EP4732521A1 - Auto-commissioning of a multi-network system - Google Patents

Abstract

A node (300) out of a plurality of nodes comprising a radio (310) configured to receive a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) comprised in a multi-network system (100); wherein any two adjacent networks in the multi-network system (100) having different network configurations; and a controller (320) configured to control the node (300) to associate with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; and generate a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node (300'), wherein the neighboring node (300') is within direct communication range of the node (300) and associated with another network in the multi-network system (100) and different from the node's primary network; wherein the radio (310) is further configured to send the candidate node table to a commissioning tool (500).

Description

AUTO-COMMISSIONING OF A MULTI-NETWORK SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of cross-border wireless communication. More particularly, various methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed herein related to auto-commissioning of a multi-network system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Zigbee, Thread and Bluetooth Mesh are examples of wireless protocols that are targeted at loT applications such as lighting and building automation. They provide a low latency, low-rate service that enables messages to be passed between, for example, a light switch and one or more luminaires. To enable messages to be routed correctly, each node on the wireless network is assigned a local network unicast address and may be addressed either directly as an individual node or, via a group address, as a member of a group. Once configured, such networks are typically expected to operate autonomously.

A control system deployed in a building may comprise of multiple Zigbee, Thread, or Bluetooth Mesh networks with each network comprising a plurality of electronic devices in a same room or on a same floor. Each network may be controlled in a standalone manner by deploying an individual switch/sensor/gateway with each of these networks. These standalone networks may not communicate with each other and may also reside on different frequency channels to reduce congestion and potential collision of messages. However, there can be use cases where one would like to have communication between these standalone networks, such that a same control command may be applied to a large group of devices across different rooms/floors. In such a scenario, a cross-border communication is required.

In a Zigbee system, cross-border communication may be achieved by using Zigbee InterP AN messages. However, the limitation with InterP AN mechanism is that all the networks participating in such a communication must be on the same channel. Therefore, this solution lacks flexibility in certain application scenarios.

Some silicon vendors offer a multi-network feature that allows a single device to be on two different Zigbee networks. For example, a solution from Silicon Labs with its multi-network feature allows a device to be Zigbee router on one network and sleepy end device on the other. The networks can be on different channels and the device with multinetwork feature does time sharing between these two networks. This solution can be used for cross border communication between the standalone networks. A device that is part of two different networks is called a border node and there may be multiple border nodes between two different networks.

US2004003111 Al is related to a cluster tree network formed by selforganization of a number of nodes, and multi-cluster networks with the processes of intercluster network formation, inter-cluster network maintenance, and inter-cluster communication.

WO2022148695A1 is related to a method of relaying a message in a network comprising at least two mesh networks each comprising a plurality of operatively interconnected node devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Multiple links may be created between adjacent networks via more than one border node. Selection of border nodes is one of the key operations in multi -network commissioning. For stable performance of a multi-network system, it may also be favourable to create multiple links between adjacent networks using more than one border nodes. This helps to avoid a single point of failure for communication between the networks. Also, it is recommended to create bi-directional links between two adjacent networks to avoid messages circulating indefinitely inside the multi-network system. Therefore, in a large-scale installation multiple border nodes must be selected and configured. Such an operation is both tedious and time-consuming resulting in additional commissioning costs. In addition, if the installer is required to select the border nodes, manual errors may also be introduced.

It is recognized by the inventors that it is beneficial to implement autocommissioning of a multi-network system. More particularly, the goal of this invention is achieved by a node as claimed in claim 1, by a commissioning tool as claimed in claim 9, by a method of a node as claimed in claim 12, by a method of a commissioning tool as claimed in claim 13, and by a computing program as claimed in claim 14.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention a node is provided. A node out of a plurality of nodes comprising: a radio configured to receive a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks comprised in a multi-network system; wherein any two adjacent networks in the multi -network system having different network configurations; and a controller configured to: o control the node to associate with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; and o generate a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node, wherein the neighboring node is within direct communication range of the node and associated with another network in the multi-network system and different from the node’s primary network; wherein the radio is further configured to send the candidate node table to a commissioning tool.

The wireless mesh networks of the multi-network system may operate according to Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth Mesh, Wi-Fi mesh, WirelessHART, SmartRF, CityTouch, IP500, Z-wave, or another mesh-based technology. Each mesh network may be related to nodes deployed in a room or several neighboring rooms, in a conference hall, or on a floor.

The candidate node table carries information not only related to the physical topology of the one or more nodes in the system, but also the information on grouping or commissioning of nodes in the vicinity. Depending on the size of the individual mesh network, it may be possible that only the nodes close to the edge or boundary of the network will be able to detect neighboring nodes with direct communication distance but associated to a different mesh network. Based on one or more candidate node tables, the commissioning tool cam obtain more complete information regarding the relative locations of nodes in the multi-network system, such as close to the boundary or not. It also helps the commissioning tool to get an overview on how many nodes in each mesh network are located next to adjacent networks.

