Relay Device Discovery Chirp Signaling for Mesh Network Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low power Internet of Everything (IOE) devices face challenges in managing mobility and downlink paging efficiently due to sleep cycles and inconsistent communication channels, especially in mesh networks where devices rely on relays to maintain connectivity with base stations.
Innovation Solution
The system employs discovery chirp signals and keep alive signals to enable leaf IOE devices to select and associate with optimal relay IOE devices, using metrics to balance energy efficiency and mobility latency, with the base station optionally offloading relay selection to manage associations and downlink paging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If IOE devices use sleep cycles to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but mobility management becomes more difficult due to limited awake time for coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing relay associations and exchanging coordination information during awake periods before mobility events occur. The base station pre-configures relay devices and prepares paging messages during the IOE device's awake cycles, so that when mobility occurs during sleep periods, the network is already prepared to handle the transition efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
Relay devices serve as intermediaries between the base station and sleeping IOE devices. The relay devices maintain continuous connection with the base station and can receive and forward paging messages and mobility coordination information to IOE devices during their brief awake periods, enabling mobility management without requiring the IOE device to be continuously awake.
2Use of energy by moving object
If IOE devices coordinate during short awake cycles, then energy efficiency is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates due to inconsistent communication channels
Solution Approach 1:
Relay devices act as intermediaries that maintain consistent communication channels with the base station continuously, while the sleeping IOE device only needs brief contact during awake periods. The relay device buffers and forwards data, ensuring reliable communication even when the IOE device is asleep or moving through areas with poor direct coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where the base station autonomously manages paging and data buffering for sleeping IOE devices through their associated relay devices. The network infrastructure automatically handles communication reliability concerns without requiring the IOE device to be actively coordinated, allowing the device to remain in low-power mode while maintaining reliable connectivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If relay selection is performed by leaf IOE devices, then device autonomy is improved, but complexity of relay selection and association increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base station serves as an intermediary that assists leaf IOE devices in relay selection. The base station provides information about available relay devices and their capabilities, and can suggest or coordinate optimal relay selections. This shared approach maintains device autonomy while reducing the computational complexity and decision-making burden on the resource-constrained IOE devices.
4Reliability
If mesh network is employed for inconsistent channels, then connectivity reliability is improved, but power consumption increases due to additional relay communications
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes relay associations and exchanges necessary coordination information during IOE device awake periods before data transmission is needed. By preparing the relay path in advance during low-power windows, the system ensures reliable mesh network connectivity is already configured when data needs to be transmitted, avoiding the need for energy-intensive real-time relay discovery and selection during active communication periods.
Data Source
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AI summary
A relay device and a method executed by the relay device for efficient signaling between leaf and relay devices are disclosed. Thereby, the method performed by the relay device comprises receiving from a leaf device in a mesh network, a discovery chirp signal in a wake-up period, sending, to the leaf device, a keep alive signal during the wake-up period in response to the discovery chirp signal, wherein the keep alive signal contains associated metrics, wherein the metrics comprise at least one of the energy consumption from the relay device to a base station, the number of additional relay devices required to reach the base station from the relay device, or the timing of awake cycles of the relay device, and sending, to the leaf device, connection setup information that comprises resource allocation information.