Routing method and mobile terminal

• US 20060171366A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Toshihiro, Kobayashi, Motonari, Khan, Ashiq, Satrusajang, Ratapon
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A routing method in an ad hoc network formed by a plurality of mobile terminals includes receiving, at a mobile terminal forming part of the ad hoc network, a packet generated by an adjacent terminal, and determining, at the mobile terminal, whether to relay the received packet or not, based on presence or absence of a record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal.

Claims

1. A routing method in an ad hoc network formed by a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising:

receiving, at a mobile terminal forming part of the ad hoc network, a packet generated by an adjacent terminal; and

determining, at the mobile terminal, whether to relay the received packet or not, based on presence or absence of a record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal.

2. The routing method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

starting, at the mobile terminal, management of the record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal when receiving a packet relayed by the adjacent terminal.

3. The routing method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal manages a record of data packet relaying by the adjacent terminal and a record of control packet relaying by the adjacent terminal, separately.

4. The routing method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

discarding, at the mobile terminal, a control packet relayed by the adjacent terminal when there is no record of data packet relaying by the adjacent terminal.

5. The routing method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, at the adjacent terminal, a request signal for requesting the mobile terminal to manage a record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal; and

managing, at the mobile terminal, the record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal for a predetermined period of time in response to the request signal.

6. A mobile terminal forming part of an ad hoc network, comprising:

a relay record managing unit configured to manage a record of packet relaying by a terminal adjacent to the mobile terminal;

a packet receiving unit configured to receive a packet generated by the adjacent terminal; and

a determining unit configured to determine whether to relay the received packet or not, based on presence or absence of the record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal.

7. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the relay record managing unit is configured to start to manage the record of packet relaying by the adjacent terminal when a packet relayed by the adjacent terminal is received.

8. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the relay record managing unit is configured to manage a record of data packet relaying by the adjacent terminal and a record of control packet relaying by the adjacent terminal, separately.

9. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 8, wherein the determining unit is configured to discard a control packet relayed by the adjacent terminal when there is no record of data packet relaying by the adjacent terminal.

10. The mobile terminal as set forth in one of claim 6, further comprising a request signal transmitting unit configured to transmit a request signal for requesting the adjacent terminal to manage the record of packet relaying by the mobile terminal.