Packet dissemination in a wireless network performing distributed beamforming

1. A method for disseminating packets in a network performing distributed beamforming, comprising:

distributing packets from nodes in a local area network using a first interface and a first waveform to beamforming nodes;

providing scheduling to a long link interface for delivering a stream of packets free of scheduling conflicts; and

distributing a copy of the packets from an uplink of a long link interface based on the provided scheduling and using a second waveform, the first waveform being different from the second waveform, wherein distributing the copy of packets comprises:

identifying nodes in a network and an arrangement of the nodes;

computing a second-hop cover set for a first node in an arrangement of nodes in the network;

computing a second-hop cover set for a second node in the arrangement of nodes in the network, wherein the second-hop cover set for the first node and the second second-hop cover set for the second node includes at least one relay node for forwarding packets to a second-hop nodes in the first and second second-hop cover set;

determining a common node in the first and second second-hop cover sets;

determining whether the first node or the second node has a higher priority; and

selecting the common node as a forwarder for the first or second node determined to have the higher priority and removing the first or second node determined not to have the higher priority from the arrangement of nodes in the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying, computing a second-hop cover set for a first node, computing a second-hop cover set for a second node, determining a common node in the first and second second-hop cover sets, determining whether the first node or the second node has a higher priority and selecting the common node as a forwarder are repeated for each node iteratively to produce a resulting network arrangement.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resulting network arrangement becomes static in a static network and continuously adapts to dynamic networks.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising initially arranging the nodes in the network as relays.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising pruning the nodes in the network as being relays to reach a reduced set of forwarders to disseminate traffic to the nodes in the network.

6. A method for disseminating packets in a network performing distributed beamforming, comprising:

distributing packets from nodes in a local area network using an interface and a first waveform to beamforming nodes;

providing scheduling to a long link interface for delivering a stream of packets free of scheduling conflicts; and

distributing a copy of the packets from a downlink of the long link interface based on the provided scheduling and using a second waveform, the first waveform being different from the second waveform, wherein the distributing the copy of the packets from the downlink of the long link interface comprises:

identifying connected neighboring nodes for a node of interest;

selecting connected neighboring node with a highest priority as a forwarder; and

when node of interest has no connected neighboring nodes, selecting a neighboring node connected via multiple hops to a connected node as a forwarder.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifying connected neighboring nodes, selecting connected neighboring node with a highest priority as a forwarder and selecting a neighboring node connected via multiple hops to a connected node as a forwarder are repeated for each node iteratively until the selecting connected neighboring node with a highest priority as a forwarder and selecting multi-hop disconnected neighboring node as a forwarder becomes static for each node in a static network and continuously adapts to dynamic networks.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising pruning the nodes in the network as being relays to reach a reduced set of forwarders to disseminate traffic to the nodes in the network.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing scheduling to the long link interface for delivering a stream of packets free of scheduling conflicts comprises:

dividing the long link interface into epochs and slots

allocating a number of slots proportional to a load of a disseminating node;

allocating packet to a future epoch to allow time for dissemination;

allocating packet to a slot in a distributed manner

delivering a stream of ordered and time synchronized packets

mapping a source node identifier and a packet identifier associated with an allocated packet to future epochs and slots; and

providing a time reference across beamforming nodes.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mapping a source node identifier and a packet identifier associated with an allocated packet to future epochs and slots is performed according to:

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finds the epoch in the future, hD from now, where hD is a maximum dissemination delay, and n i Δ is a slot time in that epoch with Δ being a slot duration and N is a maximum number of nodes, ts i is an i th time slot, and t now is an offset to a counter.

