Mobile Wireless Communication Unit Priority-Based Content Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional routing protocols in opportunistic networks face high latency and unpredictable delivery of packets, making it challenging to ensure reliable data transmission in scenarios with low node density and intermittent connectivity, such as delay tolerant networks.
Innovation Solution
A mobile wireless communication unit equipped with short-range wireless circuits and a processor that determines the priority level of bundle formatted content, transmitting high-priority content directly to a network server while storing and aggregating low-priority content for delayed transmission via a dedicated delay tolerant network gateway node, optimizing Quality of Service (QoS) and minimizing cellular connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional routing protocols are used in opportunistic networks, then packet delivery is possible, but latency is high and delivery is unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing routing information in routing tables before packets need to be forwarded. Nodes maintain updated routing tables that contain next-hop information for various destinations, allowing packets to be forwarded immediately when encountered rather than making routing decisions in real-time. This reduces latency while maintaining reliable delivery in opportunistic networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where nodes update their routing tables based on encountered nodes and current network conditions. Routing tables are dynamically updated with information about which nodes have been recently encountered and their locations, allowing the network to adapt to changing conditions and improve delivery reliability while reducing latency through better-informed routing decisions.
2Reliability
If packet replication and epidemic routing are used, then delivery probability increases, but network overhead and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the routing function into separate components: routing table maintenance, packet forwarding decisions, and encounter tracking. Rather than implementing complex epidemic routing that replicates packets to all encountered nodes, the system divides the network into zones based on routing table information and forwards packets only to nodes that are likely to lead toward the destination, reducing complexity while maintaining delivery probability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making routing decisions based on local information stored in routing tables at each node, rather than requiring global network knowledge. Each node maintains routing information specific to its local encounter history and uses this localized information to make forwarding decisions, simplifying the overall system complexity while maintaining effective packet delivery through locally-optimized routing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If TCP/IP protocols are used in delay tolerant networks, then standard internet protocols are maintained, but connections timeout before delivery due to high latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the application layer and the opportunistic network transport. This intermediary handles the encapsulation of data into packets with destination identifiers, manages routing table lookups, and performs packet forwarding based on encountered nodes. This intermediary layer shields upper-layer applications from the high latency and unpredictability of the underlying opportunistic network, allowing TCP/IP compatibility to be maintained while reliability is improved through specialized packet handling and routing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobile wireless communication unit comprising: at least one short-range wireless circuit and configured to receive content in a bundle format over a delay tolerant network, using a short range wireless communication technology,-wherein the content relates to at least one of multiple quality of service priority levels; a processor operably coupled to the at least one short-range wireless circuit and configured to determine a priority level of the bundle formatted content. In response to the determined priority level, the processor is configured to: transmit at least the bundle formatted content direct to a network server over a cellular network if the determined priority level of the bundle formatted content is high; or store the bundled content in memory coupled to the processor if the determined priority level of the bundle formatted content is low and transmit at least the bundle formatted content to at least one of: another mobile wireless communication unit or a dedicated delay tolerant network gateway node, when discovered using a short range wireless communication technology.