Route optimization using star-mesh hybrid topology in localized dense ad-hoc networks

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet at a first network device in a network;

determining an optimal route for the packet to a neighbor network device in the network using a Source Routing Table (SRT), wherein the SRT includes an optimized routing table and a standard routing table;

routing the packet to the neighbor network device using the optimal route; and

maintaining the SRT, wherein maintaining the SRT comprises:

determining whether a route in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined not to be one-hop optimized, sending a test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops using a one-hop optimized route;

when sending a test packet fails, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet succeeds, resending the test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops a predetermined number of times at predetermined intervals, such that if the resending is successful each time, routing all future non-test packets to the neighbor network device using the one-hop optimized route.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the optimized routing table comprises a list of neighbor network devices that the first network device can route to directly, and wherein the standard routing table comprises a ZigBee source routing table.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the SRT comprises:

determining whether a route in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized, sending a test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops;

when sending a test packet succeeds, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is not successful, setting the route as not one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to the neighbor network device using the standard routing table of the SRT.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the SRT comprises:

determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined not to be one-hop optimized, determining whether the concentrator is in a neighbor table and whether a link quality of a link to the concentrator is good;

when the concentrator is either not in a neighbor table or a link quality is not good, repeating determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized after a predetermined time interval;

when the concentrator is either in a neighbor table or a link quality is good, sending a test packet directly to the concentrator with no intermediary hops;

when sending a test packet is not successful, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is successful, sending again a predetermined number of times, and if all are successful, setting the route as one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to the concentrator using the one-hop optimized routing table of the SRT.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized, and wherein a link quality is good, sending a predetermined number of test packets to or from the concentrator;

when sending a test packet succeeds, canceling a maintaining process for the route;

when sending a test packet is not successful, then setting the route as not one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to or from the concentrator using the standard routing table of the SRT; and

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized and a link quality is not good, then repeating determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized after a predetermined time interval.

6. A computer program product, stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, including instructions of optimized routing in localized dense networks that, when executed on a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer readable medium, cause the processor to perform operations of:

receiving a packet at a first network device in a network;

determining an optimal route for the packet to a neighbor network device in the network using a Source Routing Table (SRT) wherein the SRT includes an optimized routing table and a standard routing table;

routing the packet using the optimal route; and

maintaining the SRT, by:

determining whether a route in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined not to be one-hop optimized, sending a test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops using a one-hop optimized route;

when sending a test packet fails, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is successful, resending the test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops a predetermined number of times at predetermined intervals, such that if the resending is successful each time, routing all future non-test packets to the neighbor network device using the one-hop optimized route.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein

the optimized routing table comprises a list of neighbor network devices that the first network device can route to directly, and wherein the standard routing table comprises a ZigBee source routing table.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the instructions for maintaining the SRT cause the processor to perform further operations of:

determining whether a route in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized, sending a test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops;

when sending a test packet succeeds, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is not successful, setting the route as not one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to the neighbor network device using the standard routing table of the SRT.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the instructions for maintaining the SRT cause the processor to perform further operations of:

determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined not to be one-hop optimized, determining whether the concentrator is in a neighbor table and whether a link quality of a link to the concentrator is good;

when the concentrator is either not in a neighbor table or a link quality is not good, repeating determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized after a predetermined time interval;

when the concentrator is either in a neighbor table or a link quality is good, sending a test packet directly to the concentrator with no intermediary hops;

when sending a test packet is not successful, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is successful, sending again a predetermined number of times, and if all are successful, setting the route as one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to the concentrator using the one-hop optimized routing table of the SRT.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform further operations of:

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized, and wherein a link quality is good, sending a predetermined number of test packets to or from the concentrator;

when sending a test packet succeeds, canceling a maintaining process for the route;

when sending a test packet is not successful, then setting the route as not one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to or from the concentrator using the standard routing table of the SRT; and

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized and a link quality is not good, then repeating determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized after a predetermined time interval.

11. A network device comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a communications interface; and

an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor, and the communications interface;

wherein the memory is encoded with an application to optimize routing in localized dense networks, that when performed on the processor, provides a process to optimize routing in localized dense networks, the process causing the network device to perform operations of:

receiving a packet at a first network device in a network;

determining an optimal route for the packet to a neighbor network device in the network using a Source Routing Table (SRT) wherein the SRT includes an optimized routing table and a standard routing table;

routing the packet to the neighbor network device using the optimal route; and

maintaining the SRT, wherein maintaining the SRT comprises:

determining whether a route in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined not to be one-hop optimized, sending a test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops using a one-hop optimized route;

when sending a test packet fails, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is successful, resending the test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops a predetermined number of times at predetermined intervals, such that if the resending is successful each time, routing all future non-test packets to the neighbor network device using the one-hop optimized route.

12. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the optimized routing table comprises a list of neighbor network devices that the first network device can route to directly, and wherein the standard routing table comprises a ZigBee source routing table.

13. The network device of claim 11 , wherein maintaining the SRT comprises:

determining whether a route in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized, sending a test packet directly to the neighbor network device with no intermediary hops;

when sending a test packet succeeds, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is not successful, setting the route as not one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to the neighbor network device using the standard routing table of the SRT.

14. The network device of claim 11 , wherein maintaining the SRT comprises:

determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized;

when the route is determined not to be one-hop optimized, determining whether the concentrator is in a neighbor table and whether a link quality of a link to the concentrator is good;

when the concentrator is either not in a neighbor table or a link quality is not good, repeating determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized after a predetermined time interval;

when the concentrator is either in a neighbor table or a link quality is good, sending a test packet directly to the concentrator with no intermediary hops;

when sending a test packet is not successful, canceling a maintaining process for the route; and

when sending a test packet is successful, sending again a predetermined number of times, and if all are successful, setting the route as one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to the concentrator using the one-hop optimized routing table of the SRT.

15. The network device of claim 14 , further comprising operations of:

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized, and wherein a link quality is good, sending a predetermined number of test packets to or from the concentrator;

when sending a test packet succeeds, canceling a maintaining process for the route;

when sending a test packet is not successful, then setting the route as not one-hop optimized and routing all future non-test packets to or from the concentrator using the standard routing table of the SRT; and

when the route is determined to be one-hop optimized and a link quality is not good, then repeating determining whether a route to or from a concentrator in the SRT is one-hop optimized after a predetermined time interval.