NETWORK LAYER TOPOLOGY MANAGEMENT FOR MOBILE AD-HOC NETWORKS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
First Claim
1. A method for managing the topology in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) comprising a plurality of wireless nodes, the MANET operating in accordance with a multilayer protocol hierarchy including a network layer and a data link layer having a Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer, at each wireless mobile node, the method comprising:
- at the network layer of at least one wireless node, operating a routing protocol to discover routes from the at least one wireless node to other wireless nodes within the MANET, the routing protocol including the use of a global topology database storing global network topology information;
at the network layer of the at least one wireless node, providing the global network topology information from the global topology database of the routing protocol to the MAC sublayer; and
at the data link layer of the at least one wireless node, controlling the MAC sublayer to perform neighbor connection management based upon at least the global network topology information from the global topology database.
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Abstract
The approach for managing the topology in a MANET includes, at the network layer of a wireless mobile node, operating a link state or other routing protocol to discover routes from the at least one wireless node to other wireless nodes within the MANET. The routing protocol includes the use of a global topology database storing global network topology information. The method also includes, at the network layer, providing the global network topology information from the global topology database of the routing protocol to the MAC sublayer. Also, at the data link layer, the MAC sublayer is controlled to perform neighbor connection management based upon the global network topology information from the global topology database. The approach may provide enhanced QoS, latency and resistance to link and node failures within MANETs.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for managing the topology in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) comprising a plurality of wireless nodes, the MANET operating in accordance with a multilayer protocol hierarchy including a network layer and a data link layer having a Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer, at each wireless mobile node, the method comprising:
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at the network layer of at least one wireless node, operating a routing protocol to discover routes from the at least one wireless node to other wireless nodes within the MANET, the routing protocol including the use of a global topology database storing global network topology information; at the network layer of the at least one wireless node, providing the global network topology information from the global topology database of the routing protocol to the MAC sublayer; and at the data link layer of the at least one wireless node, controlling the MAC sublayer to perform neighbor connection management based upon at least the global network topology information from the global topology database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) comprising:
a plurality of wireless nodes, the MANET operating in accordance with a multilayer protocol hierarchy including a network layer and a data link layer having a Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer at each wireless node, and each wireless node comprising a controller and a wireless communications device cooperating therewith and configured to at the network layer, operate a routing protocol to discover routes to other wireless nodes within the MANET, the routing protocol including a global topology database storing global network topology information, at the network layer, provide the global network topology information from the global topology database of the routing protocol to the MAC sublayer, and at the data link layer, control the MAC sublayer to perform neighbor connection management based upon at least the global network topology information from the global topology database. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A wireless node for operation with a plurality of wireless nodes within a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET), the MANET operating in accordance with a multilayer protocol hierarchy including a network layer and a data link layer having a Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer at each wireless node, the wireless node comprising:
a controller and a wireless communications device cooperating therewith, and configured to at the network layer, operate a routing protocol to discover routes to other wireless nodes within the MANET, the routing protocol including a global topology database storing global network topology information, at the network layer, provide the global network topology information from the global topology database of the routing protocol to the MAC sublayer, and at the data link layer, control the MAC sublayer to perform neighbor connection management based upon at least the global network topology information from the global topology database. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 18)
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17. The wireless node according to claim 19 wherein the routing protocol comprises the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol.
Specification