Power distribution system communication system and method

Abstract

A power distribution system may incorporate a network communication capability. The network communication capability may be configured or may be configurable as a multi-tiered, mesh network. The network may have two tiers of fixed node meshes (tier 2 and tier 3 ) and one tier of mobile nodes mesh (tier 1 ). Each tier and each node of each tier has distinct characteristics relative to application, type of routing, transmit power control, physical configuration and message priorities. The configuration and the characteristics of the network change based upon varying application and communication needs of the network.

1 . In a power distribution system having distributed source, switching and load components, hereinafter nodes, each node having communication capability, a communication protocol associated therewith for affecting message communication between the nodes, the protocol comprising:
 determining relative to each node family nodes, wherein the designation for each family node includes an address and a location indicator;   initiating a route request from a source node to a destination node, the route request including the address of the destination node and the location indicator for the destination node; and   unicasting the route request to a family node of the source node based upon the location indicator.   
   
   
       2 . The protocol of  claim 1 , wherein each node is associated with one of a first tier or a second tier based upon at least one characteristic of the node. 
   
   
       3 . The protocol of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristic comprises: mobility, physical relationship or node function. 
   
   
       4 . The protocol of  claim 3 , wherein physical relationship comprises relative elevation of the node with respect to the remaining nodes. 
   
   
       5 . The protocol of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the nodes is designated as an edge node based upon not having family nodes in each of a set of segments extending about the node. 
   
   
       6 . The protocol of  claim 5 , wherein the edge node is configured to either unicast or broadcast the route request responsive to the existence and location of family nodes associated with the edge node. 
   
   
       7 . The protocol of  claim 1 , wherein a node disassociated from the route bearing location indicator is configured to no respond to the route request. 
   
   
       8 . The protocol of  claim 1 , the source node being operable to broadcast the route request responsive a failure to receive a route reply to the unicast of the route request. 
   
   
       9 . The protocol of  claim 1 , wherein the family nodes are further designated based upon a power level value required for the node to communicate with the family node. 
   
   
       10 . The protocol of  claim 1 , wherein the nodes are physically dispersed over a geographic area in three dimensions, and wherein each nodes is associated with one of a first tier and a second tier based upon the characteristics of the physical location of the node. 
   
   
       11 . The protocol of  claim 10 , the second tier nodes having a higher physical elevation with respect to the first tier nodes, the second tier nodes. 
   
   
       12 . The protocol of  claim 10 , the second tier nodes are configured to respond to a route request regardless of its locational relationship to the destination node. 
   
   
       13 . The protocol of  claim 10 , the second tier nodes configured to attach a second tier node indicator to the route request to provide a revised route request, the second tier nodes are configured to respond to the revised route request while first tier nodes are configured to ignore the revised route request. 
   
   
       14 . The protocol of  claim 1 , wherein the route request is related to a priority message and a priority route, the priority route being defined by a set of the nodes. 
   
   
       15 . The protocol of  claim 14 , wherein family nodes of the set of the nodes defining the priority route have bound power during communication of the priority message. 
   
   
       16 . The protocol of  claim 1 , the route request including a latency requirement indication, and wherein the destination node is responsive to receipt of the route request and the latency requirement indication to provide a route reply message or a route error message, the source node being responsive to the route reply message to begin data communication and further being responsive to the route error message to resend the route request. 
   
   
       17 . The protocol of  claim 16 , wherein the source node is responsive to the route error message to resend the route request message at an increased power level. 
   
   
       18 . The protocol of  claim 16 , wherein the source node is responsive to the route error message to resend the route request message as a broadcast route request. 
   
   
       19 . The protocol of  claim 1 , comprising responsive to the route request a route between the source node and the destination node, the route including an intermediary node, the intermediary node being associated with the location indicator. 
   
   
       20 . The protocol of  claim 19 , comprising responsive to the route request two routes between the source node and the destination node. 
   
   
       21 . The protocol of  claim 20 , wherein the route comprises a convergence of the two route. 
   
   
       22 . A communication protocol for affecting message communication between the nodes of a communication network, the protocol comprising:
 determining relative to each node family nodes, wherein the designation for each family node includes an address and a location indicator;   initiating a route request from a source node to a destination node, the route request including the address of the destination node and the location indicator for the destination node; and   unicasting the route request to a family node of the source node based upon the location indicator.   
   
   
       23 . The protocol of  claim 22 , wherein each node is associated with one of a first tier or a second tier based upon at least one characteristic of the node. 
   
   
       24 . The protocol of  claim 23 , wherein the characteristic comprises: mobility, physical relationship or node function. 
   
   
       25 . The protocol of  claim 22 , wherein the nodes are physically dispersed over a geographic area in three dimensions, and wherein each nodes is associated with one of a first tier and a second tier based upon the characteristics of the physical location of the node. 
   
   
       26 . The protocol of  claim 25 , the second tier nodes are configured to respond to a route request regardless of its locational relationship to the destination node. 
   
   
       27 . The protocol of  claim 22 , the route request including a latency requirement indication, and wherein the destination node is responsive to receipt of the route request and the latency requirement indication to provide a route reply message or a route error message, the source node being responsive to the route reply message to begin data communication and further being responsive to the route error message to resend the route request. 
   
   
       28 . The protocol of  claim 27 , wherein the source node is responsive to the route error message to resend the route request message at an increased power level. 
   
   
       29 . In a commodity processing and/or distribution system having distributed network components, hereinafter nodes, each node having communication capability, a communication protocol associated therewith for affecting message communication between the nodes, the protocol comprising:
 determining relative to each node family nodes, wherein the designation for each family node includes an address and a location indicator;   initiating a route request from a source node to a destination node, the route request including the address of the destination node and the location indicator for the destination node; and   unicasting the route request to a family node of the source node based upon the location indicator.