Long range, low power, mesh networking without concurrent timing

Abstract

A first sensor node 100 includes a radio for wireless communications; a sensor module 204 to sense a selected parameter; and a scheduler 228 that selects a listen time for the first sensor node, such that, during the listen time, the radio is activated and able to receive wireless signals and, during a time other than the listen time, the radio is deactivated and unable to receive wireless signals, and causes transmission to a second sensor node of a first message. The first message includes a time offset from a transmission time of the first message, the time offset indicating a timing of a first listen time for the first sensor node. The first node 100 receives, from the second sensor node, a responsive second message including a time based on the time offset to transmit the second message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the first node selects a parent node by performing the following steps:
 selecting a plurality of nodes as a possible parent;   assigning a value to each of the selected nodes, the value being a function of a plurality of a number of hops from a respective selected node to a common destination, a received signal strength measured at the first node for signals from the respective selected node, a number of child nodes associated with the respective selected node, and a remaining battery power of the respective selected node; and   requesting the member of the plurality of nodes having the best value to be the parent node of the first node.   
     
     
         9 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The node of claim  10 , further comprising a message processor operable to select a parent node by performing the following operations:
 select a plurality of nodes as a possible parent;   assign a value to each of the selected nodes, the value being a function of a plurality of a number of hops from a respective selected node to a common destination, a received signal strength measured at the first node for signals from the respective selected node, a number of child nodes associated with the respective selected node, and a remaining battery power of the respective selected node; and   request the member of the plurality of nodes having the best value to be the parent node of the first node.   
     
     
         18 . In a distributed wireless network including a plurality of nodes, each sensor comprising a radio, a method comprising:
 selecting, by a first node, a plurality of nodes as a possible parent;   assigning, by the first node, a value to each of the selected nodes, the value being a function of a plurality of a number of hops from a respective selected node to a common destination, a received signal strength measured at the first node for signals from the respective selected node, a number of child nodes associated with the respective selected node, and a remaining battery power of the respective selected node; and   requesting, by the first node, the member of the plurality of nodes having the best value to be the parent node of the first node.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, when a network message is received by the first node to be relayed to another node for delivery to a node of final destination, the first mode selects the parent node as the next hop destination for the network message. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions to perform the steps of  claim 18 .