Mobile ad hoc network configured as a virtual internet protocol network

• US 8,249,101 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Mullins, Michael L., Wesson, Theodore B., Crain, Gary W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abelson, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/732,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/389, 370/392, 370/466
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for facilitating communication of a MANET is provided. A MANET may include a plurality of nodes configured as a virtual IP network. The virtual IP network may comprise a plurality of physical paths of the MANET. The physical paths may couple an IP network to an IP node. Each physical path may traverse a distinct set of nodes of the MANET. The physical paths may be represented to the IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

facilitating, by at least a subset of a plurality of nodes, communication of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), the nodes configured as a virtual Internet Protocol (IP) network, the virtual IP network comprising a plurality of physical paths of the MANET, each physical path coupling an IP network to an IP node, each physical path traversing a distinct set of nodes of the MANET; and

representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes, adding a physical path to the physical paths of the virtual IP network;

determining with a node of the distinct set of nodes of the MANET whether responsive to the addition of the physical path, a previously unreachable IP node has become reachable, and sending a notification from the node of the distinct set of nodes of the MANET to at least one IP node that indicates that the previously unreachable IP node has become reachable.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a physical path of the physical paths for transmission of an IP packet from the IP network to the IP node, the selecting accomplished by at least one node of the MANET independently of the IP network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a physical path to the physical paths of the virtual IP network; and

after adding the physical path, continuing to represent the physical paths as the logical path.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a first node of the MANET with a virtual Ethernet driver, the virtual Ethernet driver operative to;

receive a first IP packet from the IP network; and

encapsulate the first IP packet into a radio signal for transmission to a second node of the MANET.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a first node of the MANET with a virtual Ethernet driver, the virtual Ethernet driver operative to;

receive a radio signal encapsulating an IP packet from a second node of the MANET;

extract the IP packet from the radio signal; and

transmit the IP packet to the IP network.

6. The method of claim 1, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as a primary router and a plurality of secondary routers, the primary router represented as coupling the IP network to a plurality of secondary routers, each secondary router represented as coupling an IP node of a plurality of IP nodes to the primary router.

7. The method of claim 1, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as a router comprising an IP address, the router disposed between the IP network and the IP node.

8. The method of claim 1, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as an IP switch disposed between the IP network and the IP node.

9. An apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to;

communicate with at least a subset of a plurality of nodes of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) configured as a virtual Internet Protocol (IP) network, the virtual IP network comprising a plurality of physical paths of the MANET, each physical path coupling an IP network to an IP node, each physical path traversing a distinct set of nodes of the MANET; and

a processor configured to;

represent, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes, wherein a node of the distinct set of nodes of the MANET is operative to determine, whether a previously reachable IP node has become unreachable, and send a notification from the node of the distinct set of nodes of the MANET to at least one IP node that indicates that the previously reachable IP node has become unreachable.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the processor further operative to:

select at least a portion of a physical path of the physical paths for transmission of an IP packet from the IP network to the IP node, the selecting accomplished independently of the IP network.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, the processor further operative to:

add a physical path to the physical paths of the virtual IP network; and

after adding the physical path, continue to represent the physical paths as the logical path.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a virtual Ethernet driver operative to;

receive a first IP packet from the IP network; and

encapsulate the first IP packet into a radio signal for transmission to a node of the MANET.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a virtual Ethernet driver operative to;

receive a radio signal encapsulating an IP packet from a node of the MANET;

extract the IP packet from the radio signal; and

transmit the IP packet to the IP network.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as a primary router and a plurality of secondary routers, the primary router represented as coupling the IP network to a plurality of secondary routers, each secondary router represented as coupling an IP node of a plurality of IP nodes to the primary router.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as a router comprising an IP address, the router disposed between the IP network and the IP node.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as an IP switch disposed between the IP network and the IP node.

17. A tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable code, when executed by a computer operative to:

facilitate communication of at least a subset of a plurality of nodes of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), the subset of nodes configured as a virtual Internet Protocol (IP) network, the virtual IP network comprising a plurality of physical paths of the MANET, each physical path coupling an IP network to an IP node, each physical path traversing a distinct set of nodes of the MANET; and

represent, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes, add a physical path to the physical paths of the virtual IP network;

determine with a node of the distinct set of nodes of the MANET, whether responsive to the addition of the physical path, a previously unreachable IP node has become reachable, and send a notification from the node of the distinct set of nodes of the MANET to at least one IP node that indicates that the previously unreachable IP node has become reachable.

18. The medium of claim 17, the medium further operative to:

select at least a portion of a physical path of the physical paths for transmission of an IP packet from the IP network to the IP node, the selecting accomplished independently of the IP network.

19. The medium of claim 17, the medium further operative to:

add a physical path to the physical paths of the virtual IP network; and

after adding the physical path, continue to represent the physical paths as the logical path.

20. The medium of claim 17, the medium further operative to:

receive a first IP packet from the IP network; and

encapsulate the first IP packet into a radio signal for transmission to a node of the MANET.

21. The medium of claim 17, the medium further operative to:

receive a radio signal encapsulating an IP packet from a node of the MANET;

extract the IP packet from the radio signal; and

transmit the IP packet to the IP network.

22. The medium of claim 17, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as a primary router and a plurality of secondary routers, the primary router represented as coupling the IP network to a plurality of secondary routers, each secondary router represented as coupling an IP node of a plurality of IP nodes to the primary router.

23. The medium of claim 17, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as a router comprising an IP address, the router disposed between the IP network and the IP node.

24. The medium of claim 17, the representing, to the IP network, the physical paths of the virtual IP network as a logical path comprising one or more virtual IP nodes further comprising:

representing, to the IP network, the virtual IP network as an IP switch disposed between the IP network and the IP node.