Abstract: In one embodiment, a reactive routing computer network may be partitioned into diverse logical topologies, and a source node may transmit route request (RREQ) messages toward a destination node on each logical topology. In response, the source node may receive route reply (RREP) messages indicating routes to the destination node in each logical topology. The source node may thus select a route for each logical topology to reach the destination node, accordingly. In another embodiment, if partitioned logical topologies do not produce two or more routes or as a standalone embodiment, the source node may transmit RREQ messages toward the destination node without any corresponding logical topology. The destination node receives RREQ messages, and two or more routes from the source node to the destination node may be determined (e.g., by the destination or source node) based on the received RREQ messages at the destination node and path selection criteria.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying an age of payload data in a data packet by a wireless network node configured for transmitting the data packet to a multi-hop destination via a wireless mesh network; determining by the wireless network node a schedule for the data packet reaching the multi-hop destination; and the wireless network node prioritizing queuing of the data packet for Collision Sense with Multiple Access and Collision Avoidance (CSMA-CA) based wireless transmission in the wireless mesh network based on the corresponding age, relative to the schedule and respective ages of other data packets awaiting transmission by the wireless network node to the destination, where a higher-aged data packet relative to the schedule is granted a higher priority than a lower-aged data packet relative to the schedule.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying an age of payload data in a data packet by a wireless network node configured for transmitting the data packet to a multi-hop destination via a wireless mesh network; determining by the wireless network node a schedule for the data packet reaching the multi-hop destination; and the wireless network node prioritizing queuing of the data packet for Collision Sense with Multiple Access and Collision Avoidance (CSMA-CA) based wireless transmission in the wireless mesh network based on the corresponding age, relative to the schedule and respective ages of other data packets awaiting transmission by the wireless network node to the destination, where a higher-aged data packet relative to the schedule is granted have a higher priority than a lower-aged data packet relative to the schedule.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reactive routing computer network may be partitioned into diverse logical topologies, and a source node may transmit route request (RREQ) messages toward a destination node on each logical topology. In response, the source node may receive route reply (RREP) messages indicating routes to the destination node in each logical topology. The source node may thus select a route for each logical topology to reach the destination node, accordingly. In another embodiment, if partitioned logical topologies do not produce two or more routes or as a standalone embodiment, the source node may transmit RREQ messages toward the destination node without any corresponding logical topology. The destination node receives RREQ messages, and two or more routes from the source node to the destination node may be determined (e.g., by the destination or source node) based on the received RREQ messages at the destination node and path selection criteria.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reactive routing computer network may be partitioned into diverse logical topologies, and a source node may transmit route request (RREQ) messages toward a destination node on each logical topology. In response, the source node may receive route reply (RREP) messages indicating routes to the destination node in each logical topology. The source node may thus select a route for each logical topology to reach the destination node, accordingly. In another embodiment, if partitioned logical topologies do not produce two or more routes or as a standalone embodiment, the source node may transmit RREQ messages toward the destination node without any corresponding logical topology. The destination node receives RREQ messages, and two or more routes from the source node to the destination node may be determined (e.g., by the destination or source node) based on the received RREQ messages at the destination node and path selection criteria.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises attaching, by a mobile router, to an attachment router according to a protocol requiring establishment of a tree topology having a single clusterhead, the attaching by the mobile router based on the mobile router receiving, from the attachment router, an advertisement message specifying an attachment prefix; outputting a second advertisement message specifying availability of a prescribed address prefix used by the mobile router, and further specifying attributes of the mobile router relative to the tree topology; receiving a plurality of sensor data messages from at least one attached sensor host node, each sensor data message specifying at least one sensor data element specifying a detected sensor parameter; aggregating the sensor data elements from the sensor data messages into aggregated sensor data; and generating and outputting a neighbor advertisement message to the attachment router, the neighbor advertisement message specifying the aggregated sensor data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a clustering device may determine one or more sensor clusters having a plurality of sensor devices that report similar data of a same data type in a sensor network. Accordingly, the clustering device may select a subset of the sensor devices in each respective sensor cluster as one or more representative devices, such that a sensor sink obtains data from only the representative devices.

