Abstract:
A wireless mesh network employs an integrated interface between a plurality of access points for mitigating throughput degradation of multiple consecutive “daisy chain,” or mesh, links. The mesh network employs a plurality of access points, each linked back to a root access point by a series of “hops” through other access points. The wireless mesh network, therefore, employs a plurality of access points operable for wireless links to subscriber, or user, devices, including cellular phones, smart phones, tablet and laptop computing devices, or any suitable portable or handheld computing device. Access points establish an integrated interface with an adjacent access point for direct coupling of the access points for message traffic. The resulting integrated access point establishes a wireless link to a root access point connected to a backhaul network from which media services emanate.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Wireless mesh networks aggregate a plurality of wireless nodes coupled with wireless links similar to a wired network fabric. Mesh networks provide a logical extension to individual “WiFi hotspots” by inserting multiple wireless routing/forwarding entities between a wireless gateway to a wired network, such as the Internet, and the end user subscriber device. In a typical mesh network, a plurality of access points establish wireless links to other access points to define a wireless path back to a root access point via a series of hops over each of the wireless links. Each of the access points provides wireless coverage to user devices within range, and also couples to other access points within range for extending the wireless reach. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    A wireless mesh network employs an integrated interface between a plurality of access points for mitigating throughput degradation of multiple consecutive “daisy chain,” or mesh, links. The mesh network employs a plurality of access points, each linked back to a root access point by a series of “hops” through other access points. Conventional approaches limit the number of daisy chained hops that the mesh network may maintain. Since, in a typical arrangement, each hop must receive from a prior node and forward to a successive node, bandwidth is roughly halved at each daisy chained hop, therefore limiting the number of usable hops based on bandwidth requirements. 
         [0003]    The wireless mesh network, therefore, employs a plurality of access points operable for wireless links to subscriber, or user, devices, including cellular phones, smart phones, tablet and laptop computing devices, or any suitable portable or handheld computing device. Access points establish an integrated interface with an adjacent access point for direct coupling of the access points for message traffic transported between them. The access point establishes a wireless link to a root access point connected to a backhaul network from which media services emanate. The access point maintains a first-hop link to the root access point, and forwards traffic to the adjacent (direct coupled) access point for serving user devices coupled directly or indirectly (via other mesh network links to other access points) to the access point. The access point eliminates intermediate links to the root access point, and the direct coupling via the integrated interface allows connections through daisy chaining to other mesh network access points so as not to exceed a maximum number of mesh network hops to an access point for providing acceptable performance, or bandwidth, to the subscriber device. 
         [0004]    Configurations herein are based, in part, on the observation that multiple wireless access points may extend the wireless reach from a wireless root access point by daisy chaining the wireless links across intermediate access points. Each access point therefore defines a node in the mesh network having links to other nodes within range. Unfortunately, conventional arrangements suffer from the shortcoming that that conventional mesh network configurations experience a performance drop as the number of daisy chained access points increases. Since each node must receive and then forward each message packet, overhead increases and throughput drops exponentially with the number of daisy chained hops, or links. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, configurations herein substantially overcome the above described shortcomings by providing a high-gain directional link on a first hop from the root access point, and provide an integrated wired interface between the first hop access point and an adjacent access point to mitigate the performance drop. Subsequent daisy chained nodes need only incur a single hop to the integrated access point and the adjacent access point, and subsequent daisy chained nodes may then extend the reach up to the maximum number of links defining an acceptable performance drop (typically 3 hops). In this manner, the access points and adjacent access points coupled by the integrated interface are dispersed at various ranges around the desired coverage area, and need not incur extensive mesh hops back to the root access point. 
         [0006]    In further detail, the method of wireless data transport in a wireless mesh network includes identifying, in a wireless mesh network having access points wirelessly coupled by network links, an integrated interface to an access point, in which the integrated interface is a different transport medium than the network links, and receiving, via an integrated interface with an access point, a message packet from a user device. The integrated interface couples the access point independently of the wireless mesh network links for providing a higher performance link, such as a direct wired connection. The access point forwards, via a single wireless hop, the message packet to a root access point, the root access point responsive to a plurality of access points in the mesh network for subsequent connectivity with a service provider or backhaul network providing the network services. 
