Method and apparatus for propagating and maintaining update information

1. An apparatus for propagating and maintaining update information in a wireless network, said apparatus comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving update messages;

a timer for counting a first predetermined time period (t);

a counter for determining a number of consistent update messages received by said transceiver during said first predetermined time period (t), said consistent update messages containing update information which corresponds to update information currently maintained at said apparatus; and

a transmission controller for setting said first predetermined time period (t) and for resetting said timer and said counter at the start of a second predetermined time period (τ) larger than or equal to said first predetermined time period (t);

wherein said transmission controller is adapted to broadcast an own update message which contains said update information currently maintained at said apparatus, only if said timer has reached said first predetermined time period (t) and said counter has counted less than a predetermined number (k) of said consistent update messages during said first predetermined time period (t); and

wherein said transmission controller is adapted to adjust a minimum size of said first predetermined time period (t) in dependence on a receipt of an inconsistent message which contains the update information which differs from said update information currently maintained at said apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said transmission controller is adapted to set said second predetermined time period (τ) to a minimum time period (τ l ) and to start a new second predetermined time period (τ) in response to a receipt of said inconsistent message, and wherein said transmission controller is adapted to double the size of said second predetermined time period (τ) up to a maximum time period (τ h ) and to start a new second predetermined time period (τ), if said timer has reached the end of said second predetermined time period (τ).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said transmission controller is adapted to set said minimum size of said first predetermined time period (t) to zero if said second predetermined time period (τ) is set to said minimum time period (τ l ).

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said transmission controller is adapted to set said minimum size of said first predetermined time period (t) to half of the size of said second predetermined time period (τ) if said second predetermined time period (τ) is set to a value larger than said minimum time period (τ l ).

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said transmission controller is adapted to set said minimum size of said first predetermined time period (t) to a value which corresponds to the size of said second predetermined time period (τ) multiplied by a size parameter (η) at the start of a new second predetermined time interval, wherein said transmission controller is adapted to set said size parameter (η) to zero in response to said receipt of said inconsistent message, and wherein said transmission controller is adapted to increment said size parameter (η) by a predetermined value up to a maximum value less than or equal to one, if said timer has reached the end of said second predetermined time period (τ).

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said transmission controller is adapted to set said maximum value to 0.5 and to calculate said predetermined value based on the equation δ=1/(2 log 2 (τ h /τ l )), wherein δ designates said predetermined value, τ h designates said maximum time period and τ l designates said minimum time period.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined number (k) equals one.

8. A network node comprising: an apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. A mesh network comprising: a plurality of network nodes according to claim 8 .

10. A method of propagating and maintaining update information at a node of a wireless network, said method comprising:

transmitting and receiving update messages;

counting a first predetermined time period (t);

determining a number of consistent update messages received during said first predetermined time period (t), said consistent update messages containing update information which corresponds to update information currently maintained at said node; and

setting said first predetermined time period (t) and resetting a timer and a counter at the start of a second predetermined time period (τ) larger than or equal to said first predetermined time period (t);

broadcasting an own update message which contains said update information currently maintained at said node, only if said first predetermined time period (t) has been reached and less than a predetermined number of said consistent update messages have been counted during said first predetermined time period (t); and

adjusting a minimum size of said first predetermined time period (t) in dependence on a receipt of an inconsistent message which contains update information which differs from said update information currently maintained at said node.

11. A computer readable, non-transitory medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processing unit to execute a method of propagating and maintaining update information at a node of a wireless network, the non-transitory medium comprising code for:

transmitting and receiving update messages;

counting a first predetermined time period (t);

determining a number of consistent update messages received during said first predetermined time period (t), said consistent update messages containing update information which corresponds to update information currently maintained at said node; and

setting said first predetermined time period (t) and resetting a timer and a counter at the start of a second predetermined time period (τ) larger than or equal to said first predetermined time period (t);

broadcasting an own update message which contains said update information currently maintained at said node, only if said first predetermined time period (t) has been reached and less than a predetermined number of said consistent update messages have been counted during said first predetermined time period (t); and

adjusting a minimum size of said first predetermined time period (t) in dependence on a receipt of an inconsistent message which contains update information which differs from said update information currently maintained at said node.