In one example, the radio is further configured to detect the neighboring node via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multinetwork system is based on.

The detection of the neighboring node may be implemented either before or after the node joins its primary network.

For example, the node may operate according to the second communication protocol when it is in a factory new state or when it is not associated with any mesh network. And then, when it is associated with its primary network, it may operate according to the communication protocol that the multi-network system is based on. It may also be an option that after the node joins the mesh network, it operates on a time-sharing basis either in the mesh network or according to the second communication protocol. The detection of neighboring node is carried out according to the second communication protocol.

Beneficially, the radio is further configured to: send an advertisement message according to the second communication protocol; wherein the advertisement message comprises a network address of the node in the primary network and network configuration information related to the primary network; and detect one or more advertisement messages from another node out of the plurality of nodes for generating the candidate node table.

To facilitate other nodes to detect the neighboring node information and to generate the candidate node table, the node is configured to update its advertisement message by incorporating network configuration information related to the primary network after it joins the primary network.

Advantageously, the controller is further configured to: add an indication in the advertisement message to identify whether the node is configured as a border node.

Since the candidate node table is used to assist the commissioning tool to select border nodes, it is helpful to specify if the node is already configured as a border node in the advertisement message. In this way, the other nodes that received the advertisement message in the vicinity may either exclude the node from their candidate node table or add the indication in a corresponding entry of the node in their candidate node table.

Preferably, the radio is further configured to operate in its primary network and according to the second communication protocol on a time sharing basis.

In one example, the multi-network system is operated according to a Zigbee standard, which is widely adopted in home automation and lighting control applications. The Zigbee network layer natively supports both star and tree networks, and generic mesh networking. The powerful topology control provides it great flexibility in a control system, especially for reaching destination nodes that are far away from a source node with direct link.

In one example, the second communication protocol is according to a peer-to- peer communication protocol, preferably according to a Bluetooth Low Energy standard.

Beneficially, the radio is further configured to: receive a command to operate as a border node; wherein the controller is further configured to control the node to o associate with a further wireless mesh network, which is different from its primary network, as its secondary network; and o carry out bi-directional wireless communication to enable cross-network communication between its primary network and secondary network.

In such a multi-network system, to facilitate inter-communication between adjacent mesh networks, it is necessary to deploy border nodes. A border node is part of two or more adjacent mesh networks and is identified with different network addresses in each network.

For a wireless mesh network, the network address may also be called a local identifier, a short address, or a node address. As one example, a Zigbee network adopts a 16- bit short address to uniquely identify a particular node within the network. For another type of short-range wireless communication network, the length of the network address may be different.

To reduce congestion and mutual interference, it is usually beneficial to operate adjacent mesh networks on different frequency channels, such that the border node operates on a first frequency channel in a first network and on a different second frequency channel in a second network.

Upon receiving a command by the node to operate as a border node, the node is configured to join a further network as its secondary network in addition to its primary network. Being part of both networks, the node will be assigned different network addresses, dedicated to the primary network and the secondary network respectively. The border node may operate in the primary network and in the secondary network on a time sharing basis and enable cross-network communication between its primary network and secondary network.

Preferable, the node is further configured to: operate as a router node in its primary network and as either a router node or an end node in its secondary network.

The node may take different roles in its primary network and secondary network. To take the Zigbee standard as an example, Zigbee specifies three different device types: the Zigbee Coordinator (ZC), the Zigbee Router (ZR), and the Zigbee End Device (ZED). These three devices play different roles in a Zigbee network. A Zigbee Router (ZR) passes data between devices and/or the coordinator. A Zigbee End Device (ZED) provides only basic functionality. ZEDs are leaf nodes. They communicate only through their parent nodes and, unlike router devices, cannot relay messages intended for other nodes. They don’t participate in any routing. End devices rely on their parent routers to send and receive messages. Regarding IEEE 802.15.4, ZC and ZR are fully functional devices (FFDs), whereas the ZEDs are reduced function devices (RFDs).

When the node operates as an end node in the secondary network, the internetwork communication via the border node is a kind of router to end node configuration. The end node may also be a sleepy end node.

When the node also operates as a router node in the secondary network, the inter-network communication via the border node is a kind of router to router configuration, which allows a seamless bi-directional multi-network communication.

In one example, the controller is further configured to add a link quality parameter related to the direct communication link between the node and the neighboring node in the entry of the candidate node table.

There may be several nodes located close to the edge of adjacent mesh networks. Thus, the controller may select the border nodes, out of the several candidate nodes, that have reliable connections to other nodes. Different parameters may be used to represent the link quality, such as a received signal strength indicator (RS SI), a signal to noise ratio (SNR), a power spectrum density (PSD), and a bit error rate (BER).