         [0007]    Alternate configurations of the invention include a multiprogramming or multiprocessing computerized device such as a multiprocessor, controller or dedicated computing device or the like configured with software and/or circuitry (e.g., a processor as summarized above) to process any or all of the method operations disclosed herein as embodiments of the invention. Still other embodiments of the invention include software programs such as a Java Virtual Machine and/or an operating system that can operate alone or in conjunction with each other with a multiprocessing computerized device to perform the method embodiment steps and operations summarized above and disclosed in detail below. One such embodiment comprises a computer program product that has a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program logic encoded as instructions thereon that, when performed in a multiprocessing computerized device having a coupling of a memory and a processor, programs the processor to perform the operations disclosed herein as embodiments of the invention to carry out data access requests. Such arrangements of the invention are typically provided as software, code and/or other data (e.g., data structures) arranged or encoded on a computer readable medium such as an optical medium (e.g., CD-ROM), floppy or hard disk or other medium such as firmware or microcode in one or more ROM, RAM or PROM chips, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The software or firmware or other such configurations can be installed onto the computerized device (e.g., during operating system execution or during environment installation) to cause the computerized device to perform the techniques explained herein as embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a context diagram of a wireless mesh network suitable for use with configurations herein; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of wireless transport in the wireless mesh network of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a plurality of access points at varying distances from the root access point of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows access points coupled with an integrated interface in the network of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0013]      FIGS. 5-7  are a flowchart of mesh network configuration and transport in the network of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Depicted below is an example configuration of a wireless device environment. The methods and apparatus depicted herein are presented in particular configurations for illustrating these methods and the apparatus on which they operate. In the wireless mesh network, a media content provider or other suitable Internet services provider delivers media content to end users, or subscribers through a backhaul connection to the Internet or other service provider network. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a context diagram of a wireless mesh network suitable for use with configurations herein. Referring to  FIG. 1 , in a wireless environment  100 , a user device  114  receives wireless services, typically in the form of message packets  112 ,  112 ′ delivered to or received by a user device  114  on behalf of a user  116 . The message packets  112  traverse a series of access points  120 - 1  . . .  120 - 4  ( 120  generally) and a root access point  130 . A series of wireless links  122 - 1  . . .  122 - 4  ( 122  generally) provides a connection  124  between the root access point  130  and the user device  114  (subscriber device). The root access point  130  couples to a backhaul or content delivery network  132 , typically a wired network such as the Internet for requesting and receiving the wireless services, typically message packets  112 , from a media content provider  134  or other suitable Internet services provider for transport over the series of wireless links  122 -N. 
         [0016]    A plurality of access points, such as  120 - 1  and  120 - 2 , are coupled as an integrated access point  140  via an integrated interface  150 , thereby avoiding a wireless link  122  and allowing each access point  120 - 1 ,  120 - 2  to transport only upstream (toward the root access point  130 ) or downstream (toward the user device  114 ) wireless traffic, respectively. Each of the other access points  120 - 3  and  120 - 4  handles traffic in both the upstream (toward the root access point  130 , or backhaul network side) or downstream (toward the user device  114 , or access network side). The integrated interface  150  may be a wired interface, connecting to I/O ports or other hardwired interface on the access points  120 - 1  and  120 - 2 , or may be another type of interconnection having lower latency (propagation delay) than the wireless links  122 , discussed further below with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of wireless transport in the wireless mesh network of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the method of wireless data transport in a wireless mesh network environment  100  includes, at step  200 , identifying, in the wireless mesh network having access points  120  wirelessly coupled by network links  122 , an integrated interface  150  to an access point  120 - 1 , such that the integrated interface  150  is a different transport medium than the network links  122 . In the example configuration shown, the integrated interface is a wired connection between two access point in a so-called “back to back” arrangement. Message traffic transport includes receiving, via an integrated interface  150  with an access point  120 , a message packet  112  from the user device, such that the integrated interface  150  couples the access point  120 - 1  independently of the wireless mesh network links  122 , as depicted at step  201 . Message traffic packets may be in either direction, such as message packet  112  from the user device  114 , or message packet  112 ′ to the user device. The access point  120 - 1  forwards, via a single wireless hop  122 - 1 , the message packet  112  to the root access point  130 , in which the root access point  130  is responsive to a plurality of access points  120  in the mesh network environment  100 , as disclosed at step  202 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows a plurality of access points at varying distances from the root access point of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a plurality of integrated access points  140 - 1  and  140 - 2  ( 140  generally) are deployed at varying distances from the root access point  130 . Each of the integrated access points  140  couples to the root access point  130  using a high gain directional antenna  142  to provide high bandwidth wireless links  122 - 20  and  122 - 30 . High bandwidth wireless link  122 - 20  couples to integrated access point  140 - 1  for serving access points  120 - 15  and  120 - 16 . In the example arrangement, integrated access point  140 - 1  (access points  120 - 13  and  120 - 14 ) may be up to 150 meters from the root access point  130 , and provide 40 Mbps and 20 Mbps to access points  120 - 15  and  120 - 16 , respectively. 
