Overlay network topology system and a network node device therefor

摘要

A load management method for controlling a plurality of distributed community loads with a plurality of controllers. The controllers are connectable to a network and the distributed community loads are connectable to a power grid. The loads are controllable by a corresponding one of the controllers according to a local need and a power grid supply or a community need of the loads. A network node device adapted to communicate with other node devices of a same community within an overlay network topology system. The system has a plurality of node devices organized in a number of hierarchically linked rings. The plurality of node devices of a same ring is interconnected in groups of node devices. One of the node devices is a parent node for linking the node devices of a first ring to node devices of a second ring at another hierarchy by being a parent node to both first and second rings.

主权项

1. A network node device for communicating with other node devices of a same community within an overlay network topology system having a plurality of node devices organized in a number of p hierarchically linked ring network levels, where p ranges from 0 to p−1, and the plurality of node devices of a same ring being interconnected in groups of n node devices, where n ranges from 0 to n−1, one of the n node devices being a parent node for linking the n node devices of a first ring to node devices of a second ring at another hierarchy by being a parent node to at least the second ring, the network node device comprising:
a network connection interface to communicate over an interconnected network of node devices, the interface being related to a network address; a registry of connectable node devices adapted to store node device network address and identifiers each representing a node device of the community and each being indicative of the ring network level and ring network position of the corresponding node device according to the overlay network topology; a registry update manager adapted to modify the registry for handling a change in the community due to drops, adds and moves of node devices that affect the registry; and a forwarding message manager adapted to receive an incoming message via the network connection interface and to handle the incoming message in accordance with a content of the incoming message and the registry, wherein, when the network node device is a parent node, the forwarding message manager is adapted to send an outgoing message containing content from the incoming message to a plurality of node devices of the registry, each having a node position on a different one of the rings that are linked by the network node device, when the network node device is not a parent node, the forwarding message manager is adapted to send the outgoing message according to the incoming message to another node device of the same ring network level according to the registry.