11. A network performing distributed beamforming, comprising:

a plurality of transmission nodes arranged in a network, the plurality of transmission nodes forming a local area network;

an intended node for receiving transmissions form the plurality of transmission nodes; and

a long link interface at the intended node for forming constructive interference from transmissions from the plurality of transmission node, the long link interface being provided scheduling for a delivery of a stream packets free of scheduling conflict;

wherein the plurality of transmission nodes in a local area network distributes packets using a first waveform to the intended node and distributing a copy of the packets via an uplink of the long link interface using a second waveform, the first waveform being different from the second waveform, wherein the plurality of transmission nodes distributes the copy of the packets by the uplink of the long link interface by:

identifying nodes in a network and an arrangement of the nodes;

computing a second-hop cover set for a first node in the arrangement of nodes in the network;

computing a second-hop cover set for a second node in the arrangement of nodes in the network, wherein the second-hop cover set for the first node and the second second-hop cover set for the second node includes at least one relay node for forwarding packets to a second-hop nodes in the first and second second-hop cover set;

determining a common node in the first and second second-hop cover sets;

determining whether the first node or the second node has a higher priority; and

selecting the common node as a forwarder for the first or second node determined to have the higher priority and removing the first or second node determined not to have the higher priority from the arrangement of nodes in the network.

12. The network of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transmission nodes repeat the identifying, computing a second-hop cover set for a first node, computing a second-hop cover set for a second node, determining a common node in the first and second second-hop cover sets, determining whether the first node or the second node has a higher priority and selecting the common node as a forwarder for each node iteratively until the selecting the common node as a forwarder becomes static in a static network and continuously adapts to dynamic networks.

13. A network performing distributed beamforming, comprising:

a plurality of transmission nodes arranged in a network, the plurality of transmission nodes forming a local area network;

an intended node for receiving transmissions form the plurality of transmission nodes; and

a long link interface at the intended node for forming constructive interference from transmissions from the plurality of transmission node, the long link interface being provided scheduling for a delivery of a stream packets free of scheduling conflict;

wherein the plurality of transmission nodes in a local area network distributes packets using a first waveform to the intended node and distributing a copy of the packets via a downlink of the long link interface using a second waveform, the first waveform being different from the second waveform, wherein the plurality of transmission nodes distributes the copy of the packets via the downlink of the long link interface by:

identifying connected neighboring nodes for a node of interest;

selecting connected neighboring node with a highest priority as a forwarder; and

when node of interest has no connected neighboring nodes, selecting a neighboring node connected via multiple hops to a connected node as a forwarder.

14. The network of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of transmission nodes repeat the identifying connected neighboring nodes, selecting connected neighboring node with a highest priority as a forwarder and selecting one-hop disconnected neighboring node as a forwarder for each node iteratively until the selecting connected neighboring node with a highest priority as a forwarder and selecting one-hop disconnected neighboring node as a forwarder becomes static in a static network and continuously adapts to dynamic networks.

15. A network performing distributed beamforming, comprising:

a plurality of transmission nodes arranged in a network, the plurality of transmission nodes forming a local area network;

an intended node for receiving transmissions form the plurality of transmission nodes; and

a long link interface at the intended node for forming constructive interference from transmissions from the plurality of transmission node, the long link interface being provided scheduling for a delivery of a stream packets free of scheduling conflict;

wherein the plurality of transmission nodes in a local area network distributes packets using a first waveform to the intended node and distributing a copy of the packets via the long link interface using a second waveform, the first waveform being different from the second waveform;

wherein the long link interface scheduling for the delivery of the stream packets free of scheduling conflict is provided by:

dividing the long link interface into epochs and slots;

allocating a number of slots proportional to a load of a disseminating node;

allocating packet to a future epoch to allow time for dissemination;

allocating packet to a slot in a distributed manner;

delivering a stream of ordered and time synchronized packets;

mapping a source node identifier and a packet identifier associated with an allocated packet to future epochs and slots; and

providing a time reference across beamforming nodes.

16. The wireless network of claim 15 , wherein the source node identifier and the packet identifier associated with an allocated packet are mapped to future epochs and slots according to:

ts

i

=

(

[

t

now

+

hD

Δ

⁢

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N

]

+

1

)

×

Δ

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N

+

n

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where

(

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t

now

+

hD

Δ

⁢

⁢

N

]

+

1

)

×

Δ

⁢

⁢

N

finds the epoch in the future, hD from now, where hD is a maximum dissemination delay, and n i Δ is a slot time in that epoch with Δ being a slot duration and N is a maximum number of nodes, ts i is an i th time slot, and t now is an offset to a counter.