Systems and methods for reliable firmware update in tree-based wireless networks

A network system for updating a firmware file in a network comprising a plurality of cells each supporting communication among a plurality of transceiver nodes therein and being configured to receive and transmit the firmware file, each cell comprising a parent node and one or more child nodes, the system comprising:

• at least one network management system associated with at least one of the transceiver nodes, the at least one network management system being configured to:
• (a) divide the firmware file into a plurality of chunks, each chunk being configured to be included in a single data packet transmitted between two of the transceiver nodes;
• (b) transmit each of the chunks from a first one of the transceiver nodes to a second one of the transceiver nodes;
• (c) transmit a request message from the first one of the transceiver nodes to the second one of the transceiver nodes, the request message comprising information associated with the chunks that have been transmitted in step (b);
• and
• (d) transmit a responding message from the second one of the transceiver nodes to the first one of the transceiver nodes, the responding message comprising information associated with at least one of the chunks that is included in the request message of step (c) but not received by the second one of the transceiver nodes.