Border Router Address Translation for IP Sensor Network Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
IP devices, such as digital TV decoders, cannot join 6LoWPAN sensor networks to route data to other IP devices due to independent IP address management and evolving sensor network topologies, limiting their ability to communicate through sensor networks.
Innovation Solution
A router that manages IP device addressing in cooperation with sensor networks, generating addresses conforming to sensor network standards, allowing IP devices to communicate as sensors and route data through the network without modifying the devices, using prefixes and addressing lifetimes to ensure compatibility and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If IP devices use independent IP address management, then each device can maintain its own addressing system, but IP devices cannot join sensor networks to route data through them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a border router as an intermediary device between the IP network and the 6LoWPAN sensor network. This border router performs address translation, converting standard IP addresses to 6LoWPAN addresses and vice versa, enabling IP devices to communicate through sensor networks without modifying their native addressing systems. The border router mediates the addressing incompatibility by translating addresses at the network boundary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the addressing parameter by allowing IP devices to temporarily adopt 6LoWPAN-compatible addresses when joining sensor networks. The system dynamically assigns 6LoWPAN addresses to IP devices participating in sensor networks, enabling them to route data through the low-power network while maintaining their original IP addressing for other communications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sensor network topology evolves over time, then the network can adapt to device movements and changes, but IP devices cannot maintain stable routing through the sensor network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary routing actions by pre-establishing routing paths and address bindings before data transmission occurs. The border router maintains a routing table that maps IP addresses to 6LoWPAN addresses and intermediate node paths. When an IP device joins a sensor network, the routing information is pre-configured, allowing stable routing even as the underlying sensor network topology changes, because the border router handles topology changes independently of the IP devices.
3Use of energy by moving object
If IP devices communicate through sensor networks, then energy consumption is reduced, but address incompatibility and routing issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the networking function into two independent domains: the IP network domain and the 6LoWPAN sensor network domain. Each domain maintains its own addressing and routing mechanisms independently. The border router acts as the segmentation boundary, translating between the two domains. This allows IP devices to leverage the low-energy characteristics of sensor networks for specific communications while maintaining their standard IP addressing for other functions, without requiring full integration of the complex 6LoWPAN addressing system throughout the entire network.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method of forwarding data between two devices of IP type (GTW and STB), termed the first and second devices, the second device being able to communicate with a manager node (LBR) of a network of sensors having respective IP addresses generated by said manager node, the node (LBR) furthermore having a function of forwarding data within the network of sensors, characterized in that it comprises the following steps in a router (RT) - a step of generating an address, by the router (RT), for the second device, - a step of verifying the availability of the address in the network of sensors to the manager node, - if the address is available, a step of requesting the addition, at the manager node (LBR), of the second device to the network of sensors.