Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises: determining, by a network device in a wireless data network, a past throughput of broadcast data packets transmitted at broadcast transmission intervals of a prescribed broadcast schedule over a selected measurement interval, the broadcast transmission intervals each adjacent to unicast transmission intervals allocated in the wireless data network, each of the broadcast transmission intervals in the prescribed broadcast schedule initially set at a prescribed duration; predicting, by the network device, a predicted throughput of a future broadcast transmission interval of the prescribed broadcast schedule, for transmission of at least a future broadcast data packet, based on executing a trendline prediction of the predicted throughput using the past throughput over the selected measurement interval; and adjusting the corresponding prescribed duration of the future broadcast transmission interval, relative to the corresponding adjacent unicast transmission interval followi

Abstract: Techniques for utilizing Software-Defined Field-Area Network (SD-FAN) controllers to receive a geographic location and transmission power of individual nodes and generate a geographic location topology of a Field-Area Network (FAN) to provide nodes with location-aware route paths for data transmission. One or more SD-FAN controller(s) may maintain a geographic location database to store the geographic location and transmission power of the individual nodes. Each node may utilize a Destination Address Object to advertise its geographic location and transmission power to the SD-FAN controller. The SD-FAN controller(s) may utilize the geographic location table to generate the geographic location topology of the FAN and determine a location-aware route path for optimized data transmission between nodes in the FAN.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique comprises monitoring data transfer over a radio frequency (RF) link between a first device and a second device in a mesh network where the second device is a descendent node and the first device is a parent node. The technique further transfers the data over a power link communication (PLC) when the RF link is inactive. The method also includes broadcasting, by the second device, RF link availability to at least a third device in the mesh network when the RF link with the first device is inactive where the third device has an active link with the second device and the third device is a descendent node of the second device. The method then includes communicating, between the second device and the third device, through the active RF link.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises: identifying, by a low power and lossy network (LLN) device in a low power and lossy network, a minimum distance value and a distance limit value for limiting multicast propagation, initiated at the LLN device, of a multicast data message in the LLN; and multicast transmitting, by the LLN device, the multicast data message with a current distance field specifying the minimum distance value and a distance limit field specifying the distance limit value, the multicast transmitting causing a receiving LLN device having a corresponding rank in the LLN to respond to the multicast data message by: (1) determining an updated distance based on adding to the current distance field a rank difference between the receiving LLN device and the LLN device, and (2) selectively retransmitting the multicast data message if the updated distance is less than the distance limit value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises determining, by a network device, a hop-by-hop path in a low-power and lossy network having a tree-based topology originated at a root network device, the hop-by-hop path comprising identified network devices for forwarding a data packet from a source network device to a destination device in the tree-based topology; and causing, by the network device, the destination device to initiate generation of a locally-optimized tree that bypasses the root network device and optimizes forwarding of the data packet from the source network device to the destination device, based on confined advertisements within the tree-based topology relative to the identified network devices.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises determining, by a network device in a wireless data network, that a prescribed Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) threshold is unsuitable for use on an identified wireless network channel among available wireless network channels, based on a determined variance of a corresponding channel transmit attempt failure rate for the identified wireless network channel, relative to an expected variance in channel transmit attempt failure rates that is determined across the respective available wireless network channels; and selectively adjusting the corresponding CCA threshold for the identified wireless network channel, until a second determined variance of the corresponding channel transmit attempt failure rate, at the identified wireless network channel, falls below a prescribed channel failure rate variance factor relative to the expected variance.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device in a network determines that a plurality of packets should be aggregated, each of the plurality of packets comprising a payload. The device generates, for each of the payloads, a sub-media access control (sub-MAC) header that comprises a sequence number and a frame check sequence (FCS). The device forms an aggregated packet that comprises a physical layer (PHY) header, a MAC header, the payloads, and the generated sub-MAC headers for the payloads. The device sends the aggregated packet to another device in the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique for dynamic transmission power in wireless mesh networks using supervised and semi-supervised learning is provided. A first device of a mesh communication network may receive a set of transmission power metrics indicative of network conditions between a second device of the mesh communication network and a plurality of child nodes associated with the second device. The first device may provide the set of transmission power metrics as input to a supervised machine learning process that probabilistically determines one or more minimum transmission power thresholds for nodes of the mesh communication network. The first device may obtain an output from the supervised machine learning process comprising an indication of a particular minimum transmission power threshold for the second device. The first device may control the second device to exchange packets with the plurality of child nodes using the particular minimum transmission power threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique for load balancing of throughput for multi-PHY networks using decision trees is provided. A first device of a mesh communication network may collect at least one transmission metric indicative of a primary link and a secondary link between the first device and a second device of the mesh communication network. The first device may provide the at least one transmission metric as input to one or more decision trees comprising one or more attributes that are each indicative of a threshold for a corresponding transmission metric. The first device may obtain an output from the decision tree comprising a selection of either the primary link or the secondary link. The first device may send, based on the output from the decision tree, one or more packets to the second device using the selected link.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for detecting and deducing of urgent messages in low-power and lossy networks (LLNs) using a correlation analysis of the nodes within a network and machine learning (ML) models. Utilizing these techniques, a field network director (FND) of the network can determine neighboring devices within the network. ML models may be utilized to determine that based upon receipt of a power outage notification (PON) message and/or a power restoration notification (PRN) message from nodes, neighboring nodes of the nodes may also have suffered a power outage and/or a subsequent power restoration, even if the FND did not receive a corresponding PON message and/or a corresponding PRN message from the neighboring nodes of the network. Thus, loss of power and subsequent power restoration may be handled for large numbers of neighboring nodes within the network, even when only a few PON messages and/or subsequent PRN messages are received.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique for dynamic transmission power in wireless mesh networks using supervised and semi-supervised learning is provided. A first device of a mesh communication network may receive a set of transmission power metrics indicative of network conditions between a second device of the mesh communication network and a plurality of child nodes associated with the second device. The first device may provide the set of transmission power metrics as input to a supervised machine learning process that probabilistically determines one or more minimum transmission power thresholds for nodes of the mesh communication network. The first device may obtain an output from the supervised machine learning process comprising an indication of a particular minimum transmission power threshold for the second device. The first device may control the second device to exchange packets with the plurality of child nodes using the particular minimum transmission power threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises: forwarding, by a root network device in a low power and lossy network, an authentication message to a constrained child network device having attached to the root network device, the authentication message generated by an authenticator device and specifying a certificate associated with the authenticator device; receiving a second authentication message destined for a second constrained network device via the constrained child network device; removing, from the second authentication message, the certificate; and outputting, by the root network device, the modified second authentication message that does not include the certificate toward the second constrained network device via the constrained child network device, the modified second authentication message causing the constrained child network device to restore the second authentication message for delivery to the second constrained network device, based on insertion of the certificate back into the modified second aut

