System and method for self propagating information in ad-hoc peer-to-peer networks

• US 6,970,444 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Eric D., Chwieseni, Edward T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man U.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TOAN D
• Application Number:
  US10/142,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20040022221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 370/236, 370/254, 370/332, 370/338, 370/400, 455/410, 455/445, 455/446, 455/456, 455/500, 455/509, 455/510, 455/517, 455518-519, 455/456.2, 714/748, 714/749
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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 45/563 Software download or update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing network data and system upgrades to individual nodes within an ad-hoc network without requiring network-wide information broadcasts. The system and method identifies adjacent devices authorized to share system and upgrade information. Nodes are directed to prepare and transmit requests for upgrade information from adjacent devices, such that upgrade information may be passed, from one node to the next, reaching each node in the network. The node-to-node upgrade propagation thereby replaces traditional network-wide broadcasts of upgrade information.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a node in a wireless ad-hoc communication network to acquire information from at least one of a plurality of other nodes in said network, comprising:

controlling said node to send a first request for information to a first group of said plurality of nodes;

controlling said first group of nodes to receive said first request and in response, to determine if any node of said first group is authorized to provide said information, and controlling each said authorized node of said first group to send initial reply data to said node; and

controlling said node to, in response to said initial reply data, determine whether a second request is required, and, if so, send said second request to at least one authorized node for specific reply data, said second request comprising a request for specific information available from said authorized node; and

controlling said authorized node to send said specific reply data to said node.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first request comprises a request for information available from said authorized nodes of said first group, said information comprises data indicating at least one of the software version, system parameters and information contained at said authorized node.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said initial reply data comprises a response from an authorized node indicating said information available to be sent from said authorized node.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said specific reply data comprises a response from an authorized node containing said specific information requested by said node.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

controlling said node to operate in accordance with said specific reply data received from an authorized node.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second requests are each sent as a unicast message.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said initial reply data and specific reply data each include at least one data packet.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating said node before said initial reply data is sent by said authorized node.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises controlling said node to, in response to said initial reply data, send said second request to at least one infrastructure element of said network for specific data and controlling said infrastructure element to send said specific reply data to said node.

10. A node in an ad-hoc communication network, adapted to acquire information from at least one of a plurality of other nodes in said network, comprising:

a transceiver, adapted to send a first request for information to a first group of said plurality of nodes and to receive initial reply data from nodes of said plurality authorized to provide said information;

a controller adapted to analyze said initial reply data to determine whether a second request is required, with said second request comprising a request for specific information available from said authorized node; and

said transceiver further adapted to send said second request to at least one authorized node for specific reply data and to receive specific reply data from said authorized node.

11. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first request comprises a request for information available from said authorized nodes of said first group, said information comprises data indicating at least one of the software version, system parameters and information contained at said authorized node.

12. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said initial reply data comprises a response from an authorized node indicating said information available to be sent from said authorized node.

13. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said specific reply data comprises a response from an authorized node containing said specific information requested by said node.

14. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said controller is further adapted to control said node operation in accordance with said specific reply data received from an authorized node.

15. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first and second requests are each sent as a unicast message.

16. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said initial reply data and specific reply data each include at least one data packet.

17. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said controller is further adapted to provide requesting node authentication to each authorized node before said initial reply data is sent.

18. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said controller is further adapted to analyze said initial reply data to determine whether said second request should be sent to at least one infrastructure element of said network; and

said transceiver is further adapted to send said second request to at least one infrastructure element and to receive specific reply data from said infrastructure element.

19. A node as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said controller is further adapted to determine if said node can operate as an authorized node for other nodes of said plurality.

20. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said transceiver does not receive said initial reply data from any unauthorized node in said first group, and is further adapted to refrain from sending said second request to any said unauthorized node in said first group.

21. A method for controlling a node in a wireless ad-hoc communication network to acquire information from at least one of a plurality of other nodes in said network, comprising:

controlling said node to send a first request for information to a first group of said plurality of nodes;

controlling said first group of nodes to receive said first request and in response, to determine if any node of said first group is authorized to provide said information, and controlling each said authorized node of said first group to send initial reply data to said node, while controlling each unauthorized node in said first group to refrain from sending said initial reply data to said node; and

controlling said node to, in response to said initial reply data, send a second request to at least one authorized node for specific reply data and controlling said authorized node to send said specific reply data to said node, while controlling said node to refrain from sending said second request to any said unauthorized node.