Abstract: The present invention relates to providing a mobile ephemeral gateway (12). The ephemeral gateway (12) is configured for configuring wireless network devices (40, 42, 44) of a wireless network (200) in its proximity, for acting as a gateway of the wireless network, and for making available for at least one other gateway (30) configuration information of the wireless network obtained during configuring the wireless network devices (40, 42, 44). The mobile ephemeral gateway (12) can be replaced or augmented by the at least one other gateway (30). The wireless network (200) can be controlled based on the configuration information made available by the ephemeral gateway (12). This may allow a more reliable and faster configuration of wireless networks with reduced data traffic during configuration as well as an improved operation of the wireless network as multiple GWs (12, 30) may perform functions in the wireless network sequentially or in parallel.

Abstract: A method (500) of a node (300) for selecting a substitute proxy (250) to replace a present proxy (200) in a wireless communication network (100), wherein the node (300) gets connected to the wireless communication network (100) via the present proxy (200), the method (500) comprising the steps of the node (300): generating (S501) a list of one or more candidate substitute proxies; polling (S502) a neighbor table of the present proxy (200) for entries related to the one or more candidate substitute proxies; maintaining (S503) the list of the one or more candidate substitute proxies based on a feedback from the present proxy (200); and selecting (S504) a substitute proxy (250) from the list of one or more candidate substitute proxies to replace the present proxy (200), when a link quality between the node (300) and the present proxy (200) degrades below a certain threshold.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Zigbee or other multi-hop network that can become a bottleneck for certain applications, e.g. entertainment streaming to (multiple) areas in the areas (e.g. at home) where hopping is needed. By locally utilizing an temporary gateway (50) being present right in a data-hungry area, the overall performance across the network can be improved. Using this temporary gateway (50), (part of) the data can be routed 5 directly to/from the destination/source nodes (10, 40) thus freeing up capacity in the remainder of the network.

Abstract: To improve the efficiency and reliability of communication in a large and high-density wireless network 100, it is beneficial to assign a subset of the plurality of nodes 500 being router nodes 200, and the rest of the nodes being non-router nodes 300. Thus, the dense wireless network 100 splits into a sparse core mesh network and many small star networks around each router node 200. However, to commission the plurality of nodes into such a hybrid topology can be quite complex and time-consuming. This invention discloses a commissioning method that makes use of one or more neighboring relationship established among the plurality of nodes to derive a proper role for an individual node, and then to configure the individual node to operate according to the role assigned. The disclosed commissioning method may be carried out semi-automatically or automatically.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of wireless mesh communication networks and in particular to methods, networks and nodes (101) for use in such a wireless mesh network (100) for establishing routes in the wireless mesh network (100) by pro-actively regularly sending many-to-one route requests at randomized intervals by wireless network nodes (101) that can operate as a proxy nodes for a mobile wireless device (104) communicating using a first wireless communication protocol and further nodes (102, 103) in the wireless mesh network (100) communicating using a second wireless communication protocol.

Abstract: The invention refers to a network device (110) for configuring a network (100) to enable the network to work with a gateway device (130). The gateway device is adapted to act as gateway within the network when the gateway device is present in the network, wherein during the configuration the gateway device is absent from the network. The network device is adapted to provide information indicative of characteristics of the network and relevant for a gateway device, to store the information such that the gateway device can access the information, and to configure the network based on the information such that the gateway device can act as a gateway when present in the network, wherein the network is configured as if the gateway device were present in the network. Thus, the utilizing of a gateway device not used for the installation of the network can be simplified.

Abstract: The present invention is particularly directed to a signal-quality determination device (300) that comprises a transceiver unit configured to provide a wireless beacon-request signal as a single-hop broadcast signal indicative of a request to any wireless communication device (312.1, 312.2, 340) within a single-hop distance from the signal-quality determination device and belonging or not to a wireless communication network 350 to which the signal-quality determination device belongs, to provide a respective beacon-response signal upon reception of the beacon-request signal, and to receive the beacon-response signals. The signal-quality determination device is configured to determine beacon signal-quality data (SQ) indicative of a received-signal quality, e.g. RSSI of the beacon-response signal, or a channel-state CSI of a respective wireless communication link.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing a mobile ephemeral gateway (12). The ephemeral gateway (12) is configured for configuring wireless network devices (40, 42, 44) of a wireless network (200) in its proximity, for acting as a gateway of the wireless network, and for making available for at least one other gateway (30) configuration information of the wireless network obtained during configuring the wireless network devices (40, 42, 44). The mobile ephemeral gateway (12) can be replaced or augmented by the at least one other gateway (30). The wireless network (200) can be controlled based on the configuration information made available by the ephemeral gateway (12). This may allow a more reliable and faster configuration of wireless networks with reduced data traffic during configuration as well as an improved operation of the wireless network as multiple GWs (12, 30) may perform functions in the wireless network sequentially or in parallel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a node-control unit (100) for setting an operation mode of one or more network nodes (102) of a wireless communication network (150). It comprises a network-service-detection unit (104), for ascertain that a network-service device (106) is currently available for communicating with the wireless communication network, and to provide a respective service-availability signal (SA) indicative thereof, and an operation-mode setting unit (108) configured to receive the service-availability signal (SA) and, to generate and provide based thereon, a first switch-mode signal (SM1) to at least one network node indicative of an instruction to switch the operation mode from a first operation mode where the network node acts as a node of the wireless communication network to a second operation mode wherein the network node is in communication with the respective external network-service device thereby enabling an ad-hoc adjustment of the functionality of the network node.

