Method for automatic enrollment of devices into a synchronized mesh network

1 . A method performed by a device to add the device to an existing device mesh network, comprising:

receiving a sync message that a sub-channel is available;

using information in the sync message, determining a talking time;

sending a sub-channel request message at the talking time;

receiving a response message;

when an indication in the response message indicates approval of the sub-channel request message, then the device enrolling itself as a child of a sender of the sync message;

wherein the sync message is a broadcast message;

wherein the response message comprises: an approval, and an available sub-channel number; and

wherein the information in the sync message comprises: an available sub-channel, a sending device up channel number, a network branch number, a network sync time, and a network depth number.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device enrolling itself as a child of the sender of the sync message comprises:

using the network branch number, the network depth number and the sending device up channel number to determine a down channel number;

using the down channel number, determine a parent sub-channel response time; sleeping;

waking at the parent sub-channel response time; and

sending a sub-channel taken message at the parent sub-channel response time.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein using the network branch number, the network depth number and the sending device up channel number to determine a down channel number comprises using the network branch number and the network depth number to build a depth-first post-ordered tree that associates the sending device up channel number with the down channel number.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising using a sub-channel duration, the sending device up channel number and the down channel number to build a complete up channel group and a complete down channel group; using the complete up channel group and the complete down channel group to determine a down EMG sub channel time; and using the down EMG sub channel time to determine the talking time.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein receiving a response message comprises the device waking up during a sync channel time of the sender of the sync message.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising sleeping between the sending a sub-channel request message at the talking time and the receiving a response message.

7 . A device, comprising:

a memory; a communications interface; and

a processor in communication with the memory and the communications interface, the processor being configured to:

receive, via the communications interface, a sync message that comprises a sub-channel number;

using information in the sync message, determine a parent response time;

sleep;

wake from sleeping at the parent response time;

send a request message at the parent response time, the request message comprising the sub-channel number;

wake from sleeping at a response message time;

receive a response message comprising an approval indication, and an available sub-channel number; and

when the approval indication is positive, then the device assigning itself to a sender of the sync message.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the sub-channel number is the same as the available sub-channel number.

9 . The device of claim 8 wherein the device assigning itself to a sender of the sync message comprises:

determining a parent listening time;

sleeping; and

waking from sleep at the parent listening time and sending a sub-channel taken message to the sender of the sync message.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the sub-channel taken message comprises a device ID, and the available sub-channel number.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the information in the sync message comprises: a network branch number, a network depth number, a sending device up channel number, and a network sync time.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the response message time comprises a sync sub-channel time of the sender of the sync message.

13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein determining the parent listening time comprises:

using the network branch number, the network depth number, the sending device up channel number, and the network sync time to determine a down channel of the sender of the sync message; and

using the down channel of the sender of the sync message to determine the parent response time.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the parent response time comprises a down channel available sub-channel time.

15 . The device of claim 13 , wherein a parent response comprises the sending device up channel number and the available sub-channel number.

16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising:

instructions for receiving, via a communications interface, a sync message that comprises a sub-channel number;

instructions for determining a parent response time using information in the sync message;

instructions for sleeping;

instructions for waking from sleeping at the parent response time;

instructions for sending a request message at the parent response time, the request message comprising the sub-channel number;

instructions for waking from sleeping at a response message time;

instructions for receiving a response message comprising a yes/no indication, and an available sub-channel number; and

instructions for assigning to a sender of the sync message when the yes/no indication is a yes.

17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein assigning to a sender of the sync message comprises:

instructions for determining a sub-channel taken response time;

instructions for waking from sleep at the sub-channel taken response time; and

instructions for sending a sub-channel taken response at the sub-channel taken response time.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the sync message further comprises a network branch number.

19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the sync message further comprises a sending device up channel number.

20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the sync message further comprises a network depth number.