Parent Node Selection in Wi-Fi Mesh Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wi-Fi mesh networks face challenges in rapidly establishing reliable communication links due to frequent changes in network topology caused by node failures, additions, or movements, necessitating an effective mechanism for selecting a parent node.
Innovation Solution
A method for selecting a parent node in a mesh network involves filtering out nodes that are not in the same organization, version, or network, and those with insufficient signal strength, then calculating a rank based on signal strength, level, and connections to choose the node with the highest rank as the parent node.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If nodes are arbitrarily added or removed in the mesh network, then the network adapts to dynamic changes, but the network topology structure changes frequently causing communication instability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing optimal parent node selections before failures occur. When a node fails or topology changes, the system can rapidly switch to pre-determined alternative parent nodes without needing to perform complex real-time calculations, thus maintaining communication stability while adapting to changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic parent node selection by continuously monitoring network conditions and allowing nodes to switch between different parent nodes based on current topology. This dynamic adjustment mechanism enables the network to adapt to frequent topology changes while maintaining stable communication through intelligent node selection.
2Productivity
If a parent node is selected without comprehensive filtering, then the selection process is simple and fast, but the communication quality and network reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary filtering and evaluation of potential parent nodes in advance, storing their characteristics and suitability metrics. When a node needs to select a parent, it can quickly retrieve and compare pre-evaluated candidates rather than performing comprehensive analysis in real-time, thus maintaining both speed and quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes evaluation parameters dynamically based on network conditions, node capabilities, and current topology. By adjusting which parameters are weighted most heavily in different situations, the system can maintain high communication quality while adapting the selection process to various scenarios, balancing speed and reliability requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a method for selecting a parent node in a mesh network: for one or more other nodes found through scanning, a first node filtering out, from the one or more other nodes, nodes that are not in a same organization, not of a same version, or not in the same network; filtering out, from the one or more other nodes, leaf child nodes at a deepest level, and nodes with a maximum number of connections reached; filtering out, from the one or more other nodes, free nodes, all child nodes of the first node, and nodes in a looped list of the first node; filtering out, from the one or more other nodes, nodes with a signal strength unable to maintain normal communication; and according to preset weights, for each of remaining nodes in the one or more other nodes after filtering, calculating a rank collectively based on a signal strength value of the node, a level of the node, and an existing number of connections of the node, and selecting a node with a highest rank among the remaining nodes as the parent node of the first node. The invention may rapidly and effectively establish parent-child relationships between nodes in the mesh network, optimize the network topology structure, and improve the communication quality between the nodes.