Integrated wireless distribution and mesh backhaul networks
View Patent ↗Networks, devices and methods related to wireless networking. A wireless network using nodes that perform both distribution and backhaul functions is provided. These nodes constitute the key elements of a wireless network that would be deployed and controlled by a wireless network operator. Each node contains a distribution wireless module which is wirelessly coupled to the wireless end user device using a point to multipoint scheme. Also integrated into each node is at least one backhaul wireless module with a directional wireless antenna. Each backhaul wireless module communicates by way of a point to point wireless link with the backhaul module of one other node. The nodes in the wireless network are interconnected to form a mesh backhaul network. Because of the nature of a mesh network, data traffic can be routed around obstacles that may prevent line of site links. Furthermore, the mesh network allows dynamic routing of data traffic to avoid congestion points or downed links in the network.
1. A method for routing traffic in a network from a specific node in said network, said method comprising: performing by electronic network communications apparatus the steps of:
a) gathering information related to at least one link between said specific node and nodes adjacent to said specific node, wherein said specific node comprises;
at least one wireless backhaul module for communicating with at least one node in a wireless network; and,
a wireless distribution module for communicating with at east one wireless end user device;
wherein the at least one wireless end user device receives said at least one wireless signal from said at least one node by way of the at least one backhaul module and transmits at least a portion of at least one of said at least one wireless signal to either another node in the wireless network by way of the at least one backhaul module or to said at least one end user device by way of the wireless distribution module and the or each wireless backhaul module communicates with a single node in the wireless network at any one time;
b) for the or each of said links, calculating a cost associated with said link between said specific node and a node adjacent to said specific node associated with said link;
c) receiving data from other nodes in said network, said data relating to costs associated with links between said other nodes and nodes adjacent to said other nodes;
d) distributing link data to said other nodes, said link data including a cost for the or each of said links between said specific node and nodes adjacent to said specific node;
e) determining routing paths from said specific node to each of said other nodes based on said costs calculated in step b) and said data received from other nodes in step c) such that a path cost associated with said routing path is minimized, wherein only most recent data received from said other nodes are used in step e).
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein for the at least one link, said information is derived from bit rate information related to a specific link between said specific node and a node adjacent to said specific node.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein for the at least one link, said information is derived from link utilization information related to a utilization of a link between said specific node and a node adjacent to said specific node.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said electronic network communications apparatus is wireless electronic network communications apparatus and said network is a wireless network.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said specific node further comprises a switch/router module for routing traffic between different modules in said at least one node, said traffic being extracted from said at least one wireless signal.