Method and system for data in a collection and route discovery communication network

A method in a communication network having a plurality of distributed communication nodes and a base node, wherein the base node occasionally sends agent packets configured in a roaming state to at least some of the plurality of communication nodes, and accepts data in agent packets returned to the base node, the method comprising the steps of, at a particular node selected from the plurality of communication nodes:

• maintaining a route suitability level reflecting suitability of the particular node for routing packets toward the base node;
• receiving an agent packet;
• taking action in response to receipt of the agent packet, including the steps of:
• (a) accessing contents of the agent packet;
• (b) when the agent packet contents indicate a state that the agent packet is destined for the base node,
• (b1) forwarding the agent packet to a neighbor node selected from the plurality of communication nodes based on the route suitability level associated with the neighbor node;
• (b2) increasing the route suitability level of the particular node reflecting usage of the particular node as a route toward the base node;
• and
• (c) when the agent packet contents indicate that the agent packet should continue in roaming state, forwarding the agent packet to a neighbor node selected at random from the plurality of communication nodes.

Apparatus for operating within a communication network, comprising a communication node having:

• a transmitter;
• a receiver operable to receive an agent packet;
• a memory for storing:
• a local route suitability level, the route suitability level reflecting suitability for operating as a router for routing the agent packet toward a particular destination;
• operating instructions for accessing and routing agent packets, including instructions for routing the agent packet to a neighbor node selected based on the route suitability level associated with the neighbor node, and for increasing the local route suitability level upon performing a routing operation;
• and
• information including the route suitability level for neighbor nodes;
• a processor coupled to the memory, the receiver, and the transmitter, and responsive to receipt of an agent packet by the receiver to execute the operating instructions;
• wherein the memory of the communication node further comprises operating instructions for routing the agent packet to a randomly selected neighbor node based at least in part on the agent packet having a roaming state.

A sensor network, comprising:

• a base node having a transmission mode for transmitting agent packets configured with a roaming state to a plurality of communication nodes, and to receive the agent packets containing reporting data, the agent packets having self-extracting software and data that specify reporting criteria for environmental conditions;
• a plurality of distributed sensor nodes having communication links there between, each sensor node comprising:
• a sensor for measuring at least one environmental parameter;
• a transmitter;
• a receiver operable to receive the agent packet,
• a memory for storing:
• a local route suitability level, the route suitability level reflecting suitability for operating as a router for routing the agent packet toward a particular destination;
• operating instructions for maintaining the local route suitability level, including instructions for:
• increasing the local route suitability level upon performing a routing operation;
• decreasing the local route suitability level according to an algorithm incorporating a local evaporation rate and a local diffusion rate;
• operating instructions for routing the agent packets, including instructions for:
• routing the agent packet to a neighbor node selected based on the route suitability level associated with the neighbor node when the agent packet contains data destined for the base node;
• routing the agent packet to the neighbor node selected when the agent packet is in a roaming state and the route suitability level associated with the neighbor node is above a certain threshold;
• routing the agent packet to the neighbor node selected at random when the agent packet is in a roaming state and the route suitability levels associated with the neighbor nodes are below a certain threshold;
• operating instructions for extracting software and data contained in an agent packet, and for determining whether a local condition exist that meet a reporting criteria defined at least in part by the software and data;
• a processor coupled to the sensor, the memