Mesh Network Path Cost Metric for Adaptive Bitrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mesh networks face bandwidth degradation due to multi-hop relaying, where each relay reduces the bit rate by 50%, limiting the number of hops and degrading throughput as stations move apart, necessitating a method to maintain stable communication with high quality of service even for distant stations.
Innovation Solution
A station controller determines a path cost by incorporating the number of jumps and bit rate, adjusting bit rates based on distance and number of links to optimize throughput and range, using a new metric function that increases cost with more hops or lower bit rates, thereby distributing bandwidth more evenly and extending network coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a station acts as a relay for other stations' communications in a mesh network, then the network coverage and connectivity are improved, but the available bandwidth for the relaying station is reduced due to sharing bandwidth with other stations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the bandwidth allocation based on the position of stations in the mesh network. Stations closer to the central point (root) are allocated higher bandwidths while stations farther away (leaf nodes) are allocated lower bandwidths. This positional differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing relaying stations to maintain sufficient bandwidth for their relay function while enabling distant stations to operate at acceptable rates, thus expanding network coverage without uniformly reducing bandwidth for all stations.
2Length of stationary object
If the number of hops in a path is increased to reach distant stations, then the network coverage is extended, but the bit rate is reduced by 50% per hop due to multi-hop bandwidth degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the bandwidth parameter based on the hop count and position of stations in the mesh network. Instead of using a fixed bandwidth allocation, the system modifies the bandwidth parameter according to the distance from the central point, allowing higher bandwidths for stations with fewer hops and lower bandwidths for stations with more hops. This resolves the contradiction by enabling extended network coverage through multiple hops while managing bit rate degradation through adaptive bandwidth allocation.
3Length of stationary object
If the transmission power is increased to maintain connection for stations far apart, then the communication range is extended, but the throughput is degraded due to increased interference and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating throughput allocation based on station position in the mesh network. Stations closer to the central point receive higher throughput allocations while distant stations receive lower allocations. This positional differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing distant stations to maintain connectivity at acceptable throughput levels without requiring uniform high transmission power across the entire network, thus extending communication range while managing throughput degradation.
4Reliability
If adaptive bandwidth adjustment is implemented based on distance and hop count, then the quality of service for distant stations is improved, but the path finding complexity increases due to additional cost calculation parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a cost function that incorporates multiple parameters including hop count, bandwidth, and distance to determine optimal paths in the mesh network. This enhanced cost function resolves the contradiction by enabling quality of service improvement for distant stations through comprehensive path evaluation, while managing path finding complexity through a systematic approach that weights different factors (hop count, bandwidth, distance) to guide the path selection process.
Data Source
AI summary
A station (100, 330) for use in a mesh network comprising at least one first station (100a) and a second station (100b) wherein the station comprises a controller (210) configured to receive a path request for a path from the first station (100a) to the second station (100b); determine a proposed path between the first station (100a) and the second station (100b); and determine a cost for the proposed path, wherein the controller (210) is characterized in that it is configured to retrieve a number of jumps and a bit rate, and to include the number of jumps and a bit rate in the determination of the cost for the proposed path, wherein an increase in number of jumps and/or decrease in bit rate leads to an increase in cost for the proposed path.