Beacon Slot Allocation in Prime

Abstract

Systems and methods for efficiently allocating beacon slot among multiple nodes on multiple levels within a power line communication network are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to Power Line Communications (PLC). For example, a method may include performing, by a communications device, assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network. The assigned beacon transmission times comprise a beacon slot and frame pattern. The beacon slot and frame pattern ensure that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. A beacon transmission slot is reserved for a base node in every frame. The frames may be organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots.

1 . A method, comprising:
 performing, by a communications device,   assigning beacon transmission times to nodes within the communication device's network, the assigned beacon transmission times comprising a beacon slot and frame pattern,   the beacon slot and frame pattern ensuring that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reserving a beacon transmission slot for a base node in every frame.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning every other slot in each frame to a different node until all nodes have a designated beacon transmission time.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein groups of frames are organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, and wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 assigning a second switch node beacon slot and fourth switch node beacon slot in each frame to a different node until all nodes have a designated beacon transmission slot and pattern; and   reserving a first switch node beacon slot and a third switch node beacon slot in each frame as unassigned.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 assigning a third switch node beacon slot in each frame to a different node on a first level below the base node;   reserving a first switch node beacon slot, a second switch node beacon slot, and a fourth switch node beacon slot in each frame as unassigned; and   assigning a first switch node beacon slot and a third switch node beacon slot in each frame to a different node on a second level below the base node.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a parent node on the first level has a child node on the second level and both the parent node and the child node are assigned to a third switch node beacon slot, the method further comprising:
 assigned a first frame pattern to the parent node;   assigning a second frame pattern to the child node, wherein the second frame pattern prevents the child node from transmitting a beacon in the same frame as the parent node.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon slot and frame pattern of an assigned beacon transmission time has also been assigned to another node that is at least n-levels away, wherein n-levels comprises at least two-levels. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning a beacon slot number and a first sequence number to a parent node on a first level;   assigning the beacon slot number and a second sequence number to a child node on a next level below the parent node, wherein the parent node and the child node transmit in a same beacon slot position, but the second sequence number causes the child node to transmit in a different frame pattern than the parent node.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon slot and frame pattern assigned to a first node has also been assigned to a second node that is on the same level below the base node as the first node, and wherein the first node and the second node do not share a same parent node. 
     
     
         11 . A communications device comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store program instructions executable by the processor to cause the communications device to:
 assign a beacon slot and frame pattern for beacon transmission times to switch nodes within the communication device's network, the assigned beacon slot and frame pattern ensuring that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node. 
   
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 11 , the program instructions executable further causing the communications device to:
 assign every other slot in each frame to a different node until all nodes have a designated beacon transmission time.   
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 11 , wherein groups of frames are organized into thirty-two-frame superframes, and wherein each frame comprises a base node beacon slot and four switch node beacon slots. 
     
     
         14 . The communication device of  claim 11 , the program instructions executable further causing the communications device to:
 assign a second switch node beacon slot and fourth switch node beacon slot in each frame to a different node until all nodes have a designated beacon transmission slot and pattern; and   reserve a first switch node beacon slot and a third switch node beacon slot in each frame as unassigned.   
     
     
         15 . The communication device of  claim 11 , the program instructions executable further causing the communications device to:
 assign a third switch node beacon slot in each frame to a different node on a first level below the base node;   reserve a first switch node beacon slot, a second switch node beacon slot, and a fourth switch node beacon slot in each frame as unassigned; and   assign a first switch node beacon slot and a third switch node beacon slot in each frame to a different node on a second level below the base node.   
     
     
         16 . The communication device of  claim 11 , wherein both a parent node and a child node are assigned to a same beacon slot, the program instructions executable further causing the communications device to:
 assign a first frame pattern to the parent node;   assign a second frame pattern to child node, wherein the second frame pattern prevents the child node from transmitting a beacon in the same frame as the parent node.   
     
     
         17 . The communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the beacon slot and frame pattern of an assigned beacon transmission time has also been assigned to another node that is at least two-levels away. 
     
     
         18 . The communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the beacon slot and frame pattern assigned to a first node has also been assigned to a second node that is on the same level below the base node as the first node, and wherein the first node and the second node do not share a same parent node. 
     
     
         19 . The communication device of  claim 11 , the program instructions executable further causing the communications device to:
 assign a beacon slot number and a first sequence number to a parent node on a first level;   assign the beacon slot number and a second sequence number to a child node on a next level below the parent node, wherein the parent node and the child node transmit in a same beacon slot position, but the second sequence number causes the child node to transmit in a different frame pattern than the parent node.   
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor within a communications device, cause the communications device to:
 assign a beacon slot and frame pattern for beacon transmission times to switch nodes within the communication device's network, the assigned beacon slot and frame pattern ensuring that each node does not transmit a beacon in a beacon slot that is adjacent to a beacon slot assigned to a parent or child node.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , the program instructions further cause the device to:
 when there are no more than thirty-two switch nodes in a power line communication network:
 assign a second beacon slot and fourth beacon slot in each frame to a different node until all nodes have a designated beacon transmission slot and pattern; and 
 reserve a first beacon slot and a third beacon slot in each frame as unassigned; 
   when there are no more than sixty-four switch nodes in the power line communication network:
 assign a third beacon slot in each frame to a different node on a first level below the base node; 
 reserve a first beacon slot, a second beacon slot, and a fourth beacon slot in each frame as unassigned; and 
 assign a first beacon slot and a third beacon slot in each frame to a different node on a second level below the base node, wherein when both a parent node and a child node are assigned to a same beacon slot, the parent node is assigned a first frame pattern and the child node is assigned a second frame, wherein the second frame pattern prevents the child node from transmitting a beacon in the same frame as the parent node; and 
   when there are more than sixty-four switch nodes in the power line communication network:
 reusing a selected beacon slot and frame pattern for a node that is at least two-levels away from other nodes using the same beacon slot and frame pattern.