Body Area Network
Introduction
Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) are dynamically self-organized and self-configured, with the nodes in the network automatically establishing an ad hoc network and maintaining the mesh connectivity. WMNs are comprised of two types of nodes: mesh routers and mesh clients. Other than the routing capability for gateway/bridge functions as in a conventional wireless router, a mesh router contains additional routing functions to support mesh networking. Through multi-hop communications, the same coverage can be achieved by a mesh router with much lower transmission power. To further improve the flexibility of mesh networking, a mesh router is usually equipped with multiple wireless interfaces built on either the same or different wireless access technologies. In spite of all these differences, mesh and conventional wireless routers are usually built based on a similar hardware platform.
Mesh routers have minimal mobility and form the mesh backbone for mesh clients. Thus, although mesh clients can also work as a router for mesh networking, the hardware platform and software for them can be much simpler than those for mesh routers. For example, communication protocols for mesh clients can be light-weight, gateway or bridge functions do not exist in mesh clients, only a single wireless interface is needed in a mesh client, and so on.
In addition to mesh networking among mesh routers and mesh clients, the gateway/bridge functionalities in mesh routers enable the integration of WMNs with various other networks. Conventional nodes equipped with wireless network interface cards (NICs) can connect directly to WMNs through wireless mesh routers. Customers without wireless NICs can access WMNs by connecting to wireless mesh routers through, for example, Ethernet. Thus, WMNs will greatly help users to be always-on-line anywhere, anytime.
Consequently, instead of being another type of ad-hoc networking,
WMNs diversify the capabilities of
Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) are dynamically self-organized and self-configured, with the nodes in the network automatically establishing an ad hoc network and maintaining the mesh connectivity. WMNs are comprised of two types of nodes: mesh routers and mesh clients. Other than the routing capability for gateway/bridge functions as in a conventional wireless router, a mesh router contains additional routing functions to support mesh networking. Through multi-hop communications, the same coverage can be achieved by a mesh router with much lower transmission power. To further improve the flexibility of mesh networking, a mesh router is usually equipped with multiple wireless interfaces built on either the same or different wireless access technologies. In spite of all these differences, mesh and conventional wireless routers are usually built based on a similar hardware platform.
Mesh routers have minimal mobility and form the mesh backbone for mesh clients. Thus, although mesh clients can also work as a router for mesh networking, the hardware platform and software for them can be much simpler than those for mesh routers. For example, communication protocols for mesh clients can be light-weight, gateway or bridge functions do not exist in mesh clients, only a single wireless interface is needed in a mesh client, and so on.
In addition to mesh networking among mesh routers and mesh clients, the gateway/bridge functionalities in mesh routers enable the integration of WMNs with various other networks. Conventional nodes equipped with wireless network interface cards (NICs) can connect directly to WMNs through wireless mesh routers. Customers without wireless NICs can access WMNs by connecting to wireless mesh routers through, for example, Ethernet. Thus, WMNs will greatly help users to be always-on-line anywhere, anytime.
Consequently, instead of being another type of ad-hoc networking,
WMNs diversify the capabilities of
References: Inc. (submitted for patent application), Oct. 2004. Group on Data Communication (SIGCOMM), Aug. 2004, pp. 133–44. Net. (MOBICOM), 2004, pp. 114–28. 10, Dec. 2003, pp. 1615–26.