Assisted intelligent routing for minimalistic connected object networks

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate in a computer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• collect local state information from a plurality of minimalistic connected objects (MCOs) in a computer network, the local state information for each MCO comprising a corresponding neighbor list and a selected next-hop for the respective MCO, wherein one or more of the MCOs are configured to select their next-hop without any self-optimization;
• analyze a current routing topology, which is the combined result of the selected next-hops, in comparison to a computed optimal routing topology to determine whether to optimize the current routing topology;
• and
• in response to determining that the current routing topology should be optimized, transmit a unicast routing instruction to one or more individual MCOs to instruct those individual MCOs how to optimize the current routing topology.

A method, comprising:

• participating, by a minimalistic connected object (MCO) with a plurality of MCOs in a computer network, in a build of a current routing topology without any self-optimization, an initial instance of the current routing topology having loop prevention, but having no objective function, no mechanisms for local repair, and no propagating advertisement messages;
• transmitting, from the MCO to a distributed intelligence agent (DIA), local state information comprising a corresponding neighbor list and a selected next-hop for the MCO for the current routing topology;
• receiving a unicast routing instruction from the DIA at the MCO that instructs the MCO how to optimize the current routing topology;
• and
• re-selecting a next-hop for an updated current routing topology according to the routing instruction from the DIA.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate in a computer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• participate, with a plurality of minimalistic connected objects (MCOs) in a computer network, in a build of a current routing topology without any self-optimization, an initial instance of the current routing topology having loop prevention, but having no objective function, no mechanisms for local repair, and no propagating advertisement messages;
• transmit, to a distributed intelligence agent (DIA), local state information comprising a corresponding neighbor list and a selected next-hop for the apparatus for the current routing topology;
• receive a unicast routing instruction from the DIA that instructs the apparatus how to optimize the current routing topology;
• and
• re-select a next-hop for an updated current routing topology according to the routing instruction from the DIA.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of minimalistic connected objects (MCOs) in a computer network, the MCOs configured to select their respective next-hop in a current routing topology without any self-optimization, the MCOs further configured to transmit, to a distributed intelligence agent (DIA), local state information comprising a corresponding neighbor list and the respective selected next-hop;
• and
• a DIA configured to analyze the current routing topology, which is the combined result of the selected next-hops, in comparison to a computed optimal routing topology to determine whether to optimize the current routing topology, and also to transmit, in response to determining that the current routing topology should be optimized, a unicast routing instruction to one or more individual MCOs to instruct those individual MCOs how to optimize the current routing topology;
• wherein those individual MCOs are further configured to receive the unicast routing instruction from the DIA, and to re-select a next-hop for an updated current routing topology according to the routing instruction from the DIA.