Method and apparatus for implementing all-to-all communication in a wireless mesh network

• US 7,471,668 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hazra, Mousumi, Demirhan, Mustafa, Yarvis, Mark D, Qin, Xiangping
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOL, ANTHONY M
• Application Number:
  US10/930,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20060045064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

All-to-all communication is carried out in a wireless mesh network using a relaying packet that is routed through the network. In at least one embodiment, the relaying packet includes aggregated information that is made available to all nodes in the mesh network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a relaying packet at a first wireless node in a mesh network, said relaying packet having aggregated information;

updating said aggregated information within said relaying packet;

determining a next node to which said relaying packet is to be transmitted based on path information associated with said relaying packet;

updating said path information associated with said relaying packet when a path associated with said relaying packet changes as a result of determining a next node; and

transmitting said relaying packet to said next node;

wherein determining a next node includes;

determining whether neighbor nodes of said first wireless node have changed since a last time that said first wireless node received a relaying packet;

determining whether a node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said first wireless node is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said first wireless node in the past; and

choosing the same next node that was used previously by said first wireless node, as indicated in said path information, when (a) said neighbor nodes of said first wireless node have not changed since the last time that said first wireless node received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said first wireless node is the same as the node that transmitted a relaying packet to said first wireless node in the past.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said path information includes identifiers for wireless nodes that said relaying packet has visited in the past.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said path information is part of said relaying packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said path information is retrieved from a local memory associated with said first wireless node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said aggregated information includes information for use in supporting self configuration functions with said mesh network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said aggregated information includes information for use in supporting channel selection functions with said mesh network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining a next node includes determining which neighbor node of said first wireless node has least recently received said relaying packet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining a next node includes choosing a neighbor node of said first wireless node that has least recently received a relaying packet when at least one of the following are true;

(a) said neighbor nodes of said first wireless node have changed since the last time that said first wireless node received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said first wireless node is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said first wireless node in the past.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

an aggregated information updater to update aggregated information within a relaying packet received by said wireless transceiver;

a next neighbor determination unit to determine a next node to which said relaying packet is to be transmitted; and

a path information updater to update path information associated with said relaying packet received by said wireless transceiver when changes to a packet path have been made;

wherein said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to;

determine whether neighbor nodes of said first wireless node have changed since a last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet;

determine whether a node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past; and

choose the same next node that was used previously by said apparatus, as indicated in said path information, when (a) said neighbor nodes of said apparatus have not changed since the last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is the same as the node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to determine said next node based on said path information associated with said relaying packet.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

said path information associated with said relaying packet is within said relaying packet.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

said path information associated with said relaying packet is retrieved from a local memory associated with said apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to determine said next node by determining which neighbor node of said apparatus has least recently received a relaying packet.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to choose a neighbor node of said apparatus that has least recently received a relaying packet when at least one of the following are true;

(a) said neighbor nodes of said apparatus have changed since the last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past.

15. A computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing platform, operate to:

receive a relaying packet at a first wireless node in a mesh network, said relaying packet having aggregated information;

update said aggregated information within said relaying packet;

determine a next node to which said relaying packet is to be transmitted based on path information associated with said relaying packet;

update said path information associated with said relaying packet when a path associated with said relaying packet changes as a result of determining a next node; and

transmit said relaying packet to said next node;

wherein operation to determine a next node includes operation to;

determine whether neighbor nodes of said first wireless node have changed since a last time that said first wireless node received a relaying packet;

determine whether a node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said first wireless node is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said first wireless node in the past; and

choose the same next node that was used previously by said apparatus, as indicated in said path information, when (a) said neighbor nodes of said apparatus have not changed since the last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is the same as the node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

operation to determine a next node includes operation to determine which neighbor node of said first wireless node has least recently received said relaying packet.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

operation to determine a next node includes operation to choose a neighbor node of said apparatus that has least recently received a relaying packet when at least one of the following are true;

(a) said neighbor nodes of said apparatus have changed since the last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past.

18. A wireless device comprising:

at least one dipole antenna;

a wireless transceiver coupled to said at least one dipole antenna;

an aggregated information updater to update aggregated information within a relaying packet received by said wireless transceiver;

a next neighbor determination unit to determine a next node to which said relaying packet is to be transmitted; and

a path information updater to update path information associated with said relaying packet received by said wireless transceiver when changes to a packet path have been made;

wherein said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to;

determine whether neighbor nodes of said first wireless node have changed since a last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet;

determine whether a node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past; and

choose the same next node that was used previously by said apparatus, as indicated in said path information, when (a) said neighbor nodes of said apparatus have not changed since the last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is the same as the node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past.

19. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein:

said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to determine said next node by determining which neighbor node of said apparatus has least recently received a relaying packet.

20. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein:

said next neighbor determination unit is programmed to choose a neighbor node of said apparatus that has least recently received a relaying packet when at least one of the following are true;

(a) said neighbor nodes of said apparatus have changed since the last time that said apparatus received a relaying packet, and (b) said node that just transmitted said relaying packet to said apparatus is different from a node that transmitted a relaying packet to said apparatus in the past.