automatically change node configuration to facilitate self-healing of an ad hoc wireless network. In one example, a network includes at least one node to communicate with at least one other node via a wireless network protocol. The node includes a network configuration module to periodically switch a current node function of the node between an intermediate node function and a leaf node function. The switch of the current node function enables automatic reconfiguration of the wireless network based on detected communications between the at least one node and at least one intermediate node or at least one leaf node via the wireless network protocol. In another example, a method includes configuring at least one node of a wireless network as an intermediate node. The method includes detecting if at least one leaf node is connected to the intermediate node via the wireless network. The method includes switching the intermediate node to a leaf node if no communications are detected with the at least one leaf node after a predetermined time period. In yet another example, a method includes configuring at least one node of a wireless network as an intermediate node. The method includes detecting if at least one leaf node is connected to the intermediate node via the wireless network. The method includes periodically switching the intermediate node to a leaf node if no communications are detected with the at least one leaf node after a predetermined time period. The method includes periodically switching the leaf node back to the intermediate node to detect if subsequent leaf nodes are present in the wireless network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an example network where a node can automatically reconfigure its node function to facilitate self-healing of the network. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a network protocol for a self-healing network that utilizes channels, slot frames and time slots. FIG. 3 illustrates an example network configuration having multiple intermediate and leaf nodes that can periodically change node functionality. FIG. 4 illustrates an example method that employs a static reconfiguration of a network to facilitate self-healing of the network. FIG. 5 illustrates an example method that employs a dynamic reconfiguration of a network to facilitate self-healing of the network. FIG. 6 illustrates an example node that can automatically reconfigure its node function to facilitate self-healing of a network. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This disclosure relates to network nodes that can automatically change node configuration to facilitate self-healing and automatic configuration of an ad hoc wireless network. A network configuration module is provided that enables intermediate or leaf nodes in the network to periodically change their function (e.g., from leaf node to intermediate node or vis versa) depending on detected conditions of the network. F