Abstract: Provided is a system and method for a multicast routing algorithm to work in infrastructure based mesh networks. It chooses access points, fixed infrastructure gateway nodes connected to each other and/or the global internet via a wired/wireless backbone, as a group of local multicast group leaders to form a multicast group leader cloud. Each local multicast group leader is elected on-demand according to the local multicast group member's request. Each local multicast group leader forms a local multicast tree rooted at this leader connecting all multicast group members associated with the AP. The processes of electing and maintaining local multicast trees rooted at APs enable efficient coordination with underlying unicast routing to exploit the advantages of fixed infrastructure nodes. Therefore, routing overhead and multicast tree convergence time are reduced. The method can support large networks with fast topology change due to fast convergence and reduced routing overhead.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the performance of an on-demand routing protocol in a wireless network is provided. The invention provides improved system performance of a wireless network by enabling nodes following an on-demand routing protocol to process (and possibly reply to) route request messages multiple times based on the routing metrics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electing broadcast relay nodes (520B, H, M) in an ad hoc network (500). Each node (520A-520O) generates an attribute message including associated parameters. Each node (520A-520O) generates a weighted value (WV) based on the parameters. The WV can be included in the attribute message for that node, can provide a metric for ranking that node to be nominated to be a broadcast relay node, can alternatively provide a probability measure for that node to probabilistically elect itself as a broadcast relay node. The broadcast manager node (520C) receives the attribute messages and elects at least one nominated node as a broadcast relay node (520B, H, M) based on the attribute messages. Each node (520A-520O) can also initiate election of an intermediate broadcast relay node if that node fails to receive a test message within a predetermined time.

Abstract: A system and method for characterizing the quality of a link, in particular, a bi-directional link, between nodes in a wireless communication network, such as a wireless ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, with minimum network overhead. The system and method determine the quality of link between two nodes by taking into consideration the view from both the nodes, and factors such as signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio or any statistic collected at the physical layer that is deemed representative of the quality of a link. The link quality can also be adjusted using a weighting factor.

Abstract: A system and method enables an ad-hoc communication network to maintain connectivity between intelligent access points and nodes. The method includes: broadcasting an access point advertisement from a sender node to wireless routers; deciding by the wireless routers whether to use the sender node as a next hop towards the intelligent access point based on routing criterion associated with the wireless routers and contents of the access point advertisement; transmitting a unicast route request from the wireless routers to the intelligent access point; transmitting a unicast route reply from the sender node to the wireless router in response to receiving the unicast route request; storing a route entry associated with the intelligent access point in the wireless router; and periodically broadcasting a hello message from the wireless router to the nodes identifying the route from the wireless router to the intelligent access point using the stored route entry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for evaluating the performance of a potential route before it is actually established. In a wireless network, when a trigger is received by a source node that suggests the existence of a better route, the source node sends a scouting packet along the suggested route. The scouting packet collects statistics related to the suggested route, without establishing the route while the scouting packet traverses the route. The metric for the suggested route, which is derived from the statistics collected by the scouting packet, is compared to the metric for the current route. If the metric for the suggested route is preferable to that of the current route, the suggested route is established as a new route.

Abstract: When a source node (SN) seeks to transmit a first communication stream (FCS) to a destination node (DN), a method is provided for allowing the SN to preempt a lower priority communication stream (LPCS). User priorities are supported during slot scheduling based on stream-identifiers (IDs) and stream priority values exchanged by each of the nodes. A scout request message (SRM), which includes a stream ID and a user priority value of the SN, is transmitted to a next-hop node along a route towards the DN. A node along the route determines if free time slots are available along the route to meet QoS requirements of the FCS, and if not, the node determines whether there is a LPCS in the neighborhood, and if so, the node frees the particular time slots currently being used by the LPCS, and allocates the particular time slots for the FCS.

Abstract: A hybrid TDMA-CSMA MAC protocol is provided for allocating time slots within a frame having a structure in which transmission time is divided into a first number of actual TDMA time slots and a second number of “virtual” CSMA time slots. Each time a given node receives a Hello message, it can calculate variables based on an HSN field. A ratio of the first number to the second number can be dynamically adjusted depending upon the traffic conditions. When TDMA time slots within the frame are freed (e.g., no longer being used), slot position optimization techniques are provided for moving these freed TDMA time slots back into the CSMA portion of the frame and reallocating or moving other TDMA time slots into the portion of the frame that was previously occupied by the freed TDMA time slots to thereby maximize resource utilization.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for dynamically identifying locations of a plurality of mobile nodes in a time division multiple access (TDMA) based ad hoc communication network, wherein one or more mobile nodes are being moved in and out of a predefined region. The method comprises allocating a hello slot in a dedicated channel of the TDMA based ad hoc communication network to each of the mobile nodes and announcing the allocation to the mobile nodes through hello slot allocation map, receiving location information from each of the mobile nodes during their hello slot and determining mobile nodes that are inside the predefined region based on the received location information, allocating a data slot to each determined mobile nodes inside the predefined region and announcing the allocation to the mobile nodes through data slot allocation map, and receiving updated location information from each determined mobile nodes during their data slot.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining mobility of a first node in an ad hoc network. A particular node generates a fixed neighbor node table comprising second nodes in the area of the particular node which are not mobile. The particular node can monitor changes between the first node and the second nodes, and then determine if the first node is mobile based on the changes.

