System and method for continuing network intervals in a wireless mesh network
A wireless mesh network including a leader node and a plurality of follower nodes is provided. The leader node transmits a sync message to the plurality of follower nodes indicating a beginning of a network interval. The leader node and the plurality of follower nodes transmit information during a transmission period of the network interval and do not transmit information during a sleep period of the network interval. The leader node and the plurality of follower nodes use less power in the sleep period than in the transmission period; and the plurality of follower nodes each include a timer adapted to time the transmission period and the sleep period for each of a plurality of future network intervals in an absence of continued receipt of the sync message from the leader node during the plurality of future network intervals.
1. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node; and
a plurality of follower nodes;
wherein:
the leader node transmits one or more sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes, each sync message of the one or more sync messages indicating a beginning of a network interval;
the plurality of follower nodes each comprise a counter for tracking a receipt of sync messages received from the leader node and the counter is incremented when a sync message is received and decremented when a sync message is not received;
one of the plurality of follower nodes whose counter has decremented to a predetermined value transmits a first nominate message to begin a process of electing a new leader node;
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data are compared by the receiving other network nodes to data related to a suitability of the receiving other network nodes to act as a leader node; and
the receiving other network nodes reply with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving other network nodes do not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.
2. The wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein the leader node and the plurality of follower nodes transmit information during a transmission period and do not transmit information during a sleep period of the network interval.
3. The wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein the first nominate message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
4. The wireless mesh network of claim 3 , wherein the first nominate message is also transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
5. The wireless mesh network of claim 3 , wherein the first nominate message includes data related to a suitability of the one of the plurality of follower nodes sending the first nominate message to act as a leader node.
6. The wireless mesh network of claim 5 , wherein the data is calculated from a strength and a reliability of signals received from other network nodes on the wireless mesh network.
7. The wireless mesh network of claim 5 , wherein the data is calculated by utilizing at least one of an instrument type of the one of the plurality of follower nodes, a battery state of charge, and a past signal quality.
8. The wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein when the one of the plurality of follower nodes sending the first nominate message receives only concede messages, that follower node assumes a role of leader node and advertises at least one property of itself as a leader node for other network nodes to become follower nodes.
9. The wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein when the one of the plurality of follower nodes sending the first nominate message receives a nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node, that follower node sends a concede message.
10. The wireless mesh network of claim 9 , wherein the concede message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
11. The wireless mesh network of claim 10 , wherein the concede message is transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
12. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node; and
a plurality of follower nodes;
wherein:
the leader node transmits sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes indicating a beginning of successive network intervals;
upon nonreceipt of a predetermined number of sync messages by a follower node, that follower node initiates a process of electing a new leader node by a sending a first nominate message that includes data related to a suitability of the follower node to act as a leader node; and
the data is calculated from a strength and reliability of signals received from other network nodes on the wireless mesh network.
13. The wireless mesh network of claim 12 , wherein:
the plurality of follower nodes each comprise a counter for tracking a receipt of sync messages received from the leader node and the counter is incremented when a sync message is received and decremented when a sync message is not received; and
any of the plurality of follower nodes will begin a process of electing the new leader node when the counter decreases to a predetermined value.
14. The wireless mesh network of claim 12 , wherein the first nominate message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
15. The wireless mesh network of claim 14 , wherein the first nominate message is also transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
16. The wireless mesh network of claim 12 , wherein the data is calculated by utilizing at least one of an instrument type of the follower node, a battery state of charge, and a past signal quality.
17. The wireless mesh network of claim 12 , wherein:
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data is compared by each receiving network node to data related to a suitability of the receiving network node to act as a leader node; and
the receiving network node replies with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving network node does not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.
18. The wireless mesh network of claim 17 , wherein when the follower node sending the first nominate message receives only concede messages, that follower node assumes a role of leader node and advertises at least one property of itself as a leader node for other network nodes to become follower nodes.
19. The wireless mesh network of claim 17 , wherein when the follower node sending the first nominate message receives a nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node, that follower node sends a concede message.
20. The wireless mesh network of claim 19 , wherein the concede message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
21. The wireless mesh network of claim 20 , wherein the concede message is transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
22. The wireless mesh network of claim 12 further comprising:
a near-field communication (NFC) tag programmed with assignment information, wherein the assignment information is at least one of a location assignment for the NFC tag and an instrument operator assignment for the NFC tag;
wherein receipt of the assignment information at a safety device triggers activation of a function of the safety device.
23. The wireless mesh network of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of network nodes comprises:
one or more worker monitoring devices and one or more area monitoring devices;
wherein:
the plurality of network nodes monitor at least one of a peer alarm, a worker biometric datum or an area environmental datum; and
a first network node of the plurality of network nodes transmits the at least one peer alarm, worker biometric datum or area environmental datum for presentation on a second network node of the plurality of network nodes.
24. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node; and
a plurality of follower nodes;
wherein:
the leader node transmits one or more sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes, each sync message of the one or more sync messages indicating a beginning of a network interval;
the plurality of follower nodes each comprise a counter for tracking a receipt of sync messages received from the leader node and the counter is incremented when a sync message is received and decremented when a sync message is not received;
one of the plurality of follower nodes whose counter has decremented to a predetermined value transmits a first nominate message to begin a process of electing a new leader node;
the first nominate message includes data related to a suitability of the one of the plurality of follower nodes sending the first nominate message to act as a leader node; and
the data is calculated from a strength and a reliability of signals received from other network nodes on the wireless mesh network.
