Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks, and to ad hoc networks using aircraft in particular. A method of maintaining data links to and from a source node in an ad hoc mobile network is provided. The network comprises nodes including neighbor nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication with the source node. The neighbor nodes comprise active neighbor nodes and inactive neighbor nodes, the active neighbor nodes being connected to the source node via respective active data links and the inactive neighbor nodes having respective inactive data links to the source node. One or more lost neighbor nodes are identified and revised configurations of data links are considered that account for the change in neighbor nodes. A new configuration is selected based at least partly on the cost of sending messages from the source node using the revised configurations.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks that may include aircraft. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of providing routing data for use in routing a message from a source node to available destination nodes through a mobile ad hoc network. A list of neighbor nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication is obtained. For each neighbor node, a cost function is used to calculate the lowest costs of sending messages to respective available destination nodes; and routing data is generated based on these lowest costs. A message may be routed to the most suitable neighbor node by reference to the routing data.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks that may include aircraft. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of providing routing data for use in routing a message from a source node to available destination nodes through a mobile ad hoc network. A list of neighbour nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication is obtained. For each neighbour node, a cost function is used to calculate the lowest costs of sending messages to respective available destination nodes; and routing data is generated based on these lowest costs. A message may be routed to the most suitable neighbour node by reference to the routing data.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mobile ad hoc networks, and to ad hoc networks using aircraft in particular. A method of maintaining data links to and from a source node in an ad hoc mobile network is provided. The network comprises nodes including neighbour nodes corresponding to nodes within range for direct communication with the source node. The neighbour nodes comprise active neighbour nodes and inactive neighbour nodes, the active neighbour nodes being connected to the source node via respective active data links and the inactive neighbour nodes having respective inactive data links to the source node. One or more lost neighbour nodes are identified and revised configurations of data links are considered that account for the change in neighbour nodes. A new configuration is selected based at least partly on the cost of sending messages from the source node using the revised configurations.