Localized multicast in a low power and lossy network based on rank-based distance

One or more non-transitory tangible media encoded with logic for execution by a machine and when executed by the machine operable for:

• receiving, by a machine implemented as a receiving low power and lossy network (LLN) device in a low power and lossy network, one or more multicast data messages from respective one or more neighboring transmitting LLN devices in the LLN;
• detecting, by the receiving LLN device among the one or more multicast data messages, a lowest distance value in a current distance field and a distance limit value in a distance limit field, the lowest distance value indicating a multicast transmission distance of a corresponding one neighboring transmitting LLN device relative to a multicast origin of the one or more multicast data messages;
• determining, by the receiving LLN device, an updated distance to the multicast origin based on adding to the lowest distance value a rank difference between the corresponding neighboring transmitting LLN device and the receiving LLN device;
• and
• selectively multicast transmitting, by the receiving LLN device, the multicast data message based on determining the updated distance is less than the distance limit value that limits multicast propagation, the selectively multicast transmitting including updating the current distance field with the updated distance prior to transmission,
• wherein the selectively multicast transmitting includes suppressing any transmission of the multicast data message in response to determining the updated distance is not less than the distance limit value.