Overloading broadcast dwell intervals in unsynchronized channel hopping mesh networks

A method for transmitting unicast messages in an unsynchronized channel hopping wireless network, the method comprising:

• storing, by a node, a first channel hopping timing interval and a first channel hopping sequence for the node, wherein the node comprises a wireless transceiver and a processor, and wherein the wireless transceiver of the node is configured to receive communications based on the first channel hopping timing interval and the first channel hopping sequence;
• storing, by the node, a broadcast channel hopping timing interval and a broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• storing, by the node, a plurality of channel hopping timings and channel hopping sequences for each of a plurality of tracked neighbor nodes;
• determining, by the node, whether a destination node for a unicast message that is pending at the node corresponds to any of the plurality of tracked neighbor nodes;
• based on a determination that the destination node for the unicast message does not correspond to any of the tracked neighbor nodes, determining, by the node, (i) a next broadcast dwell interval based on the broadcast channel hopping timing interval and (ii) a next broadcast channel based on the broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• based on the determination that the destination node for the unicast message does not correspond to any of the tracked neighbor nodes, determining, by the node, to send the unicast message to the destination node during the next broad cast dwell interval;
• at a start of the next broadcast dwell interval, listening, by the node, for broadcast traffic;
• and
• back off sending, by the node, the unicast message to the destination node when the node detects broadcast traffic during the next broadcast dwell interval.

A system, comprising:

• a first node, comprising:
• a first processor;
• a first wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the first processor and configured to receive communications based on a channel hopping timing interval and a channel hopping sequence;
• and
• a first memory communicatively coupled to the first processor and comprising instructions that are executable by the first processor to cause the first processor to:
• store a first broadcast channel hopping timing interval and a first broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• store a plurality channel hopping timings and channel hopping sequences for each of a plurality of tracked neighbor nodes;
• determine whether a second node for a unicast message is among the plurality of tracked neighbor nodes;
• based on a determination that the second node is not among the plurality of tracked neighbor nodes, determine (i) a broadcast dwell interval based on the first broadcast channel hopping timing interval and (ii) a next broadcast channel based on the first broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• and
• transmit the unicast message to the second node during the broadcast dwell interval;
• and
• the second node, comprising:
• a second processor;
• a second wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the second processor and configured to receive communications based on a second broadcast channel hopping timing interval and a second broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• and
• a second memory communicatively coupled to the second processor and comprising instructions that are executable by the second processor to cause the second processor to:
• store the second broadcast channel hopping timing interval and the second broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• determine (i) the broadcast dwell interval based on the second broadcast channel hopping timing interval and (ii) the next broadcast channel based on the second broadcast channel hopping sequence;
• detect the unicast message during the broadcast dwell interval;
• and
• in response to detecting the unicast message during the broadcast dwell interval, back off sending a broadcast message during the broadcast dwell interval.