Routing method for Ad-Hoc mobile networks
First Claim
1. A routing method for supporting ad-hoc mobile communications within a communications network, the network comprising a plurality of mobile hosts including a source mobile host and a destination mobile host and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting together said mobile hosts, said method comprising:
- periodically transmitting an identifier signal by each of said plurality of mobile hosts in the network and receiving said identifier signals via said communication links between said mobile hosts;
measuring the stability of said communication links between said mobile hosts in accordance with the number of times said identifier signals are received from an associated mobile host via said communication links;
selecting a communications route through the network from the source mobile host to the destination mobile host based on the stability of said communications links; and
transmitting an information signal from said source mobile host across said network via said selected communications route to said destination mobile host,wherein said step of selecting a communications route comprisestransmitting broadcast query signals from the source mobile host across the network;
appending route information to the broadcast query signals regarding the status of mobile hosts transmitting the broadcast query signals;
receiving and evaluating the broadcast query signals at the destination mobile host,selecting a route through the network based on the stability of the communications links between mobile hosts; and
transmitting a route identifier signal along the selected route through the network from the destination mobile host to the source mobile host.
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Abstract
A routing method for supporting ad-hoc mobile communications within a radio communications network. The network comprises a plurality of mobile hosts including a source mobile host and a destination mobile host, and a plurality of radio communications links connecting together with mobile hosts. The method comprises measuring the stability of the communications links between neighbouring mobile hosts using an associativity based characteristic and selecting a communications route through the network from the source mobile host to the destination mobile host based on the stability of the communications links. The associativity characteristic is measured by each mobile host periodically transmitting and receiving identifier beacons (ticks) and updating the status of its corresponding links. The greater the number of ticks associated with a given link, the greater its stability. Use of the associativity characteristic enables the routing method to deal efficiently with mobile host migrations throughout the network.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A routing method for supporting ad-hoc mobile communications within a communications network, the network comprising a plurality of mobile hosts including a source mobile host and a destination mobile host and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting together said mobile hosts, said method comprising:
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periodically transmitting an identifier signal by each of said plurality of mobile hosts in the network and receiving said identifier signals via said communication links between said mobile hosts; measuring the stability of said communication links between said mobile hosts in accordance with the number of times said identifier signals are received from an associated mobile host via said communication links; selecting a communications route through the network from the source mobile host to the destination mobile host based on the stability of said communications links; and transmitting an information signal from said source mobile host across said network via said selected communications route to said destination mobile host, wherein said step of selecting a communications route comprises transmitting broadcast query signals from the source mobile host across the network; appending route information to the broadcast query signals regarding the status of mobile hosts transmitting the broadcast query signals; receiving and evaluating the broadcast query signals at the destination mobile host, selecting a route through the network based on the stability of the communications links between mobile hosts; and transmitting a route identifier signal along the selected route through the network from the destination mobile host to the source mobile host. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. In a base-station oriented wireless local area network comprising a plurality of mobile hosts, a wired network, a static host and a plurality of base stations, the static host and said base stations each being connected to the wired network, said base stations each having an associated wireless communications area within which the base station can communicate with one or more mobile hosts, and wherein said mobile host having established a first communications link with the static host via a first base station, migrates into a second wireless communications area of a second base station which is too heavily used to support a second communications link of the same bandwidth as the first, a method of re-establishing communications between said migrating mobile host and said static host, said method comprising:
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establishing a second communications link between the mobile host and the static host via the second base station, said second communications link having a bandwidth which is reduced from that of the first communications link; measuring the stability of the migrating mobile host with respect to said base stations using an associativity based characteristic; and when the mobile host moves in to a new wireless communications area which is less heavily used than the second wireless communications area and the measured stability between the new base station and the mobile host is above a predetermined limit, establishing a new communications link between the mobile host and the static host via the new base station which has an increased bandwidth as compared to that of the second communications link.
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Specification