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention a commissioning tool is provided. A commissioning tool for commissioning a multi-network system that comprises two or more wireless mesh networks with any two adjacent networks having different network configurations, the commissioning tool configured to: commission a plurality of nodes into the two or more wireless mesh networks with each node out of the plurality of nodes associated with one out of the two or more wireless mesh networks as its primary network; the commissioning tool comprising: a radio configured to receive one or more candidate node tables each from an individual node out of the plurality of nodes; wherein each candidate node table comprises an entry related to a neighboring node, wherein the neighboring node is within direct communication range of the corresponding individual node and associated with another network in the multi -network system and different from the individual node’s primary network; a controller configured to select a border node based on the received one or more candidate node tables; and generate a command for the selected border node to commission the selected border node to a further network different from the selected border node’s primary network as its secondary network; wherein the radio is further configured to send the command to the selected border node.

In order to commission the plurality of nodes into a multi-network setup, it is important to select one or more border nodes to enable cross network communication between adjacent networks. Each wireless mesh network may be deployed for a certain area, such as a room, a floor, or a certain coverage area in an open space. The border nodes are typically the nodes that are deployed at the boundary or edge of each mesh networks. To make the selection more efficient and convenient, it is beneficial that the nodes provide one or more candidate node tables, such that the neighboring node information comprised in the candidate node tables provides the commissioning tool with not only the physical topology information, but also the logical distribution of the nodes in different mesh networks. The combination of both information is very beneficial for the commissioning tool to make the selection of one or more border nodes.

Beneficially, for at least one out of the one or more received candidate node tables, when the entry related to the neighboring node comprises a link quality parameter related to a direct communication link between the individual node and its neighboring node, the controller is further configured to select the border node based on an assessment on the link quality parameter.

Different parameters may be used to represent the link quality, such as a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a signal to noise ratio (SNR), a power spectrum density (PSD), and a bit error rate (BER). With the further information on link quality, the controller may select the border nodes that have better connections to other nodes for a more reliable cross network communication.

In one example, the radio of the commissioning tool is further configured to receive the one or more candidate node tables via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multi-network system is based on.

The wireless mesh networks of the multi-network system may operate according to Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth Mesh, Wi-Fi mesh, WirelessHART, SmartRF, CityTouch, IP500, Z-wave, or another mesh-based technology. The second communication protocol may be according to a peer-to-peer communication protocol, preferably according to a Bluetooth Low Energy standard.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention a method of a node is provided. A method of a node comprising steps of the node: receiving a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks comprised in a multi-network system; wherein any two adjacent networks in the multi-network system having different network configurations; associating with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; generating a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node, wherein the neighboring node is within direct communication range of the node and associated with another network in the multi -network system and different from the node’s primary network; and sending the candidate node table to a commissioning tool.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention a method of a commissioning tool is provided. A method of a commissioning tool for commissioning a multi-network system that comprises two or more wireless mesh networks with any two adjacent networks having different network configurations, the method comprising: commissioning a plurality of nodes into the two or more wireless mesh networks with each node out of the plurality of nodes associated with one out of the two or more wireless mesh networks as its primary network; receiving one or more candidate node tables each from an individual node out of the plurality of nodes; wherein each candidate node table comprises an entry related to a neighboring node, wherein the neighboring node is within direct communication range of the corresponding individual node and associated with another network different from the individual node’s primary network; selecting a border node based on the received one or more candidate node tables; generating a command for the selected border node to commission the selected border node to a further network different from the selected border node’s primary network as its secondary network; and sending the command to the selected border node.

A computing program comprising code means which, when the program is executed by a node according to the present invention or a commissioning tool according to the present invention comprising processing means, cause the processing means comprised in the node or in the commissioning tool to perform the method of a node or the method of a commissioning tool respectively. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different figures. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of mesh networks connected via border nodes;

FIG. 2 shows a basic block diagram of a node;

FIG. 3 shows a basic block diagram of a commissioning tool;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of bi-directional link setup using two border nodes;

FIG. 5 illustrates one example of a floor plan used for multi-network setup;

FIG. 6 shows a multi-network setup status after partial commissioning;

FIG. 7 shows a further multi-network setup status after partial commissioning;

FIG. 8 shows a fully connected multi-network setup;

FIG. 9 illustrates an example with a centralized switch added to a multinetwork system;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example depicting shortage of border nodes to link a further room 6;

FIG. 11 illustrates a multi-network system after fixing an unlinked room;

FIG. 12 illustrates network status after each room is commissioned using a centralized commissioning approach;

FIG. 13 illustrates a fully connected multi -network setup using a centralized commissioning approach;

FIG. 14 shows a flow diagram of a method of a node; and

FIG. 15 shows a flow diagram of a method of a commissioning tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments set forth below represent information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure. FIG. 1 illustrates a multi -network system 100 comprising a plurality of wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 connected via border nodes. Each mesh network 110, 120, 130 comprises a plurality of nodes or devices 300. Any two adjacent networks 110, 120, 130 in the multi -network system 100 have different network configurations, such as operating on different frequency channels to reduce the chance of congestion or mutual interference among adjacent networks.

