Per-packet, time slotted channel hopping (tsch), meta-timeslot

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate with a 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 configured to:
• receive a time-slotted channel hopping (TSCH) communication schedule, wherein the TSCH communication schedule is divided into a plurality of macrocells, each macrocell comprising a plurality of TSCH cells;
• receive a packet from a routing protocol child node of the apparatus during a particular macrocell of the TSCH communication schedule, wherein the particular macrocell is associated with propagation of the packet through the network;
• claim a token associated with the particular macrocell, in response to receiving the packet, wherein the token authorizes the apparatus to transmit during one or more authorized cells of the macrocell;
• and
• transmit the received packet to a second node in the network during the authorized one or more cells of the particular macrocell.

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having software encoded thereon, the software when executed by a device in a network configured to:

• receive, at the device, a time-slotted channel hopping (TSCH) communication schedule, wherein the TSCH communication schedule is divided into a plurality of macrocells, each macrocell comprising a plurality of TSCH cells;
• receive a packet from a routing protocol child node of the device during a particular macrocell of the TSCH communication schedule, wherein the particular macrocell is associated with propagation of the packet through the network;
• claim a token associated with the particular macrocell, in response to receiving the packet, wherein the token authorizes the device to transmit during one or more authorized cells of the macrocell;
• and
• transmit the received packet to a second node in the network during the authorized one or more cells of the particular macrocell.