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises: forwarding, by a root network device in a low power and lossy network, an authentication message to a constrained child network device having attached to the root network device, the authentication message generated by an authenticator device and specifying a certificate associated with the authenticator device; receiving a second authentication message destined for a second constrained network device via the constrained child network device; removing, from the second authentication message, the certificate; and outputting, by the root network device, the modified second authentication message that does not include the certificate toward the second constrained network device via the constrained child network device, the modified second authentication message causing the constrained child network device to restore the second authentication message for delivery to the second constrained network device, based on insertion of the certificate back into the modified second aut

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises: determining, by a network device in a wireless data network, a past throughput of broadcast data packets transmitted at broadcast transmission intervals of a prescribed broadcast schedule over a selected measurement interval, the broadcast transmission intervals each adjacent to unicast transmission intervals allocated in the wireless data network, each of the broadcast transmission intervals in the prescribed broadcast schedule initially set at a prescribed duration; predicting, by the network device, a predicted throughput of a future broadcast transmission interval of the prescribed broadcast schedule, for transmission of at least a future broadcast data packet, based on executing a trendline prediction of the predicted throughput using the past throughput over the selected measurement interval; and adjusting the corresponding prescribed duration of the future broadcast transmission interval, relative to the corresponding adjacent unicast transmission interval followi

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for identifying a deployment scheme for forming a wireless mesh network based on environmental characteristics and an optimum deployment scheme. In some examples, a geographical area for deployment of a wireless mesh network is identified. Additionally, environmental information of the geographical area can be collected. Network characteristics of an optimum deployment scheme for forming the wireless mesh network can be defined. As follows, a deployment scheme for forming the wireless mesh network can be identified based on the network characteristics of the optimum deployment scheme and the environmental information of the geographical area.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises determining, by a network device in a wireless data network, that a prescribed Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) threshold is unsuitable for use on an identified wireless network channel among available wireless network channels, based on a determined variance of a corresponding channel transmit attempt failure rate for the identified wireless network channel, relative to an expected variance in channel transmit attempt failure rates that is determined across the respective available wireless network channels; and selectively adjusting the corresponding CCA threshold for the identified wireless network channel, until a second determined variance of the corresponding channel transmit attempt failure rate, at the identified wireless network channel, falls below a prescribed channel failure rate variance factor relative to the expected variance.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device in a network determines that a plurality of packets should be aggregated, each of the plurality of packets comprising a payload. The device generates, for each of the payloads, a sub-media access control (sub-MAC) header that comprises a sequence number and a frame check sequence (FCS). The device forms an aggregated packet that comprises a physical layer (PHY) header, a MAC header, the payloads, and the generated sub-MAC headers for the payloads. The device sends the aggregated packet to another device in the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises determining, by a network device, a hop-by-hop path in a low-power and lossy network having a tree-based topology originated at a root network device, the hop-by-hop path comprising identified network devices for forwarding a data packet from a source network device to a destination device in the tree-based topology; and causing, by the network device, the destination device to initiate generation of a locally-optimized tree that bypasses the root network device and optimizes forwarding of the data packet from the source network device to the destination device, based on confined advertisements within the tree-based topology relative to the identified network devices.

Abstract: A network device receives a data packet sourced from a root of a tree-based topology and including a data structure identifying transmitted data packets transmitted by the root; in response to determining one or more absent transmitted data packets based on the data structure, the network device starts a deferred transmission timer requiring the network device to wait a first half of a selected minimum contention interval before attempting transmission to a parent at a randomized position within a second half of the selected minimum contention interval, the selected minimum contention interval based on the distance to the root and at least twice that of the parent; the network device selectively transmits a control message to the parent to request the absent transmitted data packets only if, upon reaching the corresponding randomized position of the deferred transmission timer, the network device has not received the absent transmitted data packets.

Abstract: A network device receives a data packet sourced from a root of a tree-based topology and including a data structure identifying transmitted data packets transmitted by the root; in response to determining one or more absent transmitted data packets based on the data structure, the network device starts a deferred transmission timer requiring the network device to wait a first half of a selected minimum contention interval before attempting transmission to a parent at a randomized position within a second half of the selected minimum contention interval, the selected minimum contention interval based on the distance to the root and at least twice that of the parent; the network device selectively transmits a control message to the parent to request the absent transmitted data packets only if, upon reaching the corresponding randomized position of the deferred transmission timer, the network device has not received the absent transmitted data packets.