System and method for providing a congestion optimized address resolution protocol for wireless Ad-Hoc Networks

• US 20030076837A1
• Filed: 10/23/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barker, Charles R. Jr., Ruckstuhl, Michael A., Whitehill, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,937,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing a congestion optimized address resolution protocol (ARP) for a wireless ad-hoc network. The system and method enables a node in the wireless ad-hoc network to issue an ARP request without the need to broadcast the request to all of the nodes in the wireless ad-hoc network, to thus minimize radio traffic on the wireless ad-hoc network for handling the ARP request. The node includes an address resolution protocol module which is adapted to generate an ARP request for a media access control (MAC) address corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) address, and a transceiver which is adapted to transmit the ARP request for delivery to an access point of a network portion, such as a core LAN of the network, without broadcasting the ARP request to a plurality of other nodes in the wireless ad-hoc network. The transceiver can transmit the ARP request to the access point directly or via other nodes in the wireless ad-hoc network. Alternatively, the transceiver can transmit the ARP request to one or more broadcast servers which are dispersed in the network and operate similar to an access point without the use of a wireline backbone. The system and method further provide a mechanism for trans-medium address resolution on a network with at least one highly disconnected medium having multiple access points to other media. The system and method provides a “unique” media access control (MAC) address in address resolution protocol (ARP) for mobile nodes in an ad-hoc network, correctly identifying the optimum intelligent access point (IAP) for node communication where the optimum IAP changes more rapidly than traditional address updating may be able to accommodate. Medium layer routing protocols recognize medium frames addressed with this unique MAC address should be routed to the currently associated IAP, whichever IAP that might be at the moment the frame is sent.

Claims

1. A node, for use in a wireless ad-hoc communications network, and being adapted to transmit and receive data packets to and from other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network and to operate as a router to route other data packets destined for other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network to said other nodes, said node comprising:

an address resolution protocol module, adapted to generate an address resolution protocol (ARP) request for a media access control (MAC) address corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) address, said MAC address being associated with a device; and

a transceiver, adapted to transmit said ARP request for delivery to a broadcast server of said wireless ad-hoc network without broadcasting said ARP request to a plurality of said other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network.

2. A node as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said transceiver is adapted to transmit said ARP request to another said node in said wireless ad-hoc network for delivery to said broadcast server.

3. A node as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a host device, adapted to generate said data packets for transmission by said transceiver to at least one of said other nodes in said network, said address resolution protocol module being disposed in said host device.

4. A node as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said host device comprises a device adapted to receive and output multimedia data.

5. A method for controlling a node in a wireless ad-hoc communications network to perform address resolution protocol (ARP), said node being adapted to transmit and receive data packets to and from other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network and to operate as a router to route other data packets destined for other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network to said other nodes, said method comprising:

controlling said node to generate an address resolution protocol (ARP) request for a media access control (MAC) address corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) address, said MAC address being associated with a device; and

controlling said node to transmit said ARP request for delivery to a broadcast server of a network portion without broadcasting said ARP request to a plurality of said other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said transmission controlling controls said node to transmit said ARP request to another said node in said wireless ad-hoc network for delivery to said broadcast server.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said node comprises a host device, adapted to generate said data packets for transmission by said transceiver to at least one of said other nodes in said network; and

said ARP generating controls said host device to generate said ARP request.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

controlling said host device to receive and output multimedia data.

9. A computer-readable medium of instructions for controlling a node in a wireless ad-hoc communications network to perform address resolution protocol (ARP), said node being adapted to transmit and receive data packets to and from other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network and to operate as a router to route other data packets destined for other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network to said other nodes, said computer-readable medium of instructions comprising:

a first set of instructions, adapted to control said node to generate an address resolution protocol (ARP) request for a media access control (MAC) address corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) address, said MAC address being associated with a device; and

a second set of instructions, adapted to control said node to transmit said ARP request for delivery to a broadcast server of a network portion without broadcasting said ARP request to a plurality of said other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network.

10. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said second set of instructions is adapted to control said node to transmit said ARP request to another said node in said wireless ad-hoc network for delivery to said broadcast server.

11. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said node comprises a host device, adapted to generate said data packets for transmission by said transceiver to at least one of said other nodes in said network; and

said first set of instructions is adapted to control said host device to generate said ARP request.

12. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a third set of instructions, adapted to control said host device to receive and output multimedia data.

13. A wireless ad-hoc communications network, comprising:

at least one node, adapted to transmit and receive data packets to and from other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network, and to operate as a router to route other data packets destined for other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network to said other nodes; and

a broadcast server, adapted to enable said node to communicate with other said nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network;

said node being further adapted to generate an address resolution protocol (ARP) request for a media access control (MAC) address corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) address, said MAC address being associated with a device, and to transmit said ARP request for delivery to said broadcast server without broadcasting said ARP request to a plurality of said other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network.

14. A wireless ad-hoc communications network as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said node is further adapted to transmit said ARP request to another said node in said wireless ad-hoc network for delivery to said broadcast server.

15. A wireless ad-hoc communications network as claimed in claim 13, wherein said node further comprises:

a host device, adapted to generate said data packets for transmission by said node to at least one of said other nodes in said network, and to generate said ARP request.

16. A wireless ad-hoc communications network as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said host device comprises a device adapted to receive and output multimedia data.

17. A method for operating a wireless ad-hoc communications network, comprising:

providing at least one node, adapted to transmit and receive data packets to and from other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network, and to operate as a router to route other data packets destined for other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network to said other nodes;

providing a broadcast server, adapted to enable said node to communicate with other said nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network; and

controlling said node to generate an address resolution protocol (ARP) request for a media access control (MAC) address corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) address, said MAC address being associated with a device, and to transmit said ARP request for delivery to said broadcast server without broadcasting said ARP request to a plurality of said other nodes in said wireless ad-hoc network.

18. A method for operating a wireless ad-hoc communications network as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said controlling controls said node to transmit said ARP request to another said node in said wireless ad-hoc network for delivery to said broadcast server.

19. A method for operating a wireless ad-hoc communications network as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

controlling a host device of said node to generate said data packets for transmission by said node to at least one of said other nodes in said network, and to generate said ARP request.

20. A method for operating a wireless ad-hoc communications network as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said host device comprises a device adapted to receive and output multimedia data.