Abstract: To improve the efficiency and reliability of communication in a large and high-density wireless network 100, it is beneficial to assign a subset of the plurality of nodes 500 being router nodes 200, and the rest of the nodes being non-router nodes 300. Thus, the dense wireless network 100 splits into a sparse core mesh network and many small star networks around each router node 200. However, to commission the plurality of nodes into such a hybrid topology can be quite complex and time-consuming. This invention discloses a commissioning method that makes use of one or more neighboring relationship established among the plurality of nodes to derive a proper role for an individual node, and then to configure the individual node to operate according to the role assigned. The disclosed commissioning method may be carried out semi-automatically or automatically.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a network node (100) for communicating in a wireless communication network (150) that comprises an application unit (102) for performing one or more predetermined application functions. The network node comprises an input interface (104) for receiving availability signals (AS) indicative of an availability or non-availability of a respective application control hub for centralized control of data exchange (130) with respect to the respective application function.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of wireless mesh communication networks and in particular to methods, networks and nodes (101) for use in such a wireless mesh network (100) for establishing routes in the wireless mesh network (100) by pro-actively regularly sending many-to-one route requests at randomized intervals by wireless network nodes (101) that can operate as a proxy nodes for a mobile wireless device (104) communicating using a first wireless communication protocol and further nodes (102, 103) in the wireless mesh network (100) communicating using a second wireless communication protocol.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of Zigbee wireless mesh communication networks and in particular to methods, systems and nodes (A,B,C,D) for use is such systems for establishing routes in mesh networks, wherein Zigbee router nodes (A,B,C) comprise a controller and radio transceiver and are arranged to include addresses of Zigbee End Device, ZED, child nodes (D) of the Zigbee router (C), in many-to-one route requests that the Zigbee router (C) transmits and/or include the addresses of the ZED child nodes (D) of the Zigbee router (C) in AODV route replies that the Zigbee router (C) transmits.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Zigbee or other multi-hop network that can become a bottleneck for certain applications, e.g. entertainment streaming to (multiple) areas in the areas (e.g. at home) where hopping is needed. By locally utilizing an temporary gateway (50) being present right in a data-hungry area, the overall performance across the network can be improved. Using this temporary gateway (50), (part of) the data can be routed 5 directly to/from the destination/source nodes (10, 40) thus freeing up capacity in the remainder of the network.

Abstract: A distributed control system including a plurality of controllers, each controller of the plurality of controllers being in communication with the remaining controllers of the plurality of controllers, each controller being configured to control at least one device, each controller being further configured to: initiate a first timer, in response to a received signal, the first timer having a length that is unique with respect to the first timer lengths of the remaining controllers of the plurality of controllers; send a first notification signal, upon the expiration of the first timer, to the remaining controllers notifying the remaining controllers of an intent to send a command signal; send the command signal to the at least one device, wherein the controller is configured to cancel sending the notification signal and the command signal if the notification signal is first received from one of the remaining controllers of the plurality of controllers prior to the expiration of the first timer.

Abstract: The invention is related to a luminaire comprising a lighting module for emitting light, a driver for driving operation of the lighting module, a runtime overvoltage protection device for protecting the lighting module and the driver from exposure to overvoltage above a first overvoltage tripping limit, and a provisional overvoltage protection device that is connected in parallel to the runtime overvoltage protection device and has a second overvoltage tripping limit. The second tripping limit smaller than the first overvoltage tripping limit so that the provisional overvoltage protection device provides overvoltage protection to the runtime overvoltage protection device. Moreover, the provisional overvoltage protection device is deactivatable.

Abstract: A distributed control system including a plurality of controllers, each controller of the plurality of controllers being in communication with the remaining controllers of the plurality of controllers, each controller being configured to control at least one device, each controller being further configured to: initiate a first timer, in response to a received signal, the first timer having a length that is unique with respect to the first timer lengths of the remaining controllers of the plurality of controllers; send a first notification signal, upon the expiration of the first timer, to the remaining controllers notifying the remaining controllers of an intent to send a command signal; send the command signal to the at least one device, wherein the controller is configured to cancel sending the notification signal and the command signal if the notification signal is first received from one of the remaining controllers of the plurality of controllers prior to the expiration of the first timer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a support system for supporting the commissioning of a networked power distribution system (1). The networked power distribution system comprises at least one power supply (2) with one or more power connectors (12, 12a) for supplying power to the one or more power connectors and a data communication interface for exchanging communication data. The support system (6) comprises one or more load device detectors (7) for detecting the connecting and/or disconnecting of a load device (3a) to/from a power connector (12a), and a commissioning tool (8) for performing steps of commissioning the networked power distribution system with regard to the load device. The commissioning tool is adapted to automatically perform at least some of the commissioning steps in response to the detection of the connecting and/or disconnecting of the load device. This can allow for a relatively easy commissioning of the networked power distribution system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method for wireless communicating in a network comprising a resource-constrained end device, and a first router device, wherein the method comprises the following steps:—the end device (ZBLD) sending a trigger for proxy search procedure,—the first router (R1) device receiving the trigger for proxy search procedure, the first router (R1) determining whether it fulfills conditions for acting as a router for the end device, and in case conditions are fulfilled, the first router appointing itself as a proxy router for the end device, for relaying communication between the end device and the rest of the network. The invention also relates to an end device, a router device, and net work therefor.

Abstract: The invention provides a mesh network bridging device adapted to allow a resource restricted device to pass and/or receive signals from a mesh network. The mesh network bridging device is operable over both a first communication channel, so as to communicate with the resource restricted device, and a second communication channel, so as to communicate with the mesh network. The mesh network bridging device is adapted to switch between a first and second mode of operation, associated with the first and second communication channel respectively, so as to alternately communicate with the resource restricted device and the mesh network bridging device. The mesh network bridging device may thereby act as a bridge between the resource restricted device and the mesh network bridging device.