         [0019]    Integrated access point  140 - 2  (access points  120 - 17  and  120 - 18 ) similarly serve access points  120 - 19  and  120 - 20  via high bandwidth wireless link  122 - 30 , and may be within range of either integrated access point  150 - 1  or the root access point  130 . The root access point  130  also couples to access points  120 - 11  and  120 - 12  for covering user devices  114  within range. In a worst case example, using the maximum distance of access point  120 - 20 , a conventional daisy chaining would incur  8  hops back to the root access point, resulting in a bandwidth drop of 2̂8= 1/256 of the bandwidth provided by the root access point  130 . In the disclosed approach, when the high gain directional link  122 - 30  is comparable to wireless links  120 , access point  120 - 20  experiences only a 2̂3=⅛ drop, commensurate with a typical daisy chain configuration of 3 150 meter hops. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows access points  120  coupled with an integrated interface  150  in the network of  FIG. 3 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , access point  120 - 1  receives message traffic in the form of message packets  152 - 1  via wireless link  122 - 1 . Access points  120 - 1  and  120 - 2  each include a wireless transmitter/receiver (TX/RX)  160 - 1  . . .  160 - 2  ( 160  generally), modulator  162 - 1  . . .  162 - 2  ( 162  generally), switching and forwarding logic  164 - 1  . . .  164 - 2  ( 164  generally) and I/O interface  166 - 1  . . .  166 - 2  ( 166  generally) for performing a wired transfer of message traffic  152 - 2  across the integrated interface  150 . In the access network (downstream) direction shown, the TX/RX  160 - 1  receives message packet  152 - 1  over the wireless link  122 - 1 , and demodulates it using the modulator  162 - 1 . Switching/forwarding logic  164 - 1  identifies the next hop in the wireless mesh network as access point  120 - 2 . In operation, the switching/forwarding logic identifies the next hop access point and corresponding link  122  depending on the mesh network configuration and an identified path. In the example shown, a next hop path is the integrated interface  150  to access point  120 - 2  defining the integrated access point  140 . Switching/forwarding logic  166 - 1  passes the message packet  152 - 1  to the I/O interface  166 - 1 , and the message packet  152 - 2  passes to an I/O interface  166 - 2  at access point  120 - 2 . The message packet then traverses the switching/forwarding logic  164 - 2 , modulator  162 - 2  and TX/RX  160 - 2  for wireless transmission over link  122 - 2 , shown as message packet  152 - 3 . In this manner, transmission from access point  120 - 1  to  120 - 2  occurs over a wired medium provided by integrated interface  150 , and mitigates wireless overhead that would otherwise be required for transport over a wireless link  122 . Transport in the upstream (toward the access network) is provided similarly. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 5-7  are a flowchart of mesh network configuration and transport in the network of  FIG. 3 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  5 - 7 , at step  300 , an operator or system administrator configures the mesh network by interconnecting a plurality of access points using an integrated interface, such that the integrated interface performs substantially faster than a wireless link  122  between each of the plurality of access points  120 . In the example arrangement, the integrated interface  150  directly connects two of the access points using the integrated interface such a message packet  112 ,  112 ′ follows a wired path between the two access points  120 , as depicted at step  301 . The first hop access point  120 - 1  from the root  130  may be substantially more distant than a mesh network (wireless) hop between the access points, as disclosed at step  302 , due to the high gain directional nature of the antenna  142 . Depending on the configuration, first hop access points such as those in integrated access point  140  may be deployed at varying distances and directions to cover the wireless mesh environment  100 . The administrator then daisy chains a plurality of access points  120  including the integrated access point  140 , such that daisy chaining terminates at the root access point  130 . The daisy chaining configuration performs indirect relaying of the message packet  112 ,  112 ′ between the user device  114  and the root access point  130  via the links  122  between each of the access points  120 . In a particular configuration, each daisy-chained link in the mesh network mitigates throughput by a cumulative factor. A series of daisy chained wireless links  122  in conventional arrangements therefore rapidly results in a substantial reduction in throughput because the individual access points ( 120 - 3 ,  120 - 4  in the example shown) handle an intermediate receive, acknowledgement, send, and another acknowledgment for each relayed packet. The system administrator may deploy multiple integrated access points  140  distributed around the mesh network users  116 , such that each integrated access point  140  is deployed at a successively farther distance from the root access point  130 . 