There may be a central switch, which may also be a proxy node, a gateway, or a controller, configured to send out a data message or a control signal for the plurality of nodes 300 across more than one mesh network 110, 120, 130. A border node is a node located in an overlapping area between two adjacent networks, which constitutes a part in both networks and may be identified in the two networks via different network addresses. The border nodes located in the overlapping area of mesh networks 110 and 120 are configured to forward data messages originated from a first node, such as a gateway, a switch node, or a proxy device in the first network 110 to the second network 120. Another border node located in the overlapping area of mesh networks 120 and 130 is configured to forward data messages originated from the first network 110 from the second network 120 to the further network 130.

The data message or control signal may be used for building automation to control sensors and actuators integrated in or co-located with the plurality of nodes in the multi -network system.

Beneficially, the control command is for lighting control, such as to switch on/off a lamp or to change colour temperature of the lamp, etc. Different use cases may be enabled, such as

• For large area light control

- Building / Floor with a centralized switch

- Circadian rhythm lighting using a single clock source

- Light control for Horticulture

- Automatic demand response

- Emergency test trigger and result readout

- Energy reporting from the drivers

• For local area lighting control

- Control subset of rooms in a large space

Corridor linking with motion detection in nearby rooms As one detailed example, it may be desirable to have a central switch that lets the user turn off all the lights in the building. Without such a switch, the user will have to individually go to every room/floor and use the dedicated switch for the lights in that room.

In a further example, it may be required to read out energy consumption for all the networks in the area by connecting to just one of the networks, or to check status of emergency drivers in the building by connecting to just one network instead of individually connecting to the networks in which the emergency driver resides.

In another example, it may be desirable to send real time information to all the luminaires for synchronization of scheduling behaviour.

In all these scenarios, it is beneficial to allow a same control command to propagate across multiple networks to achieve a unified control effect.

Selection of border nodes to link the adjacent networks is one of the key operations in multi-network commissioning. For stable performance of a multi-network system, it is recommended to create multiple links between networks using the border nodes. This helps in avoiding a single point of failure for communication between the networks. Also, it is recommended to create bi-directional links between any two adjacent wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 to avoid messages circulating indefinitely inside the multinetwork system 100. Therefore, in a large-scale installation multiple border nodes must be selected and configured. Such an operation is both tedious and time-consuming resulting in additional commissioning costs.

Different embodiments of the present invention are further detailed in the context of a central switch 400 communicating across multiple wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130. As an example, the central switch 400 may be a regular Zigbee switch, a Zigbee green power switch, or a proxy device. Similar approach can be applied to different use cases such as energy reading or configuring luminaires across networks. Communication across multiple Zigbee networks may be achieved by having at least one border node shared by any two adjacent networks. A special Zigbee group and endpoint for cross border communication are defined, which are called link group and link endpoint respectively.

The plurality of nodes 200 may have subscriptions to different link groups related to different applications and/or functions in the system. A single node may have subscriptions to more than one link groups. The same applies to the border nodes, which may also have subscriptions to more than one link group. Additionally, a border node will have a link endpoint subscription to facilitate cross-network communication. The endpoint subscription may be corresponding to a single link group subscription, multiple link group subscriptions, or a subset out of a plurality of link group subscriptions that the border node has.

FIG. 2 shows a basic block diagram of a node 300. A node 300 out of a plurality of nodes comprises at least a radio 310 and a controller 320. The radio 310 is configured to receive a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 comprised in a multi-network system 100, with any two adjacent networks in the multi -network system 100 having different network configurations. The controller 320 is configured to control the node 300 to associate with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; and generate a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node 300’. The neighboring node 300’ is within direct communication range of the node 300 and associated with another network in the multi -network system 100 and different from the node’s primary network. The radio 310 is further configured to send the candidate node table to a commissioning tool 500. Thus, the node is configured to assist the commissioning tool 500 to select border nodes in an optimized and automated manner.

The message related to a wireless mesh network may be an advertisement message sent by a controller or another node that opened or has already joined the wireless mesh network. The message may comprise related configuration information for the node 300 to join the wireless mesh network. It may also be the case that the node 300 receives multiple messages each related to a different wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130. The node 300 may be configured to select one network to join as its primary network. The selection may be based on the signal quality of the corresponding message received. The node may also select a primary network randomly out of a few options.

Alternatively, the message may also be sent by a commissioning tool 500 informing the node 300 to join a specified wireless mesh network as its primary network.

The node may be configured to detect the neighboring node 300’ via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multi-network system 100 is based on.

