Vine: zero-control routing using data packet inspection for wireless mesh networks

A mesh network communication node, configured for communication with other mesh network nodes comprising senders which transmits data packets to the mesh network communication node, and recipients that receive packets from the mesh network communication node, comprising:

• a memory configured to store an identifier of the mesh network communication node and a forwarding table;
• a radio frequency transceiver configured to receive a data packet from a current sender, the data packet defining:
• an identity of the current sender, an identity of a prior sender from which the current sender received the data packet, an identity of a final destination for the data packet, a hop count of hops previously traversed by the data packet, an identity of a target recipient, and a sequence identifier;
• at least one processor configured to:
• update the forwarding table to mark the current sender as being reachable in one hop, and the prior sender as being reachable in two hops via the current sender as next hop;
• determine whether to rebroadcast the data packet, if and only if the sequence identifier is not present in a list of prior sequence identifiers and the identity of the final destination is not the identifier of the mesh network communication node;
• modify the data packet by:
• a replacement of the identity of the current sender with the identity of the mesh network communication node, a replacement of the identity of the prior sender with the identity of the current sender, a replacement of the identity of the target recipient with an identity of a next hop from the forwarding table if present, and an increment of the hop count;
• and
• selectively control a rebroadcast of the modified data packet through the radio frequency transceiver, in dependence on the determination.

A computer readable non-transitory memory storing instructions for controlling a programmable processor to implement a mesh network communication protocol for controlling communications between respective mesh network nodes from a prior sender to a current sender, from the current sender to at least one respective recipient, repeated as required to reach to a final destination, comprising:

• instructions for receiving a data packet from a current sender by a respective recipient, the data packet defining:
• an identity of the current sender, an identity of the prior sender from which the current sender received the data packet, a hop count of hops previously traversed by the data packet, an identity of a target recipient, an identity of the final destination, and a sequence identifier;
• instructions for updating a forwarding table to mark the current sender as being reachable in one hop, and the prior sender as being reachable in two hops via the current sender as next hop;
• instructions for determining whether to rebroadcast by the respective recipient, if and only if the sequence identifier is not present in a list of prior sequence identifiers and the identity of the final destination is not an identity of the respective recipient;
• and
• instructions for selectively rebroadcasting the data packet by the respective recipient in dependence on said determining, modified by:
• a replacement of the identity of the current sender with the identity of the respective recipient, a replacement of the identity of the prior sender with the identity of the current sender, a replacement of the identity of the target recipient with an identity of a next hop from the forwarding table if present, and an increment of the hop count.

A method of operating a node of a mesh network having a node identifier, which is adapted to receive a data packet from a current sender and transmit the data packet to a recipient, comprising:

• receiving the data packet, the data packet defining:
• an identity of the current sender,
• an identity of a prior sender from which the current sender received the data packet,
• an identity of a target recipient, and
• a sequence identifier;
• updating a forwarding table to mark the current sender as being reachable in one hop, and the prior sender as being reachable in two hops via the current sender as next hop;
• determining whether to rebroadcast data contained in the data packet, based on at least whether:
• the sequence identifier is present in a list of prior sequence identifiers, and
• the identity of the target recipient matches the node identifier;
• and
• selectively rebroadcasting a modified data packet in dependence on said determining, modified by:
• a replacement of the identity of the current sender with the node identifier,
• a replacement of the identity of the prior sender with the identity of the current sender, and
• a replacement of the identity of the target recipient with an identity of a next hop from the forwarding table if present.