Mesh Network Relaying via Ping Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional flooding techniques in mesh networks lead to significant medium contention and unnecessary traffic, especially in high-traffic intensity and large networks, as messages often traverse parts of the network that do not contribute to delivery, degrading performance in terms of delay, capacity, and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method where relaying devices autonomously determine whether to relay user data messages by analyzing ping messages and ping response messages to establish if they are on a path between the source and destination devices, and if they are on a short enough path, thereby minimizing unnecessary traffic and controlling path diversity through design objective parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional flooding technique is used in mesh networks, then message delivery coverage is improved, but medium contention and unnecessary traffic increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling relaying devices to make localized decisions about whether to relay messages based on their specific position relative to source and destination devices. Each device evaluates its own location using ping message analysis to determine if it should participate in relaying, rather than uniformly relaying all messages across the entire network. This localized decision-making reduces unnecessary traffic while maintaining delivery coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where relaying devices continuously monitor ping messages and ping responses to dynamically adjust their relaying behavior. By analyzing round-trip times and message patterns from ping exchanges, devices receive feedback about network conditions and their position in the network topology, allowing them to adaptively control message relaying to minimize unnecessary traffic while ensuring reliable delivery.
2Reliability
If traditional flooding technique is used in mesh networks, then message delivery coverage is improved, but network delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces network delay by enabling localized relaying decisions at each device based on its position relative to source and destination. Devices use ping message analysis to determine if they are on an optimal path, avoiding unnecessary relaying operations that would increase delay. This selective relaying based on local position information streamlines message transmission while maintaining delivery coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies skipping by allowing messages to be forwarded more directly through the network when relaying devices determine they are on efficient paths. By analyzing ping responses and round-trip times, devices can identify and skip unnecessary intermediate relaying steps, rushing messages through the network more quickly while still ensuring they reach their destination reliably.
3Reliability
If traditional flooding technique is used in mesh networks, then message delivery coverage is improved, but device power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces device power consumption by enabling each relaying device to make localized decisions about message relaying based on its position in the network. Devices analyze ping messages to determine if they should relay, avoiding unnecessary power expenditure on relaying messages when they are not positioned to contribute to delivery. This selective approach based on local position information significantly reduces overall network power consumption while maintaining delivery coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling relaying devices to autonomously determine their own relaying decisions based on ping message analysis. Each device independently evaluates its position and makes its own decision about whether to relay messages, without requiring centralized control or coordination. This self-service approach reduces the computational and energy overhead associated with centralized message relaying management.
4Adaptability or versatility
If traditional flooding technique is used in mesh networks, then path diversity is improved, but network capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by enabling localized relaying decisions that maintain path diversity while improving network capacity. Each device uses ping message analysis to determine if it should relay messages, preserving multiple paths for redundancy and adaptability. However, by making selective relaying decisions based on local position, the overall network capacity is improved as unnecessary traffic on suboptimal paths is reduced, allowing more efficient utilization of available network resources.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for relaying messages in a mesh netork.