Time distribution scheme for wireless mesh networks

A first node, comprising:

• a memory storing program instructions;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• receive, from a first uplink node, a first time estimate and a first uncertainty estimate corresponding to the first time estimate,
• receive, from a second uplink node that is different than the first uplink node, a second time estimate and a second uncertainty estimate corresponding to the second time estimate,
• combine the first time estimate and the second time estimate based on the first uncertainty estimate and the second uncertainty estimate to generate a third time estimate,
• generate a first time beacon based on the third time estimate, and
• transmit the first time beacon to a second node in the wireless mesh network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to communicate time estimates between nodes in a wireless mesh network, by performing the steps of:

• receiving, from a first uplink node, a first time estimate and a first uncertainty estimate corresponding to the first time estimate;
• receiving, from a second uplink node that is different than the first uplink node, a second time estimate and a second uncertainty estimate corresponding to the second time estimate;
• combining the first time estimate and the second time estimate based on the first uncertainty estimate and the second uncertainty estimate to generate a third time estimate;
• generating a first time beacon based on the third time estimate;
• and
• transmitting the first time beacon from a first node in the wireless mesh network to a second node in the wireless mesh network.