Mote networks using directional antenna techniques

Abstract

In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to a first mote, at least including: a first-mote directional antenna; wherein the first-mote directional antenna comprises a plurality of first antennas elements; ad hoc programmed computer processor which is configured to perform at least causing to establish a first communication link between the first mote and a second mote, based on a first direction; where the first direction corresponds to a first state of the plurality of first antennas elements; monitoring, in real time, the initial communication link data; determining, based on the initial communication link data, a second; selectively varying an antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements to establish a second state, corresponding to the second direction; and causing to establish a second communication link between the first mote and the second mote, based on the second state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 causing, by at least one ad hoc programmed computer processor of at least one first mote, to establish a first communication link between the at least one first mote and at least one second mote, based on a first direction associated with the at least one second mote;   wherein the at least one first mote comprises at least one first-mote directional antenna;   wherein the at least one first-mote directional antenna comprises a plurality of first antennas elements;   wherein the first direction corresponds to a first state of the plurality of first antennas elements;   wherein the at least one initial communication link comprises a first plurality of signals which are exchanged between the at least one first mote and the at least one second mote;   wherein the first plurality of signals comprises:
 i) a plurality of first transmitted signals, being transmitted by the at least one first mote to the at least one second mote; 
 ii) a plurality of first received signals, being received by the at least one first mote from the at least one second mote; 
   monitoring, in real time, by the at least one ad hoc programmed computer processor of the at least one first mote, the initial communication link data regarding at least one of:
 i) a level of the at least one signal indicator of at least one signal characteristic of each first received signal of the plurality of first received signals, 
 ii) a level change of the at least one signal indicator of the at least one signal characteristic of each first received signal of the plurality of first received signals, and 
 iii) a rate of change of the at least one signal indicator of the at least one signal characteristic of each first received signal of the plurality of first received signals; 
   storing, in a memory, the initial communication link data;   determining, by the at least one ad hoc programmed computer processor of the at least one first mote, based on the initial communication link data, a second direction associated with the at least one second mote, wherein the second direction is distinct from the first direction;   selectively varying, by the at least one ad hoc programmed computer processor of the at least one first mote, at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements to establish a second state of the plurality of first antenna elements,   wherein the second state of the plurality of first antenna elements corresponds to the second direction associated with the at least one second mote; and   causing, by the at least one ad hoc programmed computer processor of the at least one first mote, to establish a second communication link between the at least one first mote and the at least one second mote, based on the second state of the plurality of first antenna elements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first mote and the at least one second mote are of the same mote type. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mote and the at least one second mote are distinct mote types. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively varying at least one relative phase respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one relative phase, comprising:
 selectively positioning at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements with respect to at least one other first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively varying at least one relative dielectric constant respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively switching at least one delay element respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively varying a transmission frequency respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively tuning at least one switchable tuning stubs respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each signal is a packet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the storing the initial communication link data, comprising:
 logging:
 i) a first value of at least one packet characteristic of a known beacon packet, and 
 ii) a respective value of the at least one packet characteristic of each first received packet; 
 
   wherein the determining the second direction associated with the at least one second mote, comprising:
 correlating the respective value of the at least one packet characteristic of each first received packet to the first value of the at least one packet characteristic of the known beacon packet. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one packet characteristic is a rate of packet transmission. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal characteristic is one of:
 i) a signal strength, and   ii) a signal-to-noise ratio.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one signal characteristic is the signal strength;   wherein the storing the initial communication link data, comprising:
 logging:
 i) a first value of the signal strength of a known beacon signal, and 
 ii) a respective value of the signal strength of each first received signal; 
 
   wherein the determining the second direction associated with the at least one second mote, comprising:
 correlating the respective value of the signal strength of each first received signal to the first value of the signal strength of the known beacon signal. 
   
     
     
         15 . A first mote, comprising:
 at least one first-mote directional antenna;   wherein the at least one first-mote directional antenna comprises a plurality of first antennas elements;   at least one ad hoc programmed computer processor which is configured to perform at least the following operations:
 causing to establish a first communication link between the first mote and at least one second mote, based on a first direction associated with the at least one second mote; 
 wherein the first direction corresponds to a first state of the plurality of first antennas elements; 
 wherein the at least one initial communication link comprises a first plurality of signals which are exchanged between the first mote and the at least one second mote; 
 wherein the first plurality of signals comprises:
 i) a plurality of first transmitted signals, being transmitted by the first mote to the at least one second mote; 
 ii) a plurality of first received signals, being received by the first mote from the at least one second mote; 
 
 monitoring, in real time, the initial communication link data regarding at least one of:
 i) a level of the at least one signal indicator of at least one signal characteristic of each first received signal of the plurality of first received signals, 
 ii) a level change of the at least one signal indicator of the at least one signal characteristic of each first received signal of the plurality of first received signals, and 
 iii) a rate of change of the at least one signal indicator of the at least one signal characteristic of each first received signal of the plurality of first received signals; 
 
 storing, in a memory, the initial communication link data; 
 determining, based on the initial communication link data, a second direction associated with the at least one second mote, wherein the second direction is distinct from the first direction; 
 selectively varying at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements to establish a second state of the plurality of first antenna elements, 
 wherein the second state of the plurality of first antenna elements corresponds to the second direction associated with the at least one second mote; and 
 causing to establish a second communication link between the first mote and the at least one second mote, based on the second state of the plurality of first antenna elements. 
   
     
     
         16 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the first mote and the at least one second mote are of the same mote type. 
     
     
         17 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the first mote and the at least one second mote are distinct mote types. 
     
     
         18 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively varying at least one relative phase respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         19 . The first mote of  claim 18 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one relative phase, comprising:
 selectively positioning at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements with respect to at least one other first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         20 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively varying at least one relative dielectric constant respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         21 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively switching at least one delay element respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         22 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively varying a transmission frequency respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         23 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the selectively varying the at least one antenna property operatively associated with the plurality of first antennas elements, comprising:
 selectively tuning at least one switchable tuning stubs respectively associated with at least one first antenna element of the plurality of first antennas elements.   
     
     
         24 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein each signal is a packet. 
     
     
         25 . The first mote of  claim 24 , wherein the storing the initial communication link data, comprising:
 logging:
 i) a first value of at least one packet characteristic of a known beacon packet, and 
 ii) a respective value of the at least one packet characteristic of each first received packet; 
   wherein the determining the second direction associated with the at least one second mote, comprising:
 correlating the respective value of the at least one packet characteristic of each first received packet to the first value of the at least one packet characteristic of the known beacon packet. 
   
     
     
         26 . The first mote of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one packet characteristic is a rate of packet transmission. 
     
     
         27 . The first mote of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one signal characteristic is one of:
 i) a signal strength, and   ii) a signal-to-noise ratio.   
     
     
         28 . The first mote of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the at least one signal characteristic is the signal strength;   wherein the storing the initial communication link data, comprising:
 logging:
 i) a first value of the signal strength of a known beacon signal, and 
 ii) a respective value of the signal strength of each first received signal; 
 
   wherein the determining the second direction associated with the at least one second mote, comprising:
 correlating the respective value of the signal strength of each first received signal to the first value of the signal strength of the known beacon signal.