As one option, the node 300 may be configured to send an advertisement message according to the second communication protocol, and the advertisement message comprises a network address of the node 300 in the primary network and network configuration information related to the primary network. In the meantime, the node 300 is further configured to detect one or more such advertisement messages from another node out of the plurality of nodes. Such that based on the advertisement messages from one or more other nodes, the node 300 can generate the candidate node table.

For a node with a dual mode radio, the multi -network system may be based on a mesh communication protocol, while the detection of neighboring node may be based on a peer-to-peer communication protocol. The node 300 may operate in the multi -network system according to Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth Mesh, Wi-Fi mesh, WirelessHART, SmartRF, CityTouch, IP500, Z-wave, or another mesh-based technology. The second communication protocol may be according to a Bluetooth Low Energy standard.

For example, when the node 300 is in a factory new state, the node may perform a Bluetooth scan in the background to search for nearby commissioned nodes. When a node finds another node from a nearby network (based on the RSSI), it stores this information in its internal BLE neighbor table (note: this is a different neighbor table than the Zigbee neighbor table that is used to maintain the local Zigbee network). The size and number of entries in this table is dependent upon the amount of memory available on the node. For instance, every node could keep at least 2 nodes from every neighboring network it sees. Thus, every node in an installation maintains a BLE neighbor table or the candidate node table that consists of nearby commissioned nodes from other networks. A candidate node table entry may comprise a Zigbee short address of the neighbor node, its network PANID, channel and RSSI as seen by the scanning node.

Additionally, the node 300 may add an indication in the advertisement message to identify whether the node 300 is configured as a border node. For example, a field may be added in the Bluetooth advertisement of the node indicating whether the node is already being used as border node for link creation. As soon as a node is used as a border node, this advertisement field is updated so that all other nodes can remove this node from their candidate node table.

FIG. 3 shows a basic block diagram of a commissioning tool 500. As a basic setup, the commissioning tool 500 comprises at least a radio 510 and a controller 520. The commissioning tool 500 configured to commission a plurality of nodes into the two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 with each node out of the plurality of nodes associated with one out of the two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 as its primary network.

The radio 510 is configured to receive one or more candidate node tables each from an individual node 300 out of the plurality of nodes; wherein each candidate node table comprises an entry related to a neighboring node 300’, wherein the neighboring node 300’ is within direct communication range of the corresponding individual node 300 and associated with another network in the multi -network system 100 and different from the individual node’s primary network. The controller 520 is configured to select a border node based on the received one or more candidate node tables; and generate a command for the selected border node to commission the selected border node to a further network different from the selected border node’s primary network as its secondary network. The radio 510 is further configured to send the command to the selected border node.

For at least one out of the one or more received candidate node tables, when the entry related to the neighboring node 300’ comprises a link quality parameter related to a direct communication link between the individual node 300 and its neighboring node 300’, the controller 520 is further configured to select the border node based on an assessment on the link quality parameter.

The radio 510 may receive the one or more candidate node tables via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multi-network system 100 is based on. For example, the commissioning tool receives the one or more candidate node tables via peer-to-peer links from the plurality of nodes 300 directly.

Commissioning a multi-network system consists of the following steps,

1. Creation of multiple Zigbee networks at a site using a commissioning tool such as smartphone.

2. Selection of border nodes and the linking networks using the selected border nodes.

3. Creating bi-directional links to avoid creation of loops and messages circulating indefinitely in them.

4. Configuring all the nodes for multi-network communication (e.g., adding Zigbee group subscription).

Depending upon the implementation, the above steps can be performed in single or multiple tours of the site.

The candidate node table information can be used in two ways by the commissioning tool 500 to setup the links between networks.

1. Centralized: In this method, the commissioning tool (e.g., smartphone) reads out the candidate node table from each of the nodes during the initial commissioning phase (where a node is added to a wireless mesh network, such as a Zigbee network). This operation happens in the background and as the installer progresses through the building, commissioning each node, the smartphone reads and stores the candidate node table info from these nodes. Once the installer has finished commissioning all the nodes in the building, the smartphone, based on the analyses of collected RS SI information, selects border nodes in each network for optimal link creation. The installer is then instructed to make another tour of the building where the smartphone in the background indicates the selected border nodes to create a link with neighboring networks.

2. Distributed: In this method, the commissioning tool reads out the candidate node table from the node during its commissioning and in the background instructs the node to link with another node from the neighboring network. When the installer commissions the next node, its candidate node table is read in the background and the node is instructed to link with a node from a different neighboring network than the previous selected one. This ensures that a network has links to all possible neighboring networks. In this approach, both the commissioning and multi-network link creation is performed in a single tour of the building.

