Reliable message delivery in mesh networks
View Patent ↗A method of transmitting a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network may include receiving the packet at a first node. The network may include a plurality of nodes, and the plurality of nodes may include the first node. The method may also include transmitting, at a first time, the packet from the first node to a second node in the plurality of nodes. The method may additionally include receiving, at a second time, an indication from the second node that the second node successfully transmitted the packet to a third node. The method may further include maintaining a stored copy of the packet at the first node between the first time and the second time for retransmission.
1. A method of transmitting a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first node, the packet, wherein:
the network comprises a plurality of nodes; and
the plurality of nodes comprises the first node;
transmitting, by the first node, at a first time, the packet from the first node to a second node in the plurality of nodes;
receiving, by the first node, at a second time, an indication from the second node that the second node successfully transmitted the packet to a third node, wherein the second node takes responsibility for the packet; and
maintaining, by the first node, a stored copy of the packet at the first node between the first time and the second time for retransmission, wherein the first node relinquishes responsibility for the packet after the second time.
2. A non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving, by a first node, the packet, wherein:
the network comprises a plurality of nodes; and
the plurality of nodes comprises the first node;
transmitting, by the first node, at a first time, the packet from the first node to a second node in the plurality of nodes;
receiving, by the first node, at a second time, an indication from the second node that the second node successfully transmitted the packet to a third node, wherein the second node takes responsibility for the packet; and
maintaining, by the first node, a stored copy of the packet at the first node between the first time and the second time for retransmission, wherein the first node relinquishes responsibility for the packet after the second time.
3. The non-transitory computer-readable memory according to claim 2 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving a second packet at the first node;
transmitting, at a third time, the second packet from the first node to the second node;
detecting that a timeout interval has expired, wherein:
the timeout interval begins approximately at the third time; and
the timeout interval expires without the first node receiving an indication that the second packet was successfully transmitted by the second node to a subsequent node; and
retransmitting the packet in response to detecting that the timeout interval has expired.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable memory according to claim 3 wherein the packet is retransmitted to a fourth node that is different than the second node.
5. The non-transitory computer-readable memory according to claim 2 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by receiving, at the first node, an acknowledgement from the second node through a link layer.
6. The non-transitory computer-readable memory according to claim 2 wherein the indication from the second node is transmitted using a net layer.
7. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving, by a first node, the packet, wherein:
the network comprises a plurality of nodes; and
the plurality of nodes comprises the first node;
transmitting, by the first node, at a first time, the packet from the first node to a second node in the plurality of nodes;
receiving, by the first node, at a second time, an indication from the second node that the second node successfully transmitted the packet to a third node, wherein the second node takes responsibility for the packet; and
maintaining, by the first node, a stored copy of the packet at the first node between the first time and the second time for retransmission, wherein the first node relinquishes responsibility for the packet after the second time.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the third node provides the second node with an acknowledgment through a link layer.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first node is not an initial source of the packet, and wherein the third node is not a final destination node of the packet.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a second indication to a fourth node, wherein:
the first node received the packet from the fourth node; and
the second indication indicates that the packet was successfully transmitted from the first node to the second node.
11. A computer-readable memory comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving the packet at a first node, wherein:
the network comprises a plurality of nodes; and
the plurality of nodes comprises the first node;
transmitting, at a first time, the packet from the first node to a second node in the plurality of nodes;
receiving, at a second time, an indication from the second node that the second node successfully transmitted the packet to a third node; and
maintaining a stored copy of the packet at the first node between the first time and the second time for retransmission.
12. The computer-readable memory according to claim 11 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving a second packet at the first node;
transmitting, at a third time, the second packet from the first node to the second node;
detecting that a timeout interval has expired, wherein:
the timeout interval begins approximately at the third time; and
the timeout interval expires without the first node receiving an indication that the second packet was successfully transmitted by the second node to a subsequent node; and
retransmitting the packet in response to detecting that the timeout interval has expired.
13. The computer-readable memory according to claim 12 wherein the packet is retransmitted to a fourth node that is different than the second node.
14. The system of claim 11 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by receiving, at the first node, an acknowledgement from the second node through a link layer.
15. The system of claim 11 wherein the indication from the second node is transmitted using a net layer.
16. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving the packet at a first node, wherein:
the network comprises a plurality of nodes; and
the plurality of nodes comprises the first node;
transmitting, at a first time, the packet from the first node to a second node in the plurality of nodes;
receiving, at a second time, an indication from the second node that the second node successfully transmitted the packet to a third node; and
maintaining a stored copy of the packet at the first node between the first time and the second time for retransmission.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by:
receiving a second packet at the first node;
transmitting, at a third time, the second packet from the first node to the second node;
detecting that a timeout interval has expired, wherein:
the timeout interval begins approximately at the third time; and
the timeout interval expires without the first node receiving an indication that the second packet was successfully transmitted by the second node to a subsequent node; and
retransmitting the packet in response to detecting that the timeout interval has expired.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the packet is retransmitted to a fourth node that is different than the second node.
19. The system of claim 16 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit a packet in a low-power, ad-hoc, wireless mesh network by receiving, at the first node, an acknowledgement from the second node through a link layer.
20. The system of claim 16 wherein the indication from the second node is transmitted using a net layer.