Multiplex communications – Diagnostic testing – Determination of communication parameters
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2004-05-11
Kizou, Hassan (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Diagnostic testing
Determination of communication parameters
C370S351000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06735178
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to directional antennas and methods for selecting which directional antenna to use to maximize data throughput of a multiple radio system where information is available about data throughput. The invention has particular application to a packet radio system wherein packets can carry information about end to end communication efficiency.
Packet radio networks are used throughout the world to provide data communication between nodes. These networks can communicate over several type of data communication network architectures, the major types being star (e.g., conventional wireline and cellular), bus (e.g., computer backplane, local area networks and cable television) and mesh (e.g., elements of the Internet web and the Metricom wireless network).
In a mesh network, a collection of nodes autonomously connect, send, receive, forward and analyze packetized traffic in the network, which is a shared resource having limitations on traffic capacity. In a star network, data is sent and received through collection point node in communication with a plurality of remote nodes. Both star and mesh networks can employ an element of directionality. There is a need to optimize performance throughput to the greatest number of users in these types of networks.
Heretofore, the nodes in so-called intelligent mesh networks have been able to develop performance metrics about themselves and their neighboring nodes that are useful in measuring throughput. One such network is Metricom's Ricochet data communication network. Reference is also made to prior Metricom work, such as METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKETS IN A PACKET COMMUNICATION NETWORK USING LOCALLY CONSTRUCTED ROUTING TABLES, U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,608 issued Jan. 30, 1996; and METHOD FOR ROUTING PACKETS BY SQUELCHED FLOODING, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,052 issued Apr. 9, 1991. The level of performance is in many respects limited by the speed of the constituent links. Extending the performance of these types of networks is the subject of continuing development efforts. This invention represents further development.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, in an imperfect mesh network or in a star network, the directionality of transmission and reception at each node, as through a directional antenna, is selected to maximize combined or multiple-link end-to-end information throughput. To this end, a maximum throughput metric is provided for a region of the network to be optimized which is based on 1) measurement of link quality with respect to neighboring nodes and 2) information about link quality and other factors related to propagation delay or “latency” as reported to it by other nodes regarding their neighboring links. One embodiment of the invention is optimized for downloading information from remote websites.
This invention represents an advance over the invention described in unpublished U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/198,060 filed Nov. 28, 1998 in the name of George F. Flammer III and Curtis Bradford entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAXIMIZING DATA THROUGHPUT IN A PACKET RADIO MESH NETWORK, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. The Flammer et al. technique provides optimization on a per-link basis. The present invention may use those per-link optimization tools. While this invention provides improved performance in both mesh networks and star networks, it works with greatest efficiency in star networks or in mesh networks where half of the endpoints are concentrated in small areas, an approximate equivalent to a multi-hop star network. An example is a typical microcellular wireless system where wired access points are placed at intervals to extract the data off of the wireless system and place it onto a wired backbone. A specific example is the Metricom Ricochet system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4718081 (1988-01-01), Brenig
patent: 4780885 (1988-10-01), Paul et al.
patent: 4850036 (1989-07-01), Smith
patent: 4974224 (1990-11-01), Boone
patent: 5007052 (1991-04-01), Flammer
patent: 5253161 (1993-10-01), Nemirovsky et al.
patent: 5257399 (1993-10-01), Kallin et al.
patent: 5280288 (1994-01-01), Sherry et al.
patent: 5355522 (1994-10-01), Demange
patent: 5381404 (1995-01-01), Sugano et al.
patent: 5488608 (1996-01-01), Flammer, III
patent: 5513183 (1996-04-01), Kay et al.
patent: 5541954 (1996-07-01), Emi
patent: 5546422 (1996-08-01), Yokev et al.
patent: 5561790 (1996-10-01), Fusaro
patent: 5619493 (1997-04-01), Ritz et al.
patent: 5737358 (1998-04-01), Ritz et al.
patent: 5805633 (1998-09-01), Uddenfeldt
patent: 5937002 (1999-08-01), Andersson et al.
patent: 5987011 (1999-11-01), Toh
patent: 6023462 (2000-02-01), Nieczyporowicz et al.
patent: 6034946 (2000-03-01), Roginsky et al.
patent: 6240125 (2001-05-01), Andersson et al.
patent: 6252861 (2001-06-01), Bernstein et al.
patent: 6260072 (2001-07-01), Rodriguez-Moral
patent: 6272313 (2001-08-01), Arsenault et al.
patent: 6301244 (2001-10-01), Huang et al.
patent: 6321271 (2001-11-01), Kodialam et al.
patent: 631413 (1994-12-01), None
Jones, L.R. et al. “An Integrated Approach to Network Routing”. IEEE AFRICON 4th. Stellenbosch, South Africa. Sep. 24-27, 1996. vol 1. pp. 157-161.*
Stallings, William. “Data and Computer Communications: Second Edition”. MacMillan Publishing Company, 1998. pp. 261-268.*
Kahn, Robert E., et al.,Advances in Packet Radio Technology, Proceedings of the IEEE, Nov. 1978, vol. 66, No. 11.
Friday Robert J.
Ritter Michael W.
Srivastava Arty
Kizou Hassan
Mills Donald
Ricochet Networks, Inc.
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
LandOfFree
Method for maximizing throughput for multiple links using... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for maximizing throughput for multiple links using..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for maximizing throughput for multiple links using... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3189758