Layer-2 management entity messaging framework in a network
View Patent ↗A communications system and method comprises the steps of performing at least one Layer 2 transaction comprising a plurality of wave cycles, each Layer 2 transaction including performing a first wave cycle, concatenating the received first responses from each of the one or more nodes, and performing a second wave cycle. The first wave cycle includes broadcasting a first request from a network coordinator to a plurality of nodes connected to a coordinated network, and receiving a first response from one or more of the nodes indicating that the nodes have opted to participate in a next subsequent wave cycle. The second wave cycle includes transmitting a subsequent request from the network coordinator to each of the one or more nodes based upon the concatenated first responses.
1. A communications method comprising the steps of:
performing at least one Layer 2 transaction comprising a plurality of wave cycles, each Layer 2 transaction includes:
performing a first wave cycle comprising:
broadcasting a first request from a network coordinator to a plurality of nodes connected to a coordinated network, and
receiving a first response from one or more of the nodes indicating that the nodes have opted to participate in a next subsequent wave cycle,
concatenating the received first responses from each of the one or more nodes;
performing a second wave cycle comprising:
transmitting a subsequent request from the network coordinator to each of the one or more nodes based upon the concatenated first responses.
2. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the second wave cycle further includes receiving a subsequent response from each participating node.
3. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the step of performing at least one Layer 2 transaction is performed in response to receiving an initial request by the network coordinator from an entry node.
4. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the network transaction is a parameterized Quality of Service transaction.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first response receiving step comprises receiving the first response from a first sub-set of the plurality of nodes that have opted to participate in the next wave cycle, the method further comprising:
receiving a second response from a second sub-set of the plurality of nodes, wherein the second response indicates that the second sub-set of nodes has opted not to participate in the next wave cycle.
6. The communications method of claim 3 , wherein the step of performing at least one Layer 2 transaction further includes the step of:
performing a third wave cycle wherein the network coordinator transmits a unicast message to at least one of the one or more nodes from which a response was not received by the network coordinator during the first wave cycle.
7. The communications method of claim 6 , wherein the step of performing a third wave cycle further includes receiving a response to the unicast message from the at least one of the one or more nodes.
8. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the coordinated network is a mesh network.
9. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the coordinated network is a coaxial network.
10. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein each cycle includes a request and a response from at least one or mode nodes.
11. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein each of the requests and responses comprises at least one L2ME frame.
12. The communications method of claim 11 , wherein each of the L2ME frames includes an L2ME header and an L2ME payload.
13. The communications method of claim 11 , wherein the L2ME header and frames are included in a payload of a layer 2 frame.
14. The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the Layer 2 transaction is managed by an L2ME having an upper Layer 2 transaction protocol module and a lower Layer 2 wave protocol module.
15. A system, comprising:
a physical interface connected to a shared medium, the physical interface configured to transmit and receive signals through the shared medium;
an L2ME connected to the physical interface and configured to manage a plurality of transactions with at least one node connected to the shared medium, the L2ME having:
a lower module configured to perform a plurality of wave cycles; and
an upper module configured to facilitate the plurality of transactions using the plurality of wave cycles performed by the lower module;
wherein the plurality of wave cycles includes a first wave cycle in which a first request is broadcast to a plurality of nodes, and in which a first response is received from one or more of the nodes indicating that the nodes have opted to participate in a next subsequent wave cycle, the first wave cycle further including concatenating the received first responses from each of the one or more nodes; and
wherein the plurality of wave cycles also includes a second wave cycle in which a subsequent request is transmitted to each of the one or more nodes based upon the concatenated first responses.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the shared medium is a coaxial network.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the shared medium is a mesh network.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the shared medium is a wireless network.
19. A non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with program code, wherein when the program code is executed by a processor, the processor performs a communications method comprising the steps of:
performing at least one Layer 2 transaction comprising a plurality of wave cycles, each Layer 2 transaction including:
performing a first wave cycle comprising:
broadcasting a first request from a network coordinator to a plurality of nodes connected to a coordinated network, and
receiving a first response from one or more of the nodes indicating that the nodes have opted to participate in a next subsequent wave cycle,
concatenating the received first responses from each of the one or more nodes;
performing a second wave cycle comprising:
transmitting a subsequent request from the network coordinator to each of the one or more nodes based upon the concatenated first responses.
20. The machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the coordinated network is a coaxial network.
21. The machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the second wave cycle further includes receiving a subsequent response from each participating node.
22. The machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the step of performing at least one Layer 2 transaction is in response to receiving an initial request at the network coordinator from an entry node.
23. The machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the step of performing at least one Layer 2 transaction further includes the step of:
performing a third wave cycle wherein the network coordinator transmits a unicast message to at least one or more nodes that failed to respond during the first wave cycle.
24. The machine readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the step of performing a third wave cycle further includes receiving a response to the unicast message from at least one of the one or more nodes.
25. The machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the first response receiving step comprises:
receiving the first response from a first sub-set of the plurality of nodes that have opted to participate in the next wave cycle, and receiving a second response from a second sub-set of the plurality of nodes, wherein the second response indicates that the second sub-set of nodes has opted not to participate in the next wave cycle.