Itron Gmbh

Staccato Communications, Inc.

General Atomics, Inc.

Nextg Networks, Inc.

James Laurence Taylor

Jerome Bartier

Viet-Hung Nguyen

Keith W Barnes

Thomas F Uhling

Hartman Van Wyk

Fabrice Monier

Timothy Leo Gallagher

Peter Paul Smyth

Michael Dale Perry

Jaya L Jeyaseelan

Nishant Kumar

Jason Hillyard

David S Furuno

Nicholas Michael Carbone

Naiel K Askar

Venkatagopal Racherla

Peter David Ransome

Source routing techniques include sending data across several networks, while limiting source routing overhead. For example, the source routing techniques may use a first address format to route data to nodes along a routing path that are within a first network where a source node is located, and use a second address format to route the data to a node along the routing path that is within a second, different network. The node in the second network may similarly route the data through the second network using the first address format for nodes within the second network and, if needed, route the data to a node within a third network using the second address format. This may be repeated for any number of networks to reach a destination.

Partial source routing for cross-network routing

Techniques for bridging communication between multiple networks to facilitate distribution of multicast data are described herein. For example, a node that is able to communicate with its network and an adjacent network may send a subscription message indicating that the node is a member of a multicast group. The subscription message may be forwarded up both networks. The node may then forward, between the networks, data that is destined for members of the multicast group.

Multi-network operation with member node for multicast groups

Techniques for discovering a device in a wireless network are described herein. For example, a first device may send a network discovery solicitation message to a second device to solicit a communication relationship (e.g., request connection to a parent). The network discovery solicitation may include one or more information elements that indicate a channel function associated with the first device and a listening window during which the first device will be listening for communications. The second device may use the channel function to frequency hop and send a network discovery message to the first device during the listening window. The network discovery message may include one or more information elements to establish a sampled schedule for the first device moving forward.

Discovery mechanism for communication in wireless networks

Techniques for connecting networks to facilitate distribution of data are described. For example, to distribute multicast data to members of a multicast group that span multiple networks, the techniques may identify a path between networks that each have a member of the multicast group, such as a shortest path between networks. The techniques may inform the networks on the path to establish a connection with an adjacent network. This may allow multicast data for a multicast group to be distributed to members of the multicast group that are located in separate networks.

Connecting multiple networks for multicast groups

Techniques for limiting forwarding of multicast communications are described herein. For example, the techniques intelligently forward data along paths of a network where members of a multicast group are located. As such, nodes that do not lead to members of the multicast group may be pruned from distribution of the data. This reduces network communications, ultimately conserving processing, communication, and/or battery resources of the nodes.

Limiting forwarding of multicast communications

Techniques for bridging communication between multiple networks to facilitate distribution of multicast data are described herein. For example, the techniques may identify a particular node that is able to communicate with each network and instruct the particular node to act as a bridge between the networks. The particular node may forward data from either network to the other network. This may allow data for a multicast group to be distributed to members of the multicast group that are located in separate networks.

Multi-network operation for multicast groups

Techniques for communicating channel data regarding a channel plan are described herein. For example, a device may communicate a channel information element that includes a tag indicating a first operating context to which to apply channel data regarding a channel plan. The channel information element may also include a reference tag to indicate whether the channel data is contained in the channel information element or has been previously received and/or to identify a second operating context associated with previously received channel data. If the reference tag indicates that the channel data is contained in the channel information element, the channel data may be extracted from the channel information element and applied to the first operating context. If the reference tag indicates that the channel data has been previously received, the previously received channel data may be accessed and applied to the first operating context.

Channel structure for communication in wireless networks

Techniques for communicating schedule data regarding a schedule are described herein. For example, a device may communicate a schedule information element that includes a tag indicating a first operating context to which to apply schedule data regarding a schedule. The schedule information element may also include a reference tag to indicate whether the schedule data is contained in the schedule information element or has been previously received and/or to identify a second operating context associated with previously received schedule data. If the reference tag indicates that the schedule data is contained in the schedule information element, the schedule data may be extracted from the schedule information element and applied to the first operating context. If the reference tag indicates that the schedule data has been previously received, the previously received schedule data may be accessed and applied to the first operating context.

Events and scheduling for communication in wireless networks

A sensor network having a first command center and a first access node, comprising a wireless transceiver, coupled to the command center. The sensor network may also include a plurality of nodes individually comprising a wireless transceiver and a directional antenna, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is successively located in a downlink direction relative to the first access node, and is configured to wirelessly communicate via the directional antenna with at least one node of a first neighbor group in a first direction and at least one node of a second neighbor group in a second direction. In addition, a sensor device is individually coupled to at least one of the nodes, and is configured to provide sensor data for the first command center.

Method and system for network setup and maintenance and medium access control for a wireless sensor network

A communications network comprises two or more cell sites for communication with wireless terminals. At least one of the cell sites has multiple receive antennas. A central site has one or more interface controllers and a switch system through which the controllers are connected to the cell sites. For each controller in communication with a wireless terminal, a cell site is selected for reception of signals from the terminal, and for each selected cell site having more than one receive antenna, an antenna within the site is selected for reception from the terminal.

Local area network utilizing macro and micro diversity techniques in receiving signals from cell sites

Token passing data transfer mechanism for reservation based protocols is provided. In some embodiments, a token passing data transfer mechanism for reservation based protocols includes sharing a reservation between a first device and a second device including transmitting a zone activity frame from the first device to the second device to modify the default allocation of the reservation blocks between the first device and the second device, in which the zone activity frame includes a first bit mask indicating which zone reservation blocks the first device requests for transmitting data to the second device during a plurality of zones of the superframe, in which a zone reservation block includes a plurality of contiguous reserved slots within a zone, and the second reservation includes a plurality of zones.

Token passing data transfer mechanism for reservation based protocols

Detecting a wireless device is disclosed. A situation in a wireless medium is created for the wireless device to transmit. A transmission of the wireless device is received. The wireless device is detected based at least in part on information associated with the received transmission of the wireless device.

Growing community of inventors

Sherborne, United Kingdom

James Laurence Taylor