25. The wireless mesh network of claim 24 , wherein the leader node and the plurality of follower nodes transmit information during a transmission period and do not transmit information during a sleep period of the network interval.
26. The wireless mesh network of claim 24 , wherein the first nominate message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
27. The wireless mesh network of claim 26 , wherein the first nominate message is also transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
28. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node; and
a plurality of follower nodes;
wherein:
the leader node transmits one or more sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes, each sync message of the one or more sync messages indicating a beginning of a network interval;
the plurality of follower nodes each comprise a counter for tracking a receipt of sync messages received from the leader node and the counter is incremented when a sync message is received and decremented when a sync message is not received;
one of the plurality of follower nodes whose counter has decremented to a predetermined value transmits a first nominate message to begin a process of electing a new leader node;
the first nominate message includes data related to a suitability of the one of the plurality of follower nodes sending the first nominate message to act as a leader node; and
the data is calculated by utilizing at least one of an instrument type of the one of the plurality of follower nodes, a battery state of charge, and a past signal quality.
29. The wireless mesh network of claim 28 , wherein the leader node and the plurality of follower nodes transmit information during a transmission period and do not transmit information during a sleep period of the network interval.
30. The wireless mesh network of claim 28 , wherein the first nominate message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
31. The wireless mesh network of claim 30 , wherein the first nominate message is also transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
32. The wireless mesh network of claim 28 , wherein:
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data is compared by each receiving network node to data related to a suitability of the receiving network node to act as a leader node; and
the receiving network node replies with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving network node does not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.
33. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node; and
a plurality of follower nodes;
wherein:
the leader node transmits sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes indicating a beginning of successive network intervals;
upon nonreceipt of a predetermined number of sync messages by a follower node, that follower node initiates a process of electing a new leader node by a sending a first nominate message that includes data related to a suitability of the follower node to act as a leader node; and
the data is calculated by utilizing at least one of an instrument type of the follower node, a battery state of charge, and a past signal quality.
34. The wireless mesh network of claim 33 , wherein:
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data is compared by each receiving network node to data related to a suitability of the receiving network node to act as a leader node; and
the receiving network node replies with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving network node does not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.
35. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node; and
a plurality of follower nodes;
wherein:
the leader node transmits sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes indicating a beginning of successive network intervals;
upon nonreceipt of a predetermined number of sync messages by a follower node, that follower node initiates a process of electing a new leader node by a sending a first nominate message that includes data related to a suitability of the follower node to act as a leader node;
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data is compared by each receiving network node to data related to a suitability of the receiving network node to act as a leader node; and
the receiving network node replies with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving network node does not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.
36. The wireless mesh network of claim 35 , wherein when the follower node sending the first nominate message receives only concede messages, that follower node assumes a role of leader node and advertises at least one property of itself as a leader node for other network nodes to become follower nodes.
37. The wireless mesh network of claim 35 , wherein when the follower node sending the first nominate message receives a nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node, that follower node sends a concede message.
38. The wireless mesh network of claim 37 , wherein the concede message is transmitted on a predetermined channel.
39. The wireless mesh network of claim 38 , wherein the concede message is transmitted on a second predetermined channel.
40. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node;
a plurality of follower nodes; and
a near-field communication (NFC) tag programmed with assignment information;
wherein:
the leader node transmits sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes indicating a beginning of successive network intervals;
upon nonreceipt of a predetermined number of sync messages by a follower node, that follower node initiates a process of electing a new leader node by a sending a first nominate message that includes data related to a suitability of the follower node to act as a leader node;
the assignment information is at least one of a location assignment for the NFC tag and an instrument operator assignment for the NFC tag; and
receipt of the assignment information at a safety device triggers activation of a function of the safety device.
41. The wireless mesh network of claim 40 , wherein the data is calculated by utilizing at least one of an instrument type of the follower node, a battery state of charge, and a past signal quality.
42. The wireless mesh network of claim 40 , wherein:
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data is compared by each receiving network node to data related to a suitability of the receiving network node to act as a leader node; and
the receiving network node replies with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving network node does not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.
43. A wireless mesh network for connecting a plurality of network nodes comprising:
a leader node;
a plurality of follower nodes; and
one or more worker monitoring devices and one or more area monitoring devices;
wherein:
the leader node transmits sync messages to the plurality of follower nodes indicating a beginning of successive network intervals;
upon nonreceipt of a predetermined number of sync messages by a follower node, that follower node initiates a process of electing a new leader node by a sending a first nominate message that includes data related to a suitability of the follower node to act as a leader node;
the plurality of network nodes monitor at least one of a peer alarm, a worker biometric datum or an area environmental datum; and
a first network node of the plurality of network nodes transmits the at least one peer alarm, worker biometric datum or area environmental datum for presentation on a second network node of the plurality of network nodes.
44. The wireless mesh network of claim 43 , wherein the data is calculated by utilizing at least one of an instrument type of the follower node, a battery state of charge, and a past signal quality.
45. The wireless mesh network of claim 43 , wherein:
the first nominate message and data are received by other network nodes and the data is compared by each receiving network node to data related to a suitability of the receiving network node to act as a leader node; and
the receiving network node replies with either a reply nominate message with data indicating a higher suitability to act as a leader node or a concede message if the receiving network node does not have a higher suitability to act as a leader node.