For the node 300 that receives a command from the commissioning tool 500 to operate as a border node, in which case the controller 320 of the node 300 is further configured to control the node 300 to associate with a further wireless mesh network, which is different from its primary network, as its secondary network; and carry out bi-directional wireless communication to enable cross-network communication between its primary network and secondary network.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of bi-directional link setup using two border nodes. For node A, it operates with network NW 1 as its primary network and with network NW 2 as its secondary network. For node B, it operates with network NW 2 as its primary network and with network NW 1 as its secondary network.

Once a selected border node is commissioned into the secondary network, the same link is used to send the network credentials of border node’s primary network to its parent in the secondary network. The parent is then triggered to create a backward link by asking it to search a parent for its secondary network. This approach helps in the distributed multi-network commissioning where the installer is required to do only one tour of the site. Distributed multi-network commissioning is explained in detail in the next section with an example.

Beneficially, a border node operates as a router node in its primary network and as either a router node or an end node in its secondary network. The border node may also operate as a sleepy end node in its secondary network. As the processing capabilities of chipsets increase, it is also preferable to have router to router configuration in the border node to connect two adjacent networks, thus allowing seamless bi-directional multi -network communication.

FIG. 5 illustrates one example of a floor plan used for multi-network setup. It’s assumed that there are five rooms, each is represented by a block with a room number identified. Without loss of generality, it is further s assumed that all the mesh networks in the room have sufficient border nodes to setup links with nearby rooms.

• A step-by-step illustration of multi-network commissioning using a distributed approach

To set up a multi -network system, one or more steps of the following procedures according to a distributed approach may be involved.

1. A global multi-network area linking all the networks is created by default in a new installation.

2. The first step involves commissioning the nodes to create a mesh network per room. This is the same process to setup individual standalone mesh networks.

3. All nodes perform Bluetooth scan and search for nearby commissioned nodes from other networks. This information is stored in an internal BLE neighbor table or so- called candidate node table. For example, each node can store at least one nearby node for every network found in the vicinity. a. A field in the BLE advertisement of the node can be used to indicate if it is already used as a border node. Also, the advertisement may further indicate if a node has any child. b. This information can be used to update the candidate node table by flagging nodes that are already used as border nodes.

4. As an example, the installer starts the commissioning with room 1. Every node in room 1 is commissioned and added to a mesh network (e.g., Zigbee network) using a smartphone that establishes a Bluetooth connection to the node. While commissioning the node, the smartphone reads out the BLE neighbor table or candidate node table of the node. In this example, the candidate node table of nodes in room 1 will have no nodes from nearby rooms as they are not commissioned yet.

5. Every commissioned node is added to a global link group and light endpoint subscription. E.g., (OxAAAA Ep 1). This group is used for multi-network communication.

6. After completing commissioning of room 1, installer moves to room 2 to commission nodes there. While commissioning the nodes in room 2, if a node's candidate node table has a node from room 1, the smartphone will initiate multi -network link creation on that node. a. Smartphone already has network credentials of room 1. b. In the background, the smartphone instructs the node to which it is connected to find a parent (in room 1) for its secondary network. c. After successful association with a parent in room 1, the node is configured to forward messages targeted to global link group OxAAAA. (Indicated as A in the links between room 1 and room 2 in figure 4). d. This border node now sends room 2 network credentials to its parent which triggers the parent node to create a link from room 1 to room 2 on its secondary network. e. Both the border nodes are now linked to each other, creating a bi-directional link between room 1 and room 2. The border nodes update their Bluetooth advertisements accordingly so that other nodes in the vicinity flag them in their candidate node table. f. FIG. 6 shows the current status of multi-network commissioning after partial commissioning.

7. Proceeding further, the installer commissions room 3 and 4, creating links between rooms 2 «-> 3 and 3 «-> 4 in the process (Fig. 7).

8. While commissioning room 5, it is observed that both rooms 2 and 3 are reachable from 5. The smartphone creates bi-directional links to both the rooms. FIG. 8 shows a fully connected multi-network setup, such as a global multi-network with link group OxAAAA is created for the example floor plan.

9. While commissioning the smartphone stores information of all the created links. A check is performed in the end for any broken links. The rooms represent vertexes, and the links are the connections of a directed graph. The algorithm checks if the graph is strongly connected meaning every vertex is reachable from every other vertex. If any room is not connected, the smartphone will guide the installer to those rooms for breaking/making new links.

10. As shown in FIG. 9, if the installation now requires adding a centralized switch, it can be easily added to any one of the rooms and it sends multicasts to group OxAAAA for controlling lights in all the rooms in the floor plan.

11. Extending the example further, let's say another room 6 is in vicinity of room 5 and room 5 has only 2 nodes that are already in use for links 2^5 and 3«->5, such as the situation shown in FIG. 10. When the installer reaches room 6 for commissioning, the smartphone will notice that no nodes from nearby rooms are available for creating links and room 5 is the only room which is reachable by room 6.

