AUTO-CONFIGURATION OF A MESH RELAY'S TX/RX SCHEDULE
A communication device capable of communicating over a communication network that is configured such transport of packets through the network is provided by each communication device in the network listening for and relaying packets, the communication device comprising a relay unit configured to listen for packets and relay them over the network, a detection unit configured to identify other communication devices in the network that are also capable of acting as relay devices and a power controller configured to adjust the power that the communication device uses to listen for packets in dependence on the other devices identified by the detection unit.
1 . A communication device capable of communicating over a communication network that is configured such that transport of packets through the network is provided by each communication device in the network listening for and relaying packets, the communication device comprising:
a relay unit configured to listen for packets and relay them over the network;
a detection unit configured to identify other communication devices in the network that are also capable of acting as relay devices; and
a power controller configured to adjust the power that the communication device uses to listen for packets in dependence on the other devices identified by the detection unit.
2 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power in dependence on the number of other devices identified by the detection unit.
3 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power in dependence on receive parameters associated with the other devices identified by the detection unit.
4 . A communication device as claimed in claim 3 , in which the receive parameters include one or more of a listening schedule, a power status and a receive range.
5 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power in dependence on a mode of operation of a consumer device associated with the communication device.
6 . A communication device as claimed in claim 5 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power in dependence on whether its associated consumer device is active or non-active with respect to the network.
7 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power in dependence on information received from the network about the current transport capabilities of the network,
8 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power in dependence on a power status associated with the communication device.
9 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to control the rate at which it adjusts the power in dependence on a power status associated with the communication device.
10 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the detection unit being configured to identify the other devices using packets that have previously been relayed to it over the network.
11 . A communication device as claimed in claim 10 , the detection unit being configured to identify the other devices using packets that have been relayed multiple times.
12 . A communication device as claimed in chum 10 , the detection unit being configured to identity The other devices using a lifetime value incorporated in packets that have previously been relayed to it over the network.
13 . A communication device us claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power by controlling the amount of time that the relay unit listens for packets.
14 . A communication device as claimed in claim 13 , the power controller being configured to control a period of time for which the relay unit listens continuously for packets.
15 . A communication device as claimed in claim 13 , the power controller being configured to control a time interval between periods of time for which the relay unit listens continuously for packets.
16 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to control the relay unit such that, the higher the number of devices identified by the detection unit, the less time that the relay unit listens for packets.
17 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power by controlling a receive range of the communication device.
18 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the power controller being configured to adjust the power by controlling the usage of receive circuitry in the communication device.
19 . A communication device as claimed in claim 1 , the relay unit being configured to listen to packets asynchronously from other devices in the network.
20 . A method of communicating over a communication network that is configured such that transport of packets through the network is provided by each communication device in the network listening for and relaying packets, the method composing a communication device:
identifying other communication devices in the network, that are also capable of acting as relay devices; and
adjusting the power that the communication device uses to listen for packets in dependence on the other devices identified.