Granted Patent B2

US 12,257,921 · App. 18/407,719 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Inventors: Ariton E. Xhafa (Plano, TX); Torbjørn Sørby (Kolsås, NO); Minghua Fu (Plano, TX); Jesus Daniel Torres Bardales (Plano, TX); Ramanuja Vedantham (Frisco, TX); Alexis Justine Burnight (Dallas, TX); Archanaa Santhana Krishnan (Worcester, MA)

Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED

B60L58/10B60L2240/42H04L67/12

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A system comprising:

a first secondary network node;

a second secondary network node; and

a primary network node configured to send a message to the first secondary network node to communicate with the second secondary network node,

wherein the message includes a first field indicating that one hop extension is supported,

wherein the message includes a second field indicating a device that received the message is performing the one hop extension, and

wherein the first secondary network node is configured to, in response to the message:

communicate with the second secondary network node on behalf of the primary network node; and

communicate with the primary network node on behalf of the second secondary network node.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first secondary network node is configured to communicate with the second secondary network node as an intermediate node in response to the message.

3. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the message is a first message,

wherein the first secondary network node is configured to communicate with the primary network node by sending a second message to the primary network node, and

wherein the second message includes a data frame and a field indicating that the data frame is being forwarded from the second secondary network node to the primary network node.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first secondary network node is configured to send the second message to the primary network node after receiving the data frame from the second secondary network node.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the message includes a field indicating that the primary network node is in a power conservation mode.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the message includes a field indicating a type of security usable by the primary network node.

7. The system of claim 6 ,

wherein a first status of the field indicates unsecure communication,

wherein a second status of the field indicates authentication of communication, and

wherein a third status of the field indicates the authentication of communication and encryption.

8. A device comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to receive a message from a primary network node, wherein the message includes a first field indicating that one hop extension is supported, and wherein the message includes a second field indicating a device that received the message is performing the one hop extension; and

a processing circuit configured to, in response to the message:

cause the wireless transceiver to communicate with a secondary network node on behalf of the primary network node; and

cause the wireless transceiver to communicate with the primary network node on behalf of the secondary network node.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause the wireless transceiver to communicate with the secondary network node as an intermediate node in response to the message.

10. The device of claim 8 ,

wherein the message is a first message,

wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the primary network node by sending a second message to the primary network node, and

wherein the second message includes a data frame and a field indicating that the data frame is being forwarded from the secondary network node to the primary network node.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause the wireless transceiver to send the second message to the primary network node after receiving the data frame from the secondary network node.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the message includes a field indicating that the primary network node is in a power conservation mode.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the message includes a field indicating a type of security usable by the primary network node.

14. The device of claim 13 ,

wherein a first status of the field indicates unsecure communication,

wherein a second status of the field indicates authentication of communication, and

wherein a third status of the field indicates the authentication of communication and encryption.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a message from a primary network node, wherein the message includes a first field indicating that one hop extension is supported, and wherein the message includes a second field indicating a device that received the message is performing the one hop extension;

communicating with a secondary network node on behalf of the primary network node in response to the message; and

communicating with the primary network node on behalf of the secondary network node in response to the message.

16. The method of claim 15 ,

wherein the message is a first message,

wherein communicating with the primary network node comprises sending a second message to the primary network node, and

wherein the second message includes a data frame and a field indicating that the data frame is being forwarded from the secondary network node to the primary network node.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein sending the second message to the primary network node occurs after receiving the data frame from the secondary network node.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the message includes a field indicating that the primary network node is in a power conservation mode.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the message includes a field indicating a type of security usable by the primary network node.

20. The method of claim 19 ,

wherein a first status of the field indicates unsecure communication,

wherein a second status of the field indicates authentication of communication, and

wherein a third status of the field indicates the authentication of communication and encryption.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (28)