12. The smartphone can check if the graph stays strongly connected by breaking one the links between 2^5 and 3«->5. If it is possible, the smartphone will guide the installer to room 5 to break one of the links. Once the link is broken, the installer goes back to room 6 to use freed up border node to create 5^6 link. It is possible to do this operation without visiting room 5 by first creating the link 6 — > 5 where a node in room 6 makes one of the used border nodes in 5 as parent. Then the child instructs its parent to leave its secondary network, breaking the link 2^5 for example. FIG.11 shows the final multi-network layout after fixing an unlinked room.

• A step-by-step illustration of multi-network commissioning using centralized approach

To set up a multi -network system, one or more steps of the following procedures according to a centralized approach may be involved.

1. A global multi-network area linking all the wireless mesh networks is created by default in a new installation.

2. The first step involves commissioning the nodes to create a wireless mesh network (e.g., a Zigbee network) per room. This is the same process as it is done today to setup multiple standalone wireless mesh networks.

3. All nodes perform Bluetooth scan and search for nearby commissioned nodes from other networks. This information is stored in an internal BLE neighbor table or so-called candidate node table. For example, each node can store at least one nearby node for every network found in the vicinity. a. A field in the BLE advertisement of the node can be used to indicate if it is already used as a border node. Also, the advertisement can indicate if a node has any child. b. This information can be used to update the candidate node table by flagging nodes that are already used as border nodes.

4. As an example, the installer starts the commissioning with room 1. Every node in room 1 is commissioned and added to a wireless mesh network (e.g., Zigbee network) using a commissioning tool (e.g., a smartphone) that establishes a Bluetooth connection to the node. While commissioning the node, the smartphone reads out the candidate node table of the node. In this example, the candidate node table of nodes in room 1 will have no nodes from nearby rooms as they are not commissioned yet.

5. Every commissioned node is added to a global link group and light endpoint subscription. E.g., (OxAAAA Ep 1). This group is used for multi-network communication.

6. After completing commissioning of room 1, installer progresses through other rooms, commissioning the nodes one by one and also reading their neighbor table. FIG. 12 illustrates network status after each room is commissioned using a centralized commissioning approach.

7. Once all rooms are commissioned, based on the obtained a plurality of candidate node tables, the smartphone has information about all neighboring rooms from a room. Also, the information about number of nodes in a room is known. This is helpful in reducing the number of links to be created from a room in case a room has few border nodes. For example, let’s say room 2 sees room 1, 3 and 5 but has only 2 nodes in it. The algorithm in the app could look at neighbors of room 1, 3 and 5 to decide which rooms should be linked to room 2. If the room 5 sees both room 3 and room 2, the app could decide that room 2 creates links with room 1 and 3 as room 5 will anyway be linked with room 3. For example, after analyzing all the collected RS SI data, the app may suggest the following links 1 2, 2 3,

3 ^ 4, 3 5.

8. With the link information now available, the installer walks through all rooms again. The link creation process is same as described in step 6 of distributed commissioning. A fully connected multi-network setup using a centralized commissioning approach is illustrated in FIG. 13.

FIG. 14 shows a flow diagram of a method 800 of a node 300. A method 800 of a node 300 comprising steps of the node 300: receiving, in step S801, a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 comprised in a multi-network system 100; wherein any two adjacent networks in the multi -network system 100 having different network configurations; associating, in step S802, with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; generating, in step S803, a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node 300’, wherein the neighboring node 300’ is within direct communication range of the node 300 and associated with another network in the multi -network system 100 and different from the node’s primary network; and sending, in step S804, the candidate node table to a commissioning tool 500.

FIG. 15 shows a flow diagram of a method 900 of a commissioning tool 500. A method 900 of a commissioning tool 500 for commissioning a multi -network system 100 that comprises two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 with any two adjacent networks having different network configurations, the method comprising: commissioning, in step S901, a plurality of nodes into the two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 with each node out of the plurality of nodes associated with one out of the two or more wireless mesh networks 110, 120, 130 as its primary network; receiving, in step S902, one or more candidate node tables each from an individual node 300 out of the plurality of nodes; wherein each candidate node table comprises an entry related to a neighboring node 300’, wherein the neighboring node 300’ is within direct communication range of the corresponding individual node 300 and associated with another network different from the individual node’s primary network; selecting, in step S903, a border node based on the received one or more candidate node tables; generating, in step S904, a command for the selected border node to commission the selected border node to a further network different from the selected border node’s primary network as its secondary network; and sending, in step S905, the command to the selected border node.

The method according to the present invention may be implemented on a computer as a computer implemented method, or in dedicated hardware, or in a combination of both.

