Method and apparatus for sharing slot allocation schedule information amongst nodes of a wireless mesh network
A method and apparatus for communicating slot allocations of nodes in a wireless mesh network that has data exchanges between the nodes occurring during slots. Each node maintains internal tracking of its slot allocation. A node may request a slot allocation of another node, and each node is enabled to report its slot allocation to other nodes. An information element (IE) and management type messages are introduced for tracking and reporting slot allocations among mesh network nodes.
1. A mesh node comprising:
a memory configured to store slot allocation information associated with the mesh node;
a processor configured to generate a message including a list of allocated slots based on the stored slot allocation information, wherein an information field of the message includes a list size subfield, a plurality of information subfields for each of the slots, and a slot number list size subfield, wherein each slot information subfield comprises a timing information field, an RF information field, a quality of service (QoS) information field, a peer nodes information field, and a direction field; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the message to another mesh node.
2. The mesh node of claim 1 wherein the mesh node operates in a wireless local area network (WLAN).
3. The mesh node of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to include a slot report in an action frame used by a medium access control (MAC) entity.
4. The mesh node of claim 3 wherein the slot report transmits slot allocation schedule information associated with the mesh node to another mesh node.
5. A method for transmitting slot allocation information, the method comprising:
storing slot allocation information associated with a mesh node;
generating a message, including a list of allocated slots, based on the stored slot allocation information, wherein an information field of the message includes a list size subfield, a plurality of information subfields for each of the slots, and a slot number list size subfield, wherein each slot information subfield comprises a timing information field, an RF information field, a quality of service (QoS) information field, a peer nodes information field, and a direction field; and
transmitting the message to another mesh node.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the mesh node operates in a wireless local area network (WLAN).
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
including a slot report in an action frame used by a medium access control (MAC) entity.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the slot report transmits slot allocation schedule information associated with the mesh node to another mesh node.
9. A mesh node comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a first message including a list of allocated slots, from a second mesh node;
a memory configured to store an information element (IE), wherein the IE comprises a list size subfield, a plurality of information subfields for each of the slots, and a slot number list size subfield, wherein each slot information subfield comprises a timing information field an RF information field, a quality of service (QoS) information field, a peer nodes information field, and a direction field;
a processor configured to retrieve the IE from the memory and generate a second message that includes a response to the first message, that includes the IE in response to the receiver receiving the first message; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the second message to the second mesh node.
10. The mesh node of claim 9 wherein the element ID field and the length field are each one octet in length.
11. The mesh node of claim 9 wherein the information field comprises:
a list size field; and
a plurality of slot information fields.
12. The mesh node of claim 11 wherein each slot information field comprises:
a timing information field that indicates a starting time and duration of a data exchanged during a respective slot.
13. The mesh node of claim 11 wherein each slot information field comprises:
a radio frequency (RF) information field that indicates the radio channel and the number of channels used by the second mesh node to exchange data during a respective slot.
14. The mesh node of claim 11 wherein each slot information field comprises:
a quality of service (QoS) information field that indicates the QoS required by the data to be exchanged during a respective slot.
15. The mesh node of claim 11 wherein each slot information field comprises:
a peer nodes information field that indicates node identifiers for each node involved in data transmission during a respective slot.
16. The mesh node of claim 9 wherein the first and second mesh nodes operate in a wireless local area network (WLAN).