Heterogeneous Mesh Network and a Multi-RAT Node Used Therein

Abstract

This invention discloses a mesh network comprised of at least two dynamic mesh nodes, wherein the two dynamic mesh nodes comprise each a multiple radio access technology architecture, the multiple radio access technology architecture comprising: at least two radio access technologies for providing access to a core network, and an abstraction layer communicatively coupled to the at least two radio access technologies for receiving and converting data into protocol agnostic data, wherein the first and second dynamic mesh nodes are configured to: in response to a query regarding environmental conditions from a computing cloud component, send an environmental condition to the computing cloud component, receive an instruction from the computing cloud in response to the computing cloud component having processed the environmental condition, and change an operational parameter in response to the received instruction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-RAT node comprising:
 at least one processor for performing access, backhaul, and common functions;   access hardware coupled to the at least one processor;   backhaul hardware coupled to the at least one processor;   an RF front-end coupled to at least one of the access hardware or the backhaul hardware; and   a timing source.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-RAT node of  claim 1 , further comprising an abstraction layer. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-RAT node of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-RAT node is a dynamic multi-RAT node. 
     
     
         4 . A method of changing an operating parameter within a mesh network comprising the steps of:
 querying at least a first multi-RAT node within the mesh network regarding an environmental condition;   responding to the query by providing the environmental condition;   analyzing the environmental condition; and   determining if any of the multi-RAT nodes within the mesh network should alter an operational parameter.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising altering the operational parameter. 
     
     
         6 . A computer readable medium comprising at least one processor configured to:
 query at least a first multi-RAT node within the mesh network regarding an environmental condition;   respond to the query by providing the environmental condition;   analyze the environmental condition; and   determine if any of the multi-RAT nodes within the heterogeneous mesh network should alter an operational parameter.   
     
     
         7 . The computer readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to alter the operational parameter.