SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATING MULTICAST MESSAGES IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

1 . A node for communicating multicast messages in wireless sensor networks, comprising:

a communication device configured to receive a multicast message from a channel of a wireless sensor network, wherein the multicast message is to be communicated to a plurality of nodes of the wireless sensor network, the communication device further configured to transmit an energy level signal indicative of an amount of energy detected for the channel while the multicast message is being received by the communication device; and

a stack configured to determine whether to retransmit the multicast message through the wireless sensor network based on the energy level signal.

2 . The node of claim 1 , wherein the stack is configured to compare a value of the energy level signal to a threshold and to determine whether to retransmit the multicast message through the wireless sensor network based on a comparison of the value to the threshold.

3 . The node of claim 2 , wherein the comparison indicates whether a source of the multicast message is within a close proximity of the node, and wherein the stack is configured to initiate retransmission of the multicast message through the wireless sensor network if the comparison indicates that the source is not within the close proximity of the node.

4 . The node of claim 3 , wherein the stack is configured to refrain from initiating retransmission of the multicast message through the wireless sensor network if the comparison indicates that the source is within the close proximity of the node.

5 . A wireless sensor network, comprising:

a first node configured to transmit a multicast message to be received by a plurality of nodes of a wireless sensor network; and

a second node configured to receive the multicast message via a channel of the wireless sensor network and to determine a value indicative of an amount of energy detected for the channel while the multicast message is being received by the second node, wherein the second node is configured to determine whether to retransmit the multicast message through the wireless sensor network based on the value.

6 . The wireless sensor network of claim 5 , wherein the second node is configured to compare the value to a threshold and to determine whether to retransmit the multicast message through the wireless sensor network based on a comparison of the value to the threshold.

7 . The node of claim 6 , wherein the comparison indicates whether the first node is within a close proximity of the second node, and wherein the second node is configured to retransmit the multicast message through the wireless sensor network if the comparison indicates that the first node is not within the close proximity of the second node.

8 . The node of claim 7 , wherein the second node is configured to refrain from initiating retransmission of the multicast message through the wireless sensor network if the comparison indicates that the first node is within the close proximity of the second node.

9 . A wireless sensor network, comprising:

a first node configured to transmit a multicast message to be received by a plurality of nodes of a wireless sensor network; and

a second node configured to receive the multicast message and to determine a value indicative of a strength of the multicast message, wherein the second node is configured to determine whether to retransmit the multicast message through the wireless sensor network based on the value.

10 . A method for communicating multicast messages in wireless sensor networks, comprising the steps of:

receiving a multicast message at a node of a wireless sensor network;

determining a value indicative of a strength of the received multicast message;

determining whether to retransmit the multicast message via the node through the wireless sensor network based on the value; and

retransmitting the multicast message from the node through the wireless sensor network based on the determining whether to retransmit step.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of detecting an amount of energy for a channel of the wireless sensor network while the multicast message is being received by the node via the channel, wherein the value is based on the detected amount of energy.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of comparing the value to a threshold, wherein the determining whether to retransmit step is based on the comparing step.