Mesh Action Frame for Management Traffic Transport
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for transporting management information in multi-hop mesh networks are inefficient, as they lack distinct fields for user and management traffic, leading to increased complexity and overhead, and do not support hop-by-hop encryption, which is necessary for ensuring the privacy of mesh management traffic.
Innovation Solution
A new type of frame, referred to as a 'mesh action' frame, is introduced to efficiently transport management traffic across multiple hops, distinguishing it from data frames and allowing intermediate nodes to process it without examining the contents, while also providing address fields and security features for hop-by-hop encryption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mesh data frames are used to transport management information, then management traffic can be conveyed through the network, but the management frame complexity and overhead increase due to encapsulation in new frame types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the management information from the mesh data frame structure and places it in a separate, dedicated management frame format. This allows management traffic to be transported without the complexity overhead of mesh data frame encapsulation, as the management frame is a simpler, purpose-built structure that doesn't require nesting within mesh data frames.
2Ease of operation
If IEEE 802.11 action frames are used to tunnel management traffic, then management information can be transported one hop at a time, but the forwarding node must process and reconstitute the frame at each hop, reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring intermediate forwarding nodes with the necessary management frame processing capabilities and routing information before management traffic needs to be transported. This allows nodes to forward management frames efficiently without requiring complex real-time processing or reconstitution at each hop, as the forwarding paths and frame handling procedures are established in advance.
3Ease of operation
If IEEE 802.11 action frames are used for management traffic, then management information can be transported, but hop-by-hop encryption cannot be implemented to ensure privacy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing hop-by-hop encryption specifically for management frames, distinguishing them from data frames. Each management frame is encrypted individually at each hop using the local key shared between adjacent nodes, ensuring that only the immediate next hop can decrypt and read the management information. This localized encryption approach provides privacy for management traffic without requiring complex end-to-end encryption mechanisms.
4Productivity
If management information is carried in fixed fields or information elements, then management traffic can be transported, but distinct fields for user and management traffic are not available, leading to increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network traffic into distinct types by creating separate frame formats for management traffic and user data traffic. Management frames use a dedicated frame type with specific fields for management information, while user data continues to use standard mesh data frames. This segmentation allows the network to distinguish between management and user traffic clearly, reducing the complexity of processing and routing decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to techniques and technologies for efficiently transporting management information between mesh nodes across multiple hops or “mesh links” in a multi-hop mesh network. These techniques and technologies are general purpose and provide an extensible mechanism for transporting management traffic across a mesh network. These techniques and technologies can be applied in a number of applications relating, for example, to security, routing, radio measurements, mesh node management, etc.