Claims

1. A node (300) out of a plurality of nodes comprising: a radio (310) configured to receive a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) comprised in a multinetwork system (100); wherein any two adjacent networks in the multi-network system (100) having different network configurations; and a controller (320) configured to: control the node (300) to associate with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; and generate a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node (300’), wherein the neighboring node (300’) is within direct communication range of the node (300) and associated with another network in the multi -network system (100) and different from the node’s primary network; wherein the radio (310) is further configured to detect the neighboring node (300’) via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multinetwork system (100) is based on and send the candidate node table to a commissioning tool (500).

2. The node (300) of claim 1, wherein the radio (310) is further configured to: send an advertisement message according to the second communication protocol; wherein the advertisement message comprises a network address of the node (300) in the primary network and network configuration information related to the primary network; and detect one or more advertisement messages from another node out of the plurality of nodes for generating the candidate node table.

3. The node (300) of claim 2, wherein the controller (320) is further configured to: add an indication in the advertisement message to identify whether the node (300) is configured as a border node.

4. The node (300) of any one of the previous claims, wherein the radio (310) is further configured to operate in its primary network and according to the second communication protocol on a time sharing basis.

5. The node (300) of any one of the previous claims, wherein the second communication protocol is according to a peer-to-peer communication protocol, preferably according to a Bluetooth Low Energy standard.

6. The node (300) of any one of the previous claims, wherein the radio (310) is further configured to: receive a command to operate as a border node; wherein the controller (320) is further configured to control the node (300) to associate with a further wireless mesh network, which is different from its primary network, as its secondary network; and carry out bi-directional wireless communication to enable cross-network communication between its primary network and secondary network.

7. The node (300) of claim 6 further configured to: operate as a router node in its primary network and as either a router node or an end node in its secondary network.

8. The node (300) of any one of the previous claims, wherein the controller (320) is further configured to add a link quality parameter related to the direct communication link between the node (300) and the neighboring node (300’) in the entry of the candidate node table.

9. A commissioning tool (500) for commissioning a multi-network system (100) that comprises two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) with any two adjacent networks having different network configurations, the commissioning tool (500) configured to: commission a plurality of nodes into the two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) with each node out of the plurality of nodes associated with one out of the two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) as its primary network; the commissioning tool (500) comprising: a radio (510) configured to receive one or more candidate node tables each from an individual node (300) out of the plurality of nodes; wherein each candidate node table comprises an entry related to a neighboring node (300’), wherein the neighboring node (300’) is within direct communication range of the corresponding individual node (300) and associated with another network in the multi -network system (100) and different from the individual node’s primary network; a controller (520) configured to select a border node based on the received one or more candidate node tables; and generate a command for the selected border node to commission the selected border node to a further network different from the selected border node’s primary network as its secondary network; wherein the radio (510) is further configured to send the command to the selected border node.

10. The commissioning tool (500) of claim 9, wherein, for at least one out of the one or more received candidate node tables, when the entry related to the neighboring node (300’) comprises a link quality parameter related to a direct communication link between the individual node (300) and its neighboring node (300’), the controller (520) is further configured to select the border node based on an assessment on the link quality parameter.

11. The commissioning tool (500) of claim 9 or 10, wherein the radio (510) is further configured to receive the one or more candidate node tables via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multi-network system (100) is based on.

12. A method (800) of a node (300) comprising steps of the node (300): receiving (S801) a message related to a wireless mesh network out of two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) comprised in a multi-network system (100); wherein any two adjacent networks in the multi -network system (100) having different network configurations; associating (S802) with the wireless mesh network as its primary network; generating (S803) a candidate node table comprising an entry related to a neighboring node (300’), wherein the neighboring node (300’) is within direct communication range of the node (300) and associated with another network in the multinetwork system (100) and different from the node’s primary network; detecting the neighboring node (300’) via a second communication protocol different from a communication protocol that the multi-network system (100) is based on; and sending (S804) the candidate node table to a commissioning tool (500).

13. A method (900) of a commissioning tool (500) for commissioning a multinetwork system (100) that comprises two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) with any two adjacent networks having different network configurations, the method comprising: commissioning (S901) a plurality of nodes into the two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) with each node out of the plurality of nodes associated with one out of the two or more wireless mesh networks (110, 120, 130) as its primary network; receiving (S902) one or more candidate node tables each from an individual node (300) out of the plurality of nodes; wherein each candidate node table comprises an entry related to a neighboring node (300’), wherein the neighboring node (300’) is within direct communication range of the corresponding individual node (300) and associated with another network different from the individual node’s primary network; selecting (S903) a border node based on the received one or more candidate node tables; generating (S904) a command for the selected border node to commission the selected border node to a further network different from the selected border node’s primary network as its secondary network; and sending (S905) the command to the selected border node.

14. A computing program comprising code means which, when the program is executed by a node (300) according to claim 1 or a commissioning tool (500) according to claim 10 comprising processing means, cause the processing means comprised in the node (300) or in the commissioning tool (500) to perform the method (800) of claim 12 or the method (900) of claim 13 respectively.