User's Manual

RK-5424-5 Reference Kit User’s Guide 1-3
Wireless Mesh Networking Overview
In an ad hoc network, sensor nodes consisting of a sensor attached to a wireless module can be
randomly placed and moved as needed. If the network needs to scale up, additional sensor
nodes are easily added. The new sensor nodes and surrounding network will do the work of
discovering each other and establishing communication paths through single- and multi-hop
paths. All this is made possible through the use of robust, efficient network protocols
developed specifically for wireless mesh networks.
Wireless Mesh Network Components
This section describes the software and hardware that comprise a wireless mesh network.
System Software
The software required to integrate and operate a wireless mesh network resides as firmware in
the system modules and in the application platform as a set of API functions or network
monitoring system (NMS).
Module Firmware
Module firmware is a small, efficient piece of code that incorporates the module into a larger ad
hoc network. It “drives” the module's operation as part of the larger ad hoc network.
The firmware is also responsible for packaging the analog and digital sensor data into digital
packets and delivering them across the wireless mesh network.Firmware is pre-programmed
onto every MeshScape component. However, you have the opportunity to modify certain
network parameters for each component. See Appendix B for more information.
API
An API, or application programming interface, is a set of commonly used functions for
streamlining application development. Used by application developers, an API provides hooks to
integrate the application platforms with the modules on the wireless mesh network.
API functions are grouped into “libraries.” In wireless mesh networks, there are two different
API libraries:
• High-level library: These functions are used to integrate the application with the gateway
module.
• Low-level library: These functions are used to integrate the sensor/actuator with the end
node module.
Network Monitoring System
A network monitoring system (NMS) is software used to interface with a particular wireless
mesh network, eliminating the need for any programming. Through the NMS’s graphical user
interface (GUI), network operators are able to see the various nodes of their wireless mesh
network. Depending on the type of network, control commands can also be issued through the
NMS. For example, a pin on a digital interface between an end node and an actuator can be set
to high to change the state of the actuator.