Hybrid Wireless Control Network to Reduce Packet Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flooding-based routing in large wireless networks with high node density leads to inefficient communication due to collisions and resource consumption, particularly in lighting control systems where nodes are densely deployed.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid network topology combining mesh and star topologies using two communication protocols, assigning each node one of three roles to optimize communication: router nodes for multi-hop routing, non-router nodes for one-hop direct links, and data collector nodes for point-to-point connections, reducing collisions and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flooding-based routing is used to distribute control messages to a large number of nodes, then the probability of missing the message becomes low enough to be acceptable, but the number of re-transmissions increases to tens of thousands in a 200-node network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into multiple zones with zone controllers that manage communication within their respective zones. This divides the large flooding-based network into smaller, more manageable segments, reducing the number of re-transmissions needed while maintaining reliable message delivery across the entire network.
Solution Approach 2:
Zone controllers act as intermediary nodes between the central controller and remote nodes. Instead of the central controller directly flooding messages to all nodes, the zone controllers receive messages from the central controller and distribute them to nodes within their zones, significantly reducing the number of re-transmissions while maintaining delivery reliability.
2Reliability
If flooding-based routing is used in a large network, then control messages can reach remote nodes, but collisions occur because many nodes are in direct communication range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the network into spatial zones with dedicated zone controllers, segmenting the communication traffic so that nodes in different zones do not interfere with each other. This reduces packet collisions by limiting the communication range to local zones while maintaining reliable delivery to remote nodes through the zone controller hierarchy.
Solution Approach 2:
Zone controllers serve as intermediaries that receive messages from the central controller and distribute them to nodes within their local zones. This intermediary layer prevents direct collisions between nodes in different communication ranges by routing messages through the zone controller infrastructure.
3Quantity of substance
If a single broadcast message is sent in a 200-node network, then all nodes can receive the message, but the network storm results from tens of thousands of re-transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into zones with zone controllers that manage local communication. This segmentation reduces the broadcast scope from the entire 200-node network to smaller local zones, dramatically reducing the number of re-transmissions and associated energy consumption while still reaching all nodes through the zone controller hierarchy.
Solution Approach 2:
Zone controllers act as intermediaries that receive broadcast messages from the central controller and distribute them to nodes within their zones. This intermediary approach reduces the overall number of re-transmissions required across the network, thereby reducing total energy consumption while maintaining comprehensive node coverage.
4Area of stationary object
If nodes are deployed with high node density, then the network can cover the required area, but collisions occur because many nodes are in direct communication range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the high-density network into spatial zones with dedicated zone controllers. This segmentation allows nodes to be densely deployed across a large area while limiting direct communication range to local zones, reducing packet collisions through spatial organization and controlled broadcast domains.
Data Source
AI summary
To improve the efficiency and reliability of communication, such as for control commands distribution and data collection, in a large and high density wireless control system (100), each one of a plurality of nodes in the system is assigned one out of three roles, a router node (200), a non-router node (300), or a data collector node (400). A node (200, 300, 400) in the wireless control system (100) is capable to operate according to at least one of two communication protocols. A first communication protocol is capable to support mesh or tree network with multi-hop routing, while a second communication protocol is capable to support a star network with point-to-point connection. The router nodes build up a sparse multi-hop network to guarantee the connectivity of the large-scale network. Around each router node within one-hop direct link, a local star network is built up with at least one non-router node and at least one data collector node.