Reliable link layer multicast in a low power wide area network

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 the machine implemented as a constrained wireless network device in a low power wide area network, a link layer multicast listener command from an associated wired gateway via a link layer connection with the wired gateway, the link layer connection establishing an association by the constrained wireless network device with the wired gateway and providing a single-hop communications for the constrained wireless network device in the low power wide area network without requiring a routing protocol;
• changing, by the constrained wireless network device, from a low-power optimized mode to a listening mode in response to the link layer multicast listener command;
• maintaining, by the constrained wireless network device, the listening mode until one of reception of a multicast data packet from one of the associated wired gateway or a non-associated wired gateway in the low power wide area network, or detecting expiration of a listening interval specified in the link layer multicast listener command;
• and
• resuming, by the constrained wireless network device, the low-power optimized mode upon expiration of the listening mode.

An apparatus implemented as a physical machine, the apparatus comprising:

• non-transitory machine readable media configured for storing executable machine readable code;
• a wireless device interface circuit configured for wirelessly receiving a link layer multicast listener command in a low power wide area network;
• and
• a processor circuit configured for executing the machine readable code, and when executing the machine readable code operable for:
• receiving, by the apparatus implemented as a constrained wireless network device in the low power wide area network, the link layer multicast listener command from an associated wired gateway via a link layer connection with the wired gateway, the link layer connection establishing an association by the constrained wireless network device with the wired gateway and providing a single-hop communications for the constrained wireless network device in the low power wide area network without requiring a routing protocol,
• changing from a low-power optimized mode to a listening mode in response to the link layer multicast listener command,
• maintaining the listening mode until one of reception of a multicast data packet from one of the associated wired gateway or a non-associated wired gateway in the low power wide area network, or detecting expiration of a listening interval specified in the link layer multicast listener command, and
• resuming the low-power optimized mode upon expiration of the listening mode.