Abstract: A system and method for decreasing the route convergence time in a wireless communication network, such as a wireless ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, by finding an alternate route if the nodes anticipate weakening or breakage of a route currently in use. The system and method which enables reactive routing protocols to find optimal routes between nodes in these types of networks when those routes cannot otherwise be found in certain conditions. The system and method thus decrease the route convergence time, provide an effective and efficient way to find optimal routes, and improve overall performance of the network with regard to throughput, delay, packet completion rate and other factors.

Abstract: A method and system for routing data in a wireless network (400) that enables all nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408) to find routes to each other even if the nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408) are non-meshed which are incapable of operating as a router to route packets received from other nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408), and for associating and reassociating the non-meshed and meshed nodes with other meshed nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408). The non-meshed nodes (STA 13-STA 15) request association with one of the meshed nodes (AP5) which are capable of performing packet routing, to request that the meshed node (AP5) with which the non-meshed node (STA 13) is associating operate as a proxy node to route packets between the associated non-meshed node (STA 13) and other meshed or non-meshed nodes (106, 402, 404, 406, 408).

Abstract: A system and method for enabling an ad-hoc communication network to maintain connectivity with the mobile nodes in the network in an effective and efficient manner with minimal overhead. The system and method enables an ad-hoc communication network to maintain connectivity between intelligent access points of the network and mobile nodes in the network while performing an on-demand protocol. The system and method further uses an improved distance vector routing algorithm and unicast messages, to thus avoid an increase routing advertisement frequency in the network while keeping network overhead at a minimum. The system and method also modifies the Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV) protocol to facilitate smooth handoff of subscriber devices in an ad-hoc communication network while also eliminating unidirectional links between nodes in the network.

Abstract: A hybrid TDMA-CSMA MAC protocol is provided for allocating time slots within a frame having a structure in which transmission time is divided into a first number of actual TDMA time slots and a second number of “virtual” CSMA time slots. Each of the nodes in a multi-hop network can transmit a Highest Slot Number (HSN) field. Each time one of the Hello messages is received from a neighbor node, a given node can calculate variables based on the HSN field. The given node can use these variables to calculate a ratio of the first number to the second number. This ratio can be dynamically adjusted depending upon the traffic conditions observed by nodes within the multi-hop ad hoc network at any particular time to thereby change the relative percentages of the frame which are allocated for a TDMA portion and a CSMA portion of the frame.

Abstract: A system (100) and method (400) for mesh/ad hoc participation is provided. The method 400 can include compensating a first service provider (510) for allowing a device (539) of a second service provider (530) to operate in an ad hoc network (500) operated by the first service provider, and determining network resources utilized for providing communication among nodes in the ad hoc network. The compensation to the first service provider accounts for network resources utilized by the device for communicating within the ad hoc network. Resources can include equipment that is operated, owned, leased, rented, borrowed, or shared by the service provider. The method 400 allows users to roam to other networks without a service subscription agreement.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the dissemination of Routing packets, and decreasing the latency in finding routes between nodes. The system and method provides message exchanges between wireless devices to determine optimized communication routes with a minimum of overhead messages and buffered data. Exchanged messages are reduced to a specific series of exchanges indicating destination, destination node detection, and route, preferably using a series of IAP devices. Routes are discovered in an efficient manner and latency in finding routes between nodes is reduced, thereby reducing buffered information levels at individual devices.

Abstract: In a network comprising a source, a destination, and intermediate nodes along a route between the source and the destination, techniques are provided for allocating one or more time slots to transmit a particular data stream along the route based on the QoS requirements to transmit the particular data stream. In one implementation, a Scout Request message (SRM) is sent from the source to the destination to allocate time slots along the route to transmit a particular data stream to the destination. The SRM can include QoS requirements to transmit the particular data stream. Each intermediate node along the route can allocate one or more time slots to transmit the particular data stream based on the QoS requirements needed to transmit the particular data stream along the route.

Abstract: In a network comprising a source, a destination, and intermediate nodes along a route between the source and the destination, techniques are provided for allocating one or more time slots to transmit a particular data stream along the route based on the QoS requirements to transmit the particular data stream. In one implementation, a Scout Request message (SRM) is sent from the source to the destination to allocate time slots along the route to transmit a particular data stream to the destination. The SRM can include QoS requirements to transmit the particular data stream. Each intermediate node along the route can allocate one or more time slots to transmit the particular data stream based on the QoS requirements needed to transmit the particular data stream along the route.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing proxying error information in wireless networks is provided. The includes associating a proxy node with a non-routable node; sending a data packet from an initiator node to the proxy node for delivery to the non-routable node; determining by the proxy node that the non-routable device has disassociated from the proxy node; sending a proxy error message from the proxy node to the initiator node to inform the initiator node that the non-routable node is no longer proxied by the proxy node; and starting a route discovery process for the non-routable device by the initiator node.

Abstract: A system and method for calculating an optimal route at a node by making use of routing metrics which if carefully chosen, can provide stability to the network and also provide features like Self Healing and Load Balancing. A Routing metric is calculated as a scalar number based upon a number of factors, such as number of hops, data rate, link quality and device type. Each factor can be determined by evaluation of Hello messages, or other routing messages as required.