         [0022]    At the integrated access point  140 , the system administrator configures the backhaul side access point  120 - 1  of the integrated access point  140  to establish a link over the deployed distance from the root access point  130 , as depicted at step  303 . This includes designating at least one of the plurality of access points  120 - 1  as a user side access point, as shown at step  304 , and designating at least one of the plurality of access points  120 - 2  as a backhaul side access point, as depicted at step  305 . A typical arrangement includes only two access points  120  for connection as an integrated access point  140 , however additional access points  120  may be added to accommodate demand. The backhaul network, or content delivery network (CDN)  132  then connects to the root access point  130  for serving the mesh network. 
         [0023]    A wireless link  122 - 1  is established between the backhaul side access point  120 - 1  and the root access point  130 , such that the link  122 - 1  is defined by a single wireless hop in the mesh network, shown at step  306 . The root access point is also connected to the backhaul network  132  for serving the mesh network, as disclosed at step  307 . In the example arrangement, the root access point  130  includes a high-gain directional antenna, and the wireless links  122  between the access points span substantially around 150 meters, as depicted at step  308 , in which the root access point  130  establishes a link with a plurality of the first hop access points  120 - 1  at a distance greater than 150 meters to enable suitable placement for the first hop integrated access points  140  around the environment  100 . 
         [0024]    A backhaul network connection to the root access point is established at step  309 , and the first-hop access point  120 - 1  establishes an access network connection via the integrated interface to the daisy chained access points,  120 - 2  . . .  120 - 4  in the example shown, as depicted at step  310 . The backhaul side access point  120 - 1  is also configured to transport message traffic between user devices  114  having a wireless link to the user side access point  120 - 2  and the root access point  130  using the single wireless hop  122 - 1 , as shown at step  311 . 
         [0025]    Depending on the direction of the message packet  112 ,  112 ′ (message traffic) at step  312 , traffic is distinguished as either upstream towards backhaul or downstream toward access network. If the message packet  112  is toward the backhaul network  134 , then the links  122  transport the message packet from the user device  114  to an access point  120  in the mesh network, as disclosed at step  313 . The message traffic is defined by a series of message packets  112  or  112 ′ between the user device and remote recipients via the root access point and the backhaul network, thus the operations described herein are repeatable for each packet in a transported stream, message or other sequential set of packets as defined by messaging protocols involved. This includes transporting the message packet  112  from the access point  120  to a backhaul side access point  130  via the integrated interface  150 , as depicted at step  314 . Upon reaching the integrated access point  140 , the message packet  112  is transported from the backhaul side access point  120 - 1  to a root access point  130  via a single mesh hop  122 - 1 , as disclosed at step  315 . 
         [0026]    In the case of a transmission from the root device at step  312 , then the method of transporting data from a mesh network root  130  includes identifying, for a user device  114 , a first hop access point  122 - 1 , such that the first hop access point  120 - 1  has an integrated interface  150  to a user side access point  120 - 2 , as depicted at step  316 . The connection  124  transports message traffic  112  between the user device  114  and the user side access point  120 - 2 , such that the first hop access point  120 - 1  invokes a single mesh network hop  122 - 1  for transporting message traffic between the root  130  and the first hop access point  120 - 1 , as shown at step  317 . This includes, at step  318  identifying a plurality of first hop access points in the mesh network, and identifying, for each first hop access point, a set of access points reachable from the first hop access point, each of the set of access points corresponding to at least one user device  116 , as shown at step  319 . Therefore, the root access point  130  determines, from available access points  122 , which of the integrated access points  140  is daisy chained to an access point  120  serving the user device  114 . The corresponding integrated access point  140  then transports the message traffic  112 ′ between the user device  114  by identifying the first hop access point  120 - 1  serving the set of access points  120 - 2  . . .  120 - 4  corresponding to the user device  114 , as depicted at step  320 . 
         [0027]    Those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that the programs and methods defined herein are deliverable to a user processing and rendering device in many forms, including but not limited to a) information permanently stored on non-writeable storage media such as ROM devices, b) information alterably stored on writeable non-transitory storage media such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CDs, RAM devices, and other magnetic and optical media, or c) information conveyed to a computer through communication media, as in an electronic network such as the Internet or telephone modem lines. The operations and methods may be implemented in a software executable object or as a set of encoded instructions for execution by a processor responsive to the instructions. Alternatively, the operations and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in whole or in part using hardware components, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), state machines, controllers or other hardware components or devices, or a combination of hardware, software, and firmware components. 
         [0028]    While the system and methods defined herein have been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.