Route Selection in Wireless Networks

• US 20090135824A1
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Liu, Hang
• Granted Patent: US 8,064,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/32 Flooding denial of service attacks H04L63/1458
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for discovering a route between a source node and a destination node in a wireless network including setting an intermediate reply flag of a route request message by the source node, flooding the wireless network with the route request message and responding to the route request message with route reply message by a first intermediate node having a valid route to the destination node, are described. Also described are a system and method for discovering a best route in which case the route reply message becomes a first route reply message. The system and method for discovering a best route includes selecting by the destination on the best route between itself and the source node based on cumulative metrics received in route request messages received by the destination node, creating a further route reply message and unicasting the further route reply message to the source node.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method for locating a route between a source node and a destination node in a wireless network, said method comprising:

flooding said wireless network with a route request message by said source node; and

receiving a route reply message to said route request message from a first intermediate node having a valid route to said destination node, wherein said first intermediate node responds to said route request message based on a condition of a flag in said route request message.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein said receiving act thereby establishes a temporary route between said source node and said destination node of said wireless network.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein said wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

32. The method according to claim 29, wherein said route reply message of said receiving act is unicast to said source node.

33. The method according to claim 29, wherein an address of said destination node is one of an internet protocol address and a media access control address.

34. The method according to claim 29, wherein said destination node includes destination nodes that are associated with one of a proxy and an access point.

35. The method according to claim 29, further comprising flooding said wireless network with a maintenance route request message in order to maintain a best metric route between nodes and to adapt to changes in network conditions.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising receiving a response to said maintenance route request message as if it is said route request message.

37. The method according to claim 30, wherein said temporary route is available for transmission of data upon receipt of said route reply message by said source node.

38. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

receiving in unicast a further route reply message from said destination node, said further route reply message including a best route selected by said destination node based on cumulative metrics received in route request messages received by said destination node.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein if said temporary route is said best route then said further route reply message serves as a confirmation and if said temporary route is not said best route then said further route reply message serves to establish said best route upon receipt of said further route reply message by said source node.

40. An apparatus for locating a route between a source node and a destination node in a wireless network, comprising:

means for flooding said wireless network with a route request message by said source node; and

means for responding to said route request message with a route reply message by a first intermediate node having a valid route to said destination node, wherein said intermediate node responds to said route request message based on a condition of a flag in said route request message.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said means for responding thereby establishes a temporary route between said source node and said destination node of said wireless network.

42. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

43. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said route reply message of said means for receiving is unicast to said source node.

44. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein an address of said destination node is one of an internet protocol address and a media access control address.

45. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said destination node includes destination nodes that are associated with one of a proxy and an access point.

46. The apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising means for flooding said wireless network with a maintenance route request message in order to maintain a best metric route between nodes and to adapt to changes in network conditions.

47. The apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising means for receiving a response to said maintenance route request message as if it is said route request message.

48. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said temporary route is available for transmission of data upon receipt of said route reply message by said source node.

49. The apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising:

means for receiving in unicast a further rote reply message from said destination node, said further route reply message based on cumulative metrics received in route request messages received by said destination node.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein if said temporary route is said best route then said further route reply message serves as a confirmation and if said temporary forward route is not said best route then said further route reply message serves to establish said best route upon receipt of said further route reply message by said source node.

51. A method for locating a route between a source node and a destination node in a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving a route request message from said source node; and

responding to said route request message with a route reply message by a first intermediate node having a valid route to said destination node, wherein said intermediate node responds to said route request message based on a condition of a flag in said route request message.

52. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

updating said route request message; and

flooding said wireless network with said route request message.

53. The method according to claim 51, wherein said responding act thereby establishes a temporary route between said source node and said destination node of said wireless network.

54. The method according to claim 52, wherein said updating act further comprises updating said flag and updating a metric in said route request message with a cumulative metric of said route between said source node and said intermediate node.

55. The method according to claim 51, wherein said wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

56. The method according to claim 51, wherein said route reply message of said responding act is unicast to said source node.

57. The method according to claim 51, wherein an address of said destination node is one of an internet protocol address and a media access control address.

58. The method according to claim 51, wherein said destination node includes destination nodes that are associated with one of a proxy and an access point.

59. The method according to claim 51, further comprising responding to a maintenance route request message as if it is said route request message.

60. The method according to claim 53, wherein said temporary route is available for transmission of data upon receipt of said route reply message by said source node.

64. The apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said means for updating further comprises means for updating said flag and means for updating a metric in said route request message with a cumulative metric of said route between said source node and said intermediate node.

61. An apparatus for locating a route between a source node and a destination node in a wireless network, said method comprising:

means for receiving a route request message from said source node; and

means for responding to said route request message with a route reply message by a first intermediate node having a valid route to said destination node, wherein said intermediate node responds to said route request message based on a condition of a flag in said route request message.

62. The apparatus according to claim 61, further comprising:

means for updating said route request message; and

means for flooding said wireless network with said route request message.

63. The apparatus according to claim 61, wherein said means for responding thereby establishes a temporary route between said source node and said destination node of said wireless network.

65. The apparatus according to claim 61, wherein said wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

66. The apparatus according to claim 61, wherein said route reply message of said means for responding is unicast to said source node.

67. The apparatus according to claim 61, wherein an address of said destination node is one of an internet protocol address and a media access control address.

68. The apparatus according to claim 61, wherein said destination node includes destination nodes that are associated with one of a proxy and an access point.

69. The apparatus according to claim 61, further comprising means for responding to a maintenance route request message as if it is said route request message.

70. The apparatus according to claim 63, wherein said temporary forward route is available for transmission of data frames upon receipt of said route reply message by said source node.