Star Network Status Vector Dissemination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In traditional star networks, nodes do not receive acknowledgement messages from other nodes until the end of a transmission round, leading to inefficiencies in communication and delayed awareness of node operational status, especially in multicast communication systems where timely redundancy management and system-wide operational status are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A method where nodes communicate status information independently of their assigned TDMA windows, allowing the hub to compile and send a status vector to all nodes within the next TDMA window, enabling quicker dissemination of acknowledgement messages and operational status across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nodes wait until the end of a transmission round to receive acknowledgement messages, then the traditional TDMA protocol structure is maintained, but the awareness of node operational status is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having nodes send status information (acknowledgements) as soon as they receive messages, rather than waiting for the end of the transmission round. The hub compiles these status reports and makes them available to all nodes in the next TDMA window, allowing nodes to know operational status one round earlier than traditional methods.
2Productivity
If status information is communicated within the next TDMA window, then communication efficiency is improved, but the protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the status information communication with the existing TDMA framework by utilizing the hub's central role. The hub compiles status reports from multiple nodes and broadcasts them during the next TDMA window, combining what would otherwise be separate acknowledgment transmissions into a single efficient broadcast operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of communicating node status in a star network comprising a hub and a plurality of nodes comprises sending a first message to the hub from a first node included in the plurality of nodes; forwarding the first message from the hub to at least one second node included in the plurality of nodes; communicating status information to the hub from the at least one second node after receiving at least a portion of the first message at the at least one second node; compiling a status vector based on the status information received from each of the at least one second nodes; and sending the status vector from the hub to at least the first node.