Abstract: Each mobile router in an ad hoc mobile network is configured for concurrently attaching to multiple parents advertising respective parent depths relative to a clusterhead of the ad hoc mobile network. The mobile router selects an advertised depth relative to the clusterhead based on adding a prescribed increment to a maximum one of the parent depths, enabling the mobile routers to form a directed acyclic graph relative to the clusterhead. Each mobile router sends to each of its parents a neighbor advertisement message specifying at least one reachable prefix, a corresponding cost for reaching the reachable prefix, and a corresponding sequence identifier that enables the parents to validate the neighbor advertisement message relative to stored router entries. Hence, mobile routers automatically can form a directed acylic graph relative to the clusterhead, and can distribute routing information with minimal overhead.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a node in a computer network may receive data of a particular type at a first frequency (e.g., a sensor in a sensor network), and may correspondingly determine whether there is at least one interested subscriber for the data of the particular type, where the interested subscriber desires the data at a second frequency. If there is an interested subscriber, buffered data publishing may be dynamically activated at the node in response to a ratio between the second and first frequencies being less than a configured threshold. In particular, buffered data publishing comprises buffering the received data and transmitting a latest received data to the interested subscriber at the second frequency.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes a mesh point receiving mesh advertisement messages from advertising mesh points of a wireless mesh network having a mesh portal with a wired connection to a wired network. Each mesh advertisement message specifies a corresponding metric for reaching the mesh portal and has a corresponding signal strength indicator. An ordered group of parent access points, ordered based on the respective metrics, is generated from among the advertising mesh points, starting with a first parent access point having a corresponding optimum metric for reaching the mesh portal and independent of the corresponding signal strength indicator. A registration message is sent to each of the parent access points identifying a corresponding specified priority based on a corresponding position in the ordered group, for use by the corresponding parent access point in selecting a minimum interframe spacing for forwarding a wireless packet received from the mesh point.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a more capable device (MCD) in a computer network may determine one or more a critical destinations (CDs), and may transmit an unsolicited reactive routing route request (RREQ) message to each CD. The MCD may then receive a route reply (RREP) message from the CDs having a route from the MCD to the CD, and may store the route at the MCD. Subsequently, the MCD may transmit a RREP message of its own to one or more less capable devices (LCDs) to provide the route from each respective LCD to the CD via the MCD.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) router receiving sensor data from at least one of a second IP router or an attached host sensor node, the sensor data distinct from link data of a network link; the IP router generating sensor information based on storing the sensor data with metadata describing reception of the sensor data by the IP router in a routing information base; and the IP router executing a routing operation based on the sensor information stored in the routing information base.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises detecting by a mesh access point a number of wireless network nodes that are attached to the mesh access point within a mesh network; calculating by the mesh access point an attachment preference factor that enables at least one other wireless network node to determine whether to attach to the mesh access point, wherein the mesh access point increases the attachment preference factor based on a corresponding increase in the number of wireless network nodes that are attached to the mesh access point; and outputting by the mesh access point the attachment preference factor, enabling the at least one other wireless network node to determine whether to attach to the mesh access point.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) router receiving sensor data from at least one of a second IP router or an attached host sensor node, the sensor data distinct from link data of a network link; the IP router generating sensor information based on storing the sensor data with metadata describing reception of the sensor data by the IP router in a routing information base; and the IP router executing a routing operation based on the sensor information stored in the routing information base.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes a mesh point receiving mesh advertisement messages from advertising mesh points of a wireless mesh network having a mesh portal with a wired connection to a wired network. Each mesh advertisement message specifies a corresponding metric for reaching the mesh portal and has a corresponding signal strength indicator. An ordered group of parent access points, ordered based on the respective metrics, is generated from among the advertising mesh points, starting with a first parent access point having a corresponding optimum metric for reaching the mesh portal and independent of the corresponding signal strength indicator. A registration message is sent to each of the parent access points identifying a corresponding specified priority based on a corresponding position in the ordered group, for use by the corresponding parent access point in selecting a minimum interframe spacing for forwarding a wireless packet received from the mesh point.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes, in each of a plurality of mesh access points, connecting to one of a plurality of mesh controllers in a mesh network and passing connection information to the one mesh controller. The mesh access points include a wired mesh access point having a wired connection to the one mesh controller, and wireless mesh access points having a wireless connection to the one mesh controller via the wired mesh access point. The method also includes generating, in each mesh controller, a corresponding link state table based on the passed connection information from each corresponding connected mesh access point. The method also includes generating in at least one of the mesh controllers a mesh table, identifying all of the connecting links for the mesh access points connected among the mesh controllers, based on the mesh controllers sharing the respective link state tables.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises attaching, by a mobile router, to an attachment router according to a protocol requiring establishment of a tree topology having a single clusterhead, the attaching by the mobile router based on the mobile router receiving, from the attachment router, an advertisement message specifying an attachment prefix; outputting a second advertisement message specifying availability of a prescribed address prefix used by the mobile router, and further specifying attributes of the mobile router relative to the tree topology; receiving a plurality of sensor data messages from at least one attached sensor host node, each sensor data message specifying at least one sensor data element specifying a detected sensor parameter; aggregating the sensor data elements from the sensor data messages into aggregated sensor data; and generating and outputting a neighbor advertisement message to the attachment router, the neighbor advertisement message specifying the aggregated sensor data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a sensor device in a network detects an alarm condition. The sensor device generates an alarm message based on the detected alarm condition and waits for a delay whose length is inversely proportional to a distance between the sensor device and a downstream destination device for which the alarm message is destined. During the delay, the sensor device receives one or more additional alarm messages from one or more upstream sensor devices. The sensor device coalesces the one or more received alarm messages from the one or more upstream sensor devices with the alarm message generated at the sensor device, to form a coalesced alarm message, and transmits the coalesced alarm message downstream towards the downstream destination device, after expiration of the delay.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes a mesh point receiving mesh advertisement messages from advertising mesh points of a wireless mesh network having a mesh portal with a wired connection to a wired network. Each mesh advertisement message specifies a corresponding metric for reaching the mesh portal and has a corresponding signal strength indicator. An ordered group of parent access points, ordered based on the respective metrics, is generated from among the advertising mesh points, starting with a first parent access point having a corresponding optimum metric for reaching the mesh portal and independent of the corresponding signal strength indicator. A registration message is sent to each of the parent access points identifying a corresponding specified priority based on a corresponding position in the ordered group, for use by the corresponding parent access point in selecting a minimum interframe spacing for forwarding a wireless packet received from the mesh point.

Abstract: A method and system for remotely configuring and/or provisioning a device that is nonoperational is provided. The device may be, in general, any electronic device that includes at least one setting (“device setting”) that can be programmatically or otherwise established or adjusted to configure and/or provision the device for its operation. The method includes detecting, via a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag, a state of a device that is communicatively coupled to the RFID tag; and providing the device setting via the RFID tag when the state signifies that the device is nonoperational.