Techniques for optimizing broadcast messaging in a network

1. A method for optimizing broadcast messaging for a node in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface in the node, data for a message from the network, wherein the node uses time intervals of a clock as a basis for determining scheduled transitions among a plurality of channels associated with the network; and

while the data for the message is being received and upon completion of an initial portion of the message:

determining, in the node, identification information for the message specified in the initial portion;

when (i) the identification information specifies that the message is a broadcast message and (ii) an identifier in the message matches a stored identifier of a previously received broadcast message, terminating said receiving the data for a subsequent portion of the message at least by the next scheduled channel transition time for the network; and

when (i) the identification information specifies that the message is a broadcast message and (ii) the identifier in the message does not match any stored identifier of a previously received broadcast message:

continuing said receiving data for the subsequent portion of the message;

storing, in the node, the identifier for the broadcast message; and

re-broadcasting, via the network interface, the received message to the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial portion of the message includes a frame header and a packet header.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said determining the identification information for the message comprises:

determining whether the message is a broadcast message based upon a destination address field in the frame header for the message; and

determining the identifier based upon a field in the packet header for the message.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network uses the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 standards.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said re-broadcasting the message occurs subsequent to the node completely receiving all portions of the message followed by some delay.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining a current channel of the network while the message is being received beyond the next scheduled channel transition time when the identifier of the broadcast message does not match the stored identifier; and

transitioning to a scheduled channel at the next scheduled channel transition time when the identifier of the broadcast message matches the stored identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the identifier in the broadcast message matches the stored identifier, terminating said receiving the data for the message before the next scheduled transition time.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program executable in a node, the program comprising code that:

receives, via a network interface in the node, data for a message from a network, wherein the node uses time intervals of a clock as a basis for determining scheduled transitions among a plurality of channels associated with the network; and

while the data for the message is being received and upon completion of an initial portion of the message:

determines identification information for the message specified in the initial portion;

when (i) the identification information specifies that the message is a broadcast message and (ii) an identifier in the message matches a stored identifier of a previously received broadcast message, terminates said receiving the data for a subsequent portion of the message at least by the next scheduled channel transition time for the network; and

when (i) the identification information specifies that the message is a broadcast message and (ii) the identifier in the message does not match any stored identifier of a previously received broadcast message:

continues said receiving data for the subsequent portion of the message; and

stores, in the node, the identifier for the broadcast message.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the initial portion of the message includes a frame header and a packet header.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said determining the identification information for the message comprises:

determining whether the message is a broadcast message based upon a destination address field in the frame header for the message; and

determining the identifier based upon a field in the packet header for the message.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the program further comprises code that re-broadcasts, via the network interface, the received message to the network.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said re-broadcasting the message occurs subsequent to the node completely receiving all portions of the message followed by some delay.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising code that:

maintains a current channel of the network while the message is being received beyond the next scheduled channel transition time when the identifier of the broadcast message does not match the stored identifier; and

transitions to a scheduled channel at the next scheduled channel transition time when the identifier of the broadcast message matches the stored identifier.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein, when the identifier in the broadcast message matches the stored identifier, terminating said receiving the data for the message before the next scheduled transition time.

15. A node, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface for communicating on a network; and

a memory configured by a broadcast messaging optimization application executed in the node, the broadcast messaging optimization application causing the node to:

receive, via the network interface, data for a message from the network, wherein the node uses time intervals of a clock as a basis for determining scheduled transitions among a plurality of channels associated with the network; and

while the data for the message is being received and upon completion of an initial portion of the message:

determine identification information for the message specified in the initial portion;

when (i) the identification information specifies that the message is a broadcast message and (ii) an identifier in the message matches a stored identifier of a previously received broadcast message, terminate said receiving the data for a subsequent portion of the message at least by the next scheduled channel transition time for the network; and

when (i) the identification information specifies that the message is a broadcast message and (ii) the identifier in the message does not match any stored identifier of a previously received broadcast message:

continue said receiving data for the subsequent portion of the message;

store, in the memory, the identifier for the broadcast message; and

re-broadcast, via the network interface, the received message to the network.

16. The node of claim 15 , wherein the initial portion of the message includes a frame header and a packet header.

17. The node of claim 16 , wherein said determining the identification information for the message comprises:

determining whether the message is a broadcast message based upon a destination address field in the frame header for the message; and

determining the identifier based upon a field in the packet header for the message.

18. The node of claim 15 , further comprising:

maintaining a current channel of the network while the message is being received beyond the next scheduled channel transition time when the identifier of the broadcast message does not match the stored identifier; and

transitioning to a scheduled channel at the next scheduled channel transition time when the identifier of the broadcast message matches the stored identifier.

19. The node of claim 15 , wherein, when the identifier in the broadcast message matches the stored identifier, terminating said receiving the data for the message before the next scheduled transition time.

20. The node of claim 15 , wherein said re-broadcasting the message occurs subsequent to the node completely receiving all portions of the message followed by some delay.