Methods and apparatus for providing a dynamic on-demand routing protocol

• US 20060268727A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yarvis, Mark D., Conner, W. Steven, Rangarajan, Anand
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/248
• 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 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing a dynamic on-demand routing protocol are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying an optimal route associated with a first node and a second node based on first metric information of a plurality of paths associated with the first and second nodes, the first and second nodes being associated with a wireless communication network; and

maintaining the optimal route associated with the first and second nodes based on second metric information of the plurality of paths.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the optimal route associated with the first node and the second node based on the first metric information comprises receiving one or more route requests at the second node, and wherein each of the one or more route requests traverses through one of the plurality of paths and includes the first metric information associated with the one of the plurality of paths.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the optimal route associated with the first node and the second node based on the first metric information comprises comparing a first metric value associated with a first path to a second metric value associated with a second path and selecting one of the first path or the second path as the optimal route.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein maintaining the optimal route from the source node to the destination node based on the second metric information comprises receiving one or more maintenance route requests based on a traversal time period, and wherein each of the one or more maintenance route requests traverses through one of the plurality of paths and includes the second metric information associated with the one of the plurality of paths.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein maintaining the optimal route associated with the first and second nodes based on second metric information of the one or more paths associated with the first and second nodes comparing a first metric value associated with a first path to a second metric value associated with a second path.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising identifying a candidate route associated with the first and second nodes based on at least one of the first metric information or the second metric information associated with the plurality of paths.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising generating a route reply at the second node and transmitting the route reply to the first node via a unicast transmission.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising incrementing a sequence number of a maintenance route request based on a traversal time period at the first node and transmitting the maintenance route request to the second node via a broadcast transmission.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second nodes comprises a mesh node associated with a wireless mesh network.

10. An article of manufacture including content, which when accessed, causes a machine to:

identify an optimal route associated with a first node and a second node based on first metric information of a plurality of paths associated with the first and second nodes, the first and second nodes being associated with a wireless communication network; and

maintain the optimal route associated with the first and second nodes based on second metric information of the plurality of paths.

11. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 10, wherein the content, when accessed, causes the machine to identify the optimal route associated with the first node and the second node based on the first metric information by receiving one or more route requests at the second node, and wherein each of the one or more route requests traverses through one of the plurality of paths and includes the first metric information associated with the one of the plurality of paths.

12. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 10, wherein the content, when accessed, causes the machine to identify the optimal route associated with the first node and the second node based on the first metric information by comparing a first metric value associated with a first path to a second metric value associated with a second path and selecting one of the first path or the second path as the optimal route.

13. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 10, wherein the content, when accessed, causes the machine to maintain the optimal route from the source node to the destination node based on the second metric information by receiving one or more maintenance route requests based on a traversal time period, and wherein each of the one or more maintenance route requests traverses through one of the plurality of paths and includes the second metric information associated with the one of the plurality of paths.

14. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 10, wherein the content, when accessed, causes the machine to identify a candidate route associated with the first and second nodes based on at least one of the first metric information or the second metric information associated with the plurality of paths.

15. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 10, wherein the content, when accessed, causes the machine to generate a route reply at the second node in response to receiving a route request traversing through one of the plurality of paths from the first node to the second node.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

an identifier coupled to the communication interface to identify an optimal route associated with a first node and a second node based on first metric information of a plurality of paths associated with the first and second nodes, the first and second nodes being associated with a wireless communication network; and

a controller coupled to the identifier to maintain the optimal route associated with the first and second nodes based on second metric information of the plurality of paths.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the communication interface is configured to receive one or more route requests, and wherein each of the one or more route requests traverses through one of the plurality of paths and includes the first metric information associated with the one of the plurality of paths.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the communication interface is configured to receive one or more maintenance route requests based on a traversal time period, and wherein each of the one or more maintenance route requests traverses through one of the plurality of paths and includes the second metric information associated with the one of the plurality of paths.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the identifier is configured to compare a first metric value associated with a first path to a second metric value associated with a second path and select one of the first path or the second path as the optimal route.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the identifier is configured to identify a candidate route associated with the first and second nodes based on at least one of the first metric information or the second metric information associated with the plurality of paths.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to generate a route reply at the second node in response to receiving a route request traversing through one of the plurality of paths from the first node to the second node.

22. A system comprising:

a flash memory; and

a processor coupled to the flash memory to identify an optimal route associated with a source node and a destination node of a wireless mesh network based on first metric values of one or more of paths associated with the source node and the destination node, and to maintain the optimal route associated with the first and second nodes based on second metric values of the one or more paths.

23. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to receive one or more initial route requests, and wherein each of the one or more initial route requests traverses through a path from the source node to the destination node and includes an initial metric value of the path.

24. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to receive one or more maintenance route requests based on a traversal time period, and wherein each of the one or more maintenance route requests traverses through a path from the source node to the destination node and includes an updated metric value of the path.

25. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to compare first metric values of a first path and a second path and select one of the first path or the second path as the optimal route between the source node and the destination node.

26. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to identify a candidate route associated with the first and second nodes based on at least one of the first metric values or the second metric values.

27. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to generate a route reply at the destination node in response to receiving a route request traversing through the one or more paths.