Abstract: A system and method for efficient collection and distribution of mission-critical information (MCI) throughout a multi-node communication network is disclosed. In embodiments, the multi-node communication network may include a clusterhead node including a communication interface and a controller. In embodiments, the controller transmits an MCI request packet to neighbor nodes of its cluster. The controller receives MCI report packets from the neighbor nodes (or a subset thereof) throughout a first time interval. The controller rebroadcasts the MCI request packet to the neighbor nodes through increasingly shorter time intervals as MCI report packets continue to be transmitted in response. When the controller determines that no MCI report packets have been transmitted during the most recent time interval, the controller generates and transmits an MCI publish packet including the MCI information collected from each neighbor node.

Abstract: A system and method for managing acknowledgments and retransmissions in a distributed manner in a MANET with 2-hop clustering structure. Clusterheads are in charge of assuring delivery of flooding packets to their members. After receiving acknowledgments from associated nodes in the cluster, and clusterheads perform retransmission when necessary with a list of acknowledging nodes. The non-clusterhead nodes receive the retransmissions and determine if that node's acknowledgment was received based on a list of node IDs included in the retransmission. If the node ID is not listed, the node resends the acknowledgment. The process continues until all acknowledgments are received and listed.

Abstract: A system and method for efficient collection and distribution of mission-critical information (MCI) throughout a multi-node communication network is disclosed. In embodiments, the multi-node communication network may include a clusterhead node including a communication interface and a controller. In embodiments, the controller transmits an MCI request packet to neighbor nodes of its cluster. The controller receives MCI report packets from the neighbor nodes (or a subset thereof) throughout a first time interval. The controller rebroadcasts the MCI request packet to the neighbor nodes through increasingly shorter time intervals as MCI report packets continue to be transmitted in response. When the controller determines that no MCI report packets have been transmitted during the most recent time interval, the controller generates and transmits an MCI publish packet including the MCI information collected from each neighbor node.

Abstract: A communication node of a multi-node communication network is disclosed. The communication node includes a communication interface and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a data packet, via the communication interface, from a first additional communication node, the data packet including a broadcast address indicative of a clustering status of the first additional communication node. The controller is further configured to determine a clustering status of the communication node, the clustering status based on a relationship between a number of gateway nodes and a number of clusterhead nodes communicatively coupled to the communication node.

Abstract: A communication node of a multi-node communication network includes a communication interface and a controller. In embodiments, the controller is configured to: receive a data packet from a first additional communication node; determine if the data packet comprises a time-sensitive data packet; determine if a length of the data packet is less than a length threshold; transmit the data packet via a conventional routing procedure to at least one second additional communication node of the multi-node communication network if the data packet comprises a non-time-sensitive data packet or if the length of the data packet is greater than the data packet length threshold; and transmit the data packet via a packet flooding procedure to the at least one second additional communication node if the data packet comprises a time-sensitive data packet and if the length of the data packet is less than the length threshold.

Abstract: In embodiments, a communication node of a multi-node communication network includes a communication interface and a controller communicatively coupled to the communication interface.

Abstract: A method of performing passive packet cross-checking of flooding packets within a multi-node system is disclosed. A first flooding packet is transmitted from a communication node to a first additional communication node of the multi-node system. The first flooding packet causes the first additional communication node to transmit a second flooding packet based on the first flooding packet to the communication node and to a second additional communication node of the multi-node system. A copy of the first flooding packet is stored in a memory cache of the communication node. The second flooding packet is received at the communication node from the first additional communication node. The second flooding packet and the stored copy of the first flooding packet are compared at the communication node, and a status of the first additional communication node is determined based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method of performing data frame error recovery is disclosed. A data packet is received and tested to determine whether the data packet includes one or more bit errors. The data packet is compared with one or more data packets stored in a recovery buffer to identify a duplicate of the data packet when the data packet includes one or more bit errors. One or more bits affected by the one or more bit errors are identified based on a comparison between the data packet and the duplicate of the data packet. Different combinations of bit values for the one or more bits are determined, and the data packet is tested with the different combinations to identify a correct combination of bit values for the one or more bits. The data packet is recovered based on the correct combination of bit values for the one or more bits.