Physically Segmented Logical Token Network

Abstract

Token authorized packet exchange between a plurality of store-and-forward nodes in a downhole networking environment and respective applications for data processing and communication are described herein.

1 . A method comprising:
 a first end node generating and transmitting a first token;   an immediately coupled intermediate node receiving and transmitting the first token to an immediately coupled successor node; and   a second end node receiving the first token from an immediately coupled predecessor node and, in response, generating a second token and transmitting it to the immediately coupled predecessor node.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein upon receiving the first token, electively transmitting data by an intermediate node to at least an immediately coupled successor node and/or an immediately coupled predecessor node. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the second token from the immediately coupled successor node and immediately transmitting the second token to the immediately coupled predecessor node, without electively transmitting data to at least an immediately coupled successor node and/or an immediately coupled predecessor node, until the second token is received by the first end node. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein upon receiving the first token, electively transmitting data by the second end node to at least the immediately coupled predecessor node. 
   
   
       5 . A method comprising:
 receiving a down-token from a successor node in a downhole network, the downhole network formed by a plurality of nodes coupled together in a hierarchal physically segmented logical token configuration;   determining whether nodal data is available to be transmitted from the node to other nodes in the hierarchal physically segmented logical token of the downhole network; and   passing the down-token to a predecessor node in the hierarchal physically segmented logical token of the downhole network.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving an up-token from the predecessor node in the hierarchal physically segmented logical token of the downhole network; and   immediately transmitting the up-token to the successor node.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving data from one of the predecessor node and the successor node; and   transmitting the data to the other of the predecessor node and the successor node.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising claiming the down-token to authorize
 data transmission across the downhole network upon determining that nodal data is waiting.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising transmitting nodal data to the other nodes in the downhole network upon claiming the received down-token.