Compact Beacon Message for Mesh Network Data Dissemination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mesh networks face inefficiencies due to the large amount of information required to maintain network topology and link properties, leading to excessive network traffic and overhead from using multiple protocols and messages for disseminating routing, neighbor, and other information.
Innovation Solution
A compact message format is used to disseminate information throughout the mesh network, incorporating the leader node's identity, sequence number, and quasi-static information, along with network topology and link information, allowing all routers to maintain consistent routing tables and reducing the need for frequent route discovery messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple protocols and messages are used to disseminate routing, neighbor, and link information, then all network information can be communicated, but network traffic and overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate information dissemination protocols (routing protocol, neighbor protocol, link protocol) into a single integrated beacon message format. This single message carries routing table entries, neighbor information, and link quality metrics simultaneously, eliminating the need for multiple separate message transmissions and reducing overall network overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The beacon message structure is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a routing advertisement, a neighbor discovery message, and a link quality report all in one transmission. This multi-functional approach allows nodes to obtain comprehensive network information without processing multiple specialized protocols.
2Ease of operation
If each node stores complete topology information for all routers, then routing decisions can be made locally, but memory requirements and information storage complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complete network topology information into individual routing table entries, each containing only the necessary next-hop router and cost information for reaching specific destination routers. Instead of storing the entire network graph at each node, each node maintains a compact routing table with entries segmented by destination, reducing memory requirements while enabling local routing decisions.
3Reliability
If frequent route discovery messages are transmitted, then routing information remains up-to-date, but network bandwidth is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic beacon message transmissions at configured intervals instead of continuous or event-triggered route discovery. Each beacon message contains updated routing table entries and link information, allowing nodes to maintain current routing knowledge through regular periodic updates rather than frequent on-demand discoveries, thus conserving bandwidth while maintaining information accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of efficiently disseminating various types of information throughout a mesh network is disclosed. Information is typically propagated through the network using a variety of protocols and messages. However, in one embodiment, a single message, communicates all of this information at once. The message includes data originating at the leader, which does not change as the messages are propagated through the network, as well as topology and link information that is created by the forwarding nodes. The data originating at the leader includes the identity of the leader node and a sequence number. Additionally, a version number is included by the leader which represents the state of the quasi-static information. Quasi-static information may include, for example, the identity of a node that has access to a central control system or the internet. This compact message format allows improved efficiency and use of the network.