METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING, MAINTAINING AND/OR USING OVERLAPPING NETWORKS

• US 20100189107A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Vincent D., Corson, M. Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,372 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 45/03 by updating link state protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to routing in communications networks are described. Various embodiments are well suited to wireless communications systems lacking centralized control, e.g., a mobile wireless communications system supporting the dynamic formation and/or maintenance of overlapping peer-to-peer ad hoc networks. A node can establish multiple links, e.g., with different links corresponding to different overlapping networks. Next hop packet routing information, e.g., forwarding tables, are maintained on a per network basis. A node determines the next hop routing for a received packet to be forwarded based on the link upon which the packet was received, which is associated with a particular network, and the included packet destination address. The same destination address may, and sometimes does, correspond to different next hop nodes for different networks.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first node, the method comprising:

receiving information from a second node, said information indicating a first network affiliation for a first link; and

updating a set of routing information to include a first forwarding table entry corresponding to the first link, said first forwarding table entry being associated with a first network identifier corresponding to said first indicated network affiliation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making a decision whether or not to establish said first link based on said received information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional information, said additional information indicating a second network affiliation for a second link; and

updating said set of routing information to include a second forwarding table entry corresponding to the second link, said second forwarding table entry being associated with a second network identifier corresponding to said second indicated network affiliation, said first and second network identifiers corresponding to different networks.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a data packet including a packet destination address on a link;

determining a network identifier corresponding to the link on which the data packet was received; and

forwarding the received data packet based on the determined network identifier and said packet destination address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said set of routing information includes at least two entries corresponding to said packet destination address, each entry of said at least two entries being associated with a different network identifier.

6. A first node comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive information from a second node, said information indicating a first network affiliation for a first link; and

update a set of routing information to include a first forwarding table entry corresponding to the first link, said first forwarding table entry being associated with a first network identifier corresponding to said first indicated network affiliation;

and memory coupled to said at least one processor.

7. The first node of claim 6, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:

make a decision whether or not to establish said first link based on said received information.

8. The first node of claim 6, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:

receive additional information, said additional information indicating a second network affiliation for a second link; and

update said set of routing information to include a second forwarding table entry corresponding to the second link, said second forwarding table entry being associated with a second network identifier corresponding to said second indicated network affiliation, said first and second network identifiers corresponding to different networks.

9. The first node of claim 8, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a data packet including a packet destination address on a link;

determine a network identifier corresponding to the link on which the data packet was received; and

forward the received data packet based on the determined network identifier and said packet destination address.

10. A first node comprising:

means for receiving information from a second node, said information indicating a first network affiliation for a first link; and

means for updating a set of routing information to include a first forwarding table entry corresponding to the first link, said first forwarding table entry being associated with a first network identifier corresponding to said first indicated network affiliation.

11. The first node of claim 10, further comprising:

means for making a decision whether or not to establish said first link based on said received information.

12. The first node of claim 10, further comprising:

means for receiving additional information, said additional information indicating a second network affiliation for a second link; and

means for updating said set of routing information to include a second forwarding table entry corresponding to the second link, said second forwarding table entry being associated with a second network identifier corresponding to said second indicated network affiliation, said first and second network identifiers corresponding to different networks.

13. The first node of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving a data packet including a packet destination address on a link;

means for determining a network identifier corresponding to the link on which the data packet was received; and

means for forwarding the received data packet based on the determined network identifier and said packet destination address.

14. The first node of claim 13, wherein said set of routing information includes at least two entries corresponding to said packet destination address, each entry of said at least two entries being associated with a different network identifier.

15. A computer program product for use in a first node, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive information from a second node, said information indicating a first network affiliation for a first link; and

code for causing said at least one computer to update a set of routing information to include a first forwarding table entry corresponding to the first link, said first forwarding table entry being associated with a first network identifier corresponding to said first indicated network affiliation.