Adaptive routing
First Claim
1. A method of communicating in an ad-hoc network, the method comprising:
- broadcasting a DUPROUTE packet to one or more neighbor nodes to determine an existence of one or more alternate routes between a first node and a destination node, wherein the DUPROUTE packet comprises a TimeToLive field, and wherein the one or more neighbor nodes are configured to decrement the TimeToLive field and forward the DUPROUTE packet to additional neighbor nodes if the destination node is not an immediate neighbor of the one or more neighbor nodes;
selecting, solely at a first node, a first candidate route between the first node and a second node based on at least one performance criterion, wherein the first candidate route includes a plurality of links corresponding to at least one intermediate node located between the first node and the second node on the first candidate route, and wherein at least one link of the plurality of links is not included in an existing route between the first node and the second node;
discontinuing use of the existing route at the first node; and
commencing use of the selected first candidate route at the first node in place of the existing route, wherein use of the plurality of links of the selected first candidate route is initialized via nodes of the existing route; and
maintaining use of the selected first candidate route until a second candidate route is selected such that data may be transmitted over the maintained first candidate route until the selected second candidate route is commenced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices are shown for improving an existing route between a first node and a second node in a first ad-hoc network that includes a plurality of nodes, the method and devices selecting based on a predetermined performance criterion or criteria one of a plurality of candidate routes between the first node and the second node, wherein each candidate route includes at least one inter-node link that is not included within the first ad-hoc network and at least one candidate route including multiple inter-node links; initializing, via the existing route, the use of the inter-node links of the selected candidate route; and switching from using the existing route to using the candidate route.
273 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of communicating in an ad-hoc network, the method comprising:
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broadcasting a DUPROUTE packet to one or more neighbor nodes to determine an existence of one or more alternate routes between a first node and a destination node, wherein the DUPROUTE packet comprises a TimeToLive field, and wherein the one or more neighbor nodes are configured to decrement the TimeToLive field and forward the DUPROUTE packet to additional neighbor nodes if the destination node is not an immediate neighbor of the one or more neighbor nodes; selecting, solely at a first node, a first candidate route between the first node and a second node based on at least one performance criterion, wherein the first candidate route includes a plurality of links corresponding to at least one intermediate node located between the first node and the second node on the first candidate route, and wherein at least one link of the plurality of links is not included in an existing route between the first node and the second node;
discontinuing use of the existing route at the first node; andcommencing use of the selected first candidate route at the first node in place of the existing route, wherein use of the plurality of links of the selected first candidate route is initialized via nodes of the existing route; and
maintaining use of the selected first candidate route until a second candidate route is selected such that data may be transmitted over the maintained first candidate route until the selected second candidate route is commenced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A node of an ad-hoc network comprising:
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a selection element configured to broadcast a DUPROUTE packet to one or more neighbor nodes to determine an existence of one or more alternate routes between a first node and a destination node, wherein the DUPROUTE packet comprises a TimeToLive field, and wherein the one or more neighbor nodes are configured to decrement the TimeToLive field and forward the DUPROUTE packet to additional neighbor nodes if the destination node is not an immediate neighbor of the one or more neighbor nodes; a selection element configured to select a first, candidate route between a first node and a second node based on at least one performance criterion, wherein the first candidate route includes a plurality of links corresponding to at least one intermediate node located between the first node and the second node on the first candidate route, and wherein at least one link of the plurality of links is not included in an existing route between the first node and the second node; a processor configured to discontinue use of the existing route; and commence use of the selected first candidate route in place of the existing route, wherein use of the plurality of links of the selected first candidate route is initialized via nodes of the existing route; and
wherein use of the first candidate route is maintained until a second candidate route is selected such that data may be transmitted over the maintained first candidate route until the second candidate route is commenced.
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23. A method of improving an existing route between a first node and a second node in an ad-hoc network that comprises a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
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receiving a message at a device in the ad-hoc network; maintaining a cumulative history of a route the message has taken from the first node to the device; maintaining a performance cost of the route the message has taken from the first node to the device; if a direct link from the device to the second node is available, establishing a first candidate route for routing packets between the first and second nodes that comprises the route the message has taken from the first node to the device and the link between the device and the second node and maintaining use of the first candidate route until a second candidate route is selected such that data may be transmitted over the maintained first candidate route until the second candidate route is commenced, else forwarding the message to at least another device, and further establishing the first candidate route for routing packets between the first and second nodes only if the direct link is available and of sufficient quality. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A device in an ad-hoc network that comprises a plurality of nodes, the device comprising:
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a receiver for receiving a message; a route history maintenance element for maintaining a cumulative history of a route the message has taken to the device; a determining element for determining if a direct link from the device to a second node is available; a candidate route establishing element for establishing a first candidate route for routing packets between a first node and the second node that comprises the route the message has taken from the first node to the device and the direct link between the device and the second node if said direct link from the device to the second node is available, wherein use of the first candidate route is maintained until a second candidate route is selected such that data may be transmitted over the maintained first candidate route until the second candidate route is commenced; a forwarding element for forwarding the message to at least another device if said direct link from the device to the second node is not available, and further establishing the first candidate route for routing packets between the first and second nodes only if the direct link is available and of sufficient quality.
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32. A device in a first ad-hoc network comprising a plurality of nodes, including the first node and a second node, and an existing route between the first node and the second node that comprises a plurality of inter- node links, the device comprising:
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Means for broadcasting a DUPROUTE packet to one or more neighbor nodes to determine an existence of one or more alternate routes between a first node and a destination node, wherein the DUPROUTE packet comprises a TimeToLive field, and wherein the one or more neighbor nodes are configured to decrement the TimeToLive field and forward the DUPROUTE packet to additional neighbor nodes if the destination node is not an immediate neighbor of the one or more neighbor nodes; means for selecting based on a predetermined performance criterion or criteria one of a plurality of candidate routes between the first node and the second node, wherein each candidate route comprises at least one inter-node link that is not comprised within the first ad-hoc network and at least one candidate route comprises multiple inter-node links; means for initializing, via the existing route, use of the inter-node links of the selected candidate route; and means for switching from using the existing route to using the candidate route, wherein the candidate route is maintained until a second candidate route is selected such that data may be transmitted over the maintained candidate route until the second selected candidate route is commenced.
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Specification