Methods and apparatus for pseudo master node mode operations within a hierarchical wireless network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904902-B2
Application number	US-201414538908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2014
Priority date	May 28, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

Methods of operation and systems are described for node communication within a hierarchical wireless node network having a plurality of ID nodes on a first level, a master node on a second level, and a server at a third level. A first of the ID nodes associates with the master node. The first ID node cannot self-determine its location while the master node is adapted to self-determine its location via location circuitry. The first ID node captures relevant node information, such as profile data, security data, association data, shared data, and/or sensor data. The relevant node information may be captured from another ID node. The first ID node begins operating in a pseudo master node mode so that it can transmit the relevant node information to the server without using the master node as an intermediary to the server.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for enhanced node communication within a hierarchical wireless node network having a plurality of ID nodes on a first level, a master node on a second level, and a server at a third level, the method comprising:
associating, by a first of the ID nodes, the first of the ID nodes with the master node, the first of the ID nodes being unable to self-determine its location while the master node is adapted to self-determine its location via location circuitry, the first of the ID nodes using communications with the master node as an intermediary for indirect communication with the server by the first of the ID nodes when the first of the ID nodes is operating in a normal mode within the hierarchical wireless node network;
capturing, by the first of the ID nodes, relevant node information; and
transmitting, by the first of the ID nodes when operating in a pseudo master node mode in the hierarchical wireless node network, the relevant node information to the server without using the master node as an intermediary to the server by having the first of the ID nodes (a) generate a message for the server, the message including the relevant node information and formatted for a longer range communication path when compared to a shorter range communication path used to communicate between the ID nodes, and (b) broadcast the message on the longer range communication path to the server while avoiding the need to first send the message to the master node during transit to the server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relevant node information further comprises at least one of profile data, security data, association data, shared data, and sensor data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sensor data comprises data collected from one or more sensors in communication with the first of the ID nodes.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the first of the ID nodes.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the capturing step further comprises capturing, by the first of the ID nodes, the relevant node information from a broadcast from a second of the ID nodes associated with the first of the ID nodes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sensor data comprises data collected from one or more sensors in communication with the second of the ID nodes.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the second of the ID nodes.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:
determining a desired communication path for the message including the relevant node information, the desired communication path comprising at least one of the shorter range communication path and the longer range communication path, wherein the shorter range communication path includes the master node operating as an intermediary to the server and the longer range communication path not including the master node operating as the intermediary to the server;
formatting the message for the server, the message formatted for the desired communication path; and
broadcasting the message on the desired communication path to the server while avoiding the need to first send the message to the master node during transit to the server when the desired communication path is the longer range communication path.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for enhanced node communication within a hierarchical wireless node network having a plurality of ID nodes on a first level, a master node on a second level, and a server at a third level, the method comprising
associating, by a first of the ID nodes, the first of the ID nodes with the master node, the first of the ID nodes being unable to self-determine its location while the master node is adapted to self-determine its location via location circuitry, the first of the ID nodes using communications with the master node as an intermediary for indirect communication with the server by the first of the ID nodes when the first of the ID nodes is operating in a normal mode within the hierarchical wireless node network;
capturing, by the first of the ID nodes, relevant node information; and
transmitting, by the first of the ID nodes when operating in a pseudo master node mode in the hierarchical wireless node network, the relevant node information to the server without using the master node as an intermediary to the server by having the first of the ID nodes (a) generate a message for the server, the message including the relevant node information and formatted for a longer range communication path when compared to a shorter range communication path used to communicate between the ID nodes, and (b) broadcast the message on the longer range communication path to the server while avoiding the need to first send the message to the master node during transit to the server.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the relevant node information further comprises at least one of profile data, security data, association data, shared data, and sensor data.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the sensor data comprises data collected from one or more sensors in communication with the first of the ID nodes.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the first of the ID nodes.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the capturing step further comprises capturing, by the first of the ID nodes, the relevant node information from a broadcast from a second of the ID nodes associated with the first of the ID nodes.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the sensor data comprises data collected from one or more sensors in communication with the second of the ID nodes.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the second of the ID nodes.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:
determining a desired communication path for the message including the relevant node information, the desired communication path comprising at least one of the shorter range communication path and the longer range communication path, wherein the shorter range communication path includes the master node operating as an intermediary to the server and the longer range communication path not including the master node operating as the intermediary to the server;
formatting the message for the server, the message formatted for the desired communication path; and
broadcasting the message on the desired communication path to the server while avoiding the need to first send the message to the master node during transit to the server when the desired communication path is the longer range communication path.

17. A system within a hierarchical wireless node network, comprising:
a plurality of ID nodes disposed on a first level of the network, wherein at least a first of the ID nodes uses communications with the master node as an intermediary for indirect communication with the server by the first of the ID nodes when the first of the ID nodes is operating in a

Assignees

• Fedex Corp Services Inc

Inventors

• Skaaksrud Ole Petter

Classifications

• H04W52/40

  during macro-diversity or soft handoff · CPC title

• H04B17/3913

  Predictive models, e.g. based on neural network models · CPC title

• H04W52/223

  predicting future states of the transmission · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W8/24

  Transfer of terminal data · CPC title