Interference measurements and management in directional mesh networks

1. A method for interference measurement in a mesh network of nodes, performed by a centralized node, the method comprising:

partitioning the nodes in the mesh network into a plurality of non-overlapping clusters based on topology information of the mesh network and distance between the nodes in the mesh network, wherein nodes within a non-overlapping cluster can decode each other's beacon transmissions;

receiving interference measurement reports from the nodes in the mesh network;

generating a plurality of edge clusters, wherein each of the plurality of edge clusters includes at least one node in each of two adjacent non-overlapping clusters that observe mutual interference above a predetermined threshold;

generating an interference measurement schedule for the plurality of non-overlapping clusters and the plurality of edge clusters, wherein interference is measured on the plurality of edge clusters before interference is measured on the plurality of non-overlapping clusters, and wherein interference is measured in parallel on the plurality of non-overlapping clusters;

sending cluster membership information for the plurality of non-overlapping clusters and the plurality of edge clusters and the interference measurement schedule to the nodes in the mesh network;

receiving by the centralized node, from a first node, a notification of an error during data transmission to a second node; and

in response to the received notification, the centralized node triggering the first node to perform resource orthogonalization.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the centralized node is an operations and maintenance (OAM) center.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interference measurement schedule identifies an interference measurement frame (IMF) for each of the plurality of non-overlapping clusters and each of the plurality of edge clusters.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the nodes in the mesh network communicate using directional beams, and wherein each IMF includes at least one of the following: an interference level, a reception beam direction, an identifier of a transmitting node, a transmit beam direction, a measurement time slot, a reception beam identifier, and a transmit beam identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a cluster update request from a node in the mesh network, wherein the cluster update request indicates one of: a new node joining the mesh network, or a node in the mesh network with an interference level below a threshold for its respective cluster;

updating cluster membership based on the received cluster update request; and

sending notification of the updated cluster membership to at least one node in the mesh network.

6. A centralized node configured to perform interference measurement in a mesh network, the centralized node comprising:

a processor configured to partition the nodes in the mesh network into a plurality of non-overlapping clusters based on topology information of the mesh network and distance between the nodes in the mesh network, wherein nodes within a non-overlapping cluster can decode each other's beacon transmissions;

a receiver configured to receive interference measurement reports from the nodes in the mesh network;

the processor configured to generate a plurality of edge clusters, wherein each of the plurality of edge clusters includes at least one node in each of two non-overlapping clusters that observe mutual interference above a predetermined threshold;

the processor configured to generate an interference measurement schedule for the plurality of non-overlapping clusters and the plurality of edge clusters, wherein interference is measured on the plurality of edge clusters before interference is measured on the plurality of non-overlapping clusters, and wherein interference is measured in parallel on the plurality of non-overlapping clusters;

a transmitter configured to send cluster membership information for the plurality of non-overlapping clusters and the plurality of edge clusters and the interference measurement schedule to the nodes in the mesh network;

the receiver of the centralized node configured to receive, from a first node, a notification of an error during data transmission to a second node; and

in response to the received notification, the transmitter of the centralized node configured to trigger the first node to perform resource orthogonalization.

7. The centralized node of claim 6 configured as an operations and maintenance (OAM) center.

8. The centralized node of claim 6 , wherein the interference measurement schedule identifies an interference measurement frame (IMF) for each of the plurality of non-overlapping clusters and each of the plurality of edge clusters.

9. The centralized node of claim 6 , wherein the nodes in the mesh network communicate using directional beams, and wherein each IMF includes at least one of the following: an interference level, a reception beam direction, an identifier of a transmitting node, a transmit beam direction, a measurement time slot, a reception beam identifier, and a transmit beam identifier.

10. The centralized node of claim 6 , wherein:

the receiver is further configured to receive a cluster update request from a node in the mesh network, wherein the cluster update request indicates one of: a new node joining the mesh network, or a node in the mesh network with an interference level below a threshold for its respective cluster;

the processor further configured to update cluster membership based on the received cluster update request; and

the transmitter configured to send notification of the updated cluster membership to at least one node in the mesh network.