Wide-Area Mesh Network Using LoRa Repeaters
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network solutions are inadequate for transmitting messages in large geographic areas with unreliable power sources, difficult access, or disrupted network topologies, which can impede the timely identification and resolution of needs in situations like disaster relief or military operations.
Innovation Solution
A wide-area mesh network that allows message transmission through access points, wide-area repeaters, and endpoints, using a captive portal for user device connectivity, and employing LoRa transceivers for long-range communication, without requiring specialized hardware or software.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional network connectivity is used in large geographic areas, then network coverage is limited, but the transmission capacity is insufficient to cover the entire area
Solution Approach 1:
The network is divided into multiple mesh-connected access points and repeaters that collectively cover large geographic areas. Each node independently transmits and relays messages, creating a distributed network that expands coverage while maintaining transmission capacity through multiple paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional two-dimensional cellular coverage to a three-dimensional mesh network topology where messages can travel through multiple spatial dimensions and relay nodes, enabling both extended coverage and maintained capacity simultaneously.
2Reliability
If existing network topology (e.g., cellular towers) is used, then infrastructure is established, but the network may be disrupted or offline in difficult terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh network dynamically routes messages through available nodes, automatically adapting to disruptions. When certain paths become unavailable due to terrain or damage, the system dynamically finds alternative routes through other relay nodes, maintaining reliability while adapting to changing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The network changes its operational parameters by switching between different routing paths and activation states of nodes based on environmental conditions and node availability, enabling it to maintain reliability across diverse and challenging terrains.
3Area of stationary object
If wireless devices transmit messages over long distances, then coverage area increases, but transmission capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Relay nodes act as intermediaries that receive, regenerate, and retransmit messages across long distances. This intermediary approach maintains message fidelity by refreshing signals at each hop rather than attempting single-long-distance transmission, preserving information while extending geographic coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for deploying and using a wide-area mesh network are disclosed. A method includes: receiving, by an access point in a wide-area mesh network, a connection request from a user device; responsive to the connection request, presenting a messaging interface in a captive portal to the user device; receiving, by the access point via the messaging interface in the captive portal, a message to be transmitted over the wide-area mesh network; transmitting the message from the access point to an endpoint in the wide-area mesh network, via one or more wide-area repeaters in the wide-area mesh network; and subsequent to transmitting the message from the access point to the endpoint in the wide-area mesh network, presenting the message in a message reporting interface.