Data congestion control in hierarchical sensor networks

A method for execution by a control device of a hierarchical sensor network that includes a processor, the method comprises:

• receiving data from a set of devices, wherein the data includes sensor data transmitted from each of the set of devices, and wherein the sensor data transmitted by the each of the set of devices corresponds to one of a plurality of sensor data types;
• determining that a first aggregate data rate of the data received from the set of devices compares unfavorably to a congestion threshold;
• determining a set of negotiation scores corresponding to the set of devices, wherein the set of negotiation scores is based on priorities of corresponding ones of the plurality of sensor data types;
• identifying a most favorable negotiation score of the set of negotiation scores;
• determining transmission rate boundary conditions of a one of the set of devices that corresponds to the most favorable negotiation score;
• determining a proposed reduced transmission rate for the one of the set of devices, wherein the proposed reduced transmission rate is less than a current transmission rate of the one of the set of devices and wherein the proposed reduced transmission rate compares favorably to the transmission rate boundary conditions of the one of the set of devices;
• generating a transmission rate reduction request for transmission to the one of the set of devices that indicates the proposed reduced transmission rate;
• determining an updated aggregated data rate of the data received from the set of devices, wherein a difference between the updated aggregated data rate and the first aggregated data rate corresponds to a reduction of rate of transmission of the sensor data by the one of the set of devices in response to receiving the transmission rate reduction request;
• and
• when the updated aggregate data rate compares unfavorably to the congestion threshold:
• generating a set of additional transmission rate reduction requests, each for transmission to a corresponding device of a subset of the set of devices, wherein each of the set of additional transmission rate reduction requests indicate an additional proposed reduced transmission rate, wherein each additional proposed reduced transmission rate is less than a current transmission rate of the corresponding device of the subset, wherein each additional proposed reduced transmission rate compares favorably to determined transmission rate boundary conditions for the corresponding device of the subset, wherein each of the set of additional transmission rate reduction requests is generated and transmitted one at a time, sequentially through the subset of the set of devices with respect to an order of the corresponding negotiation scores starting from a second most favorable negotiation score, until a most recent one of a plurality of subsequently determined updated data rates compares favorably to the congestion threshold, and wherein each of the plurality of subsequently determined updated data rates are determined in response to the transmission of the each of the set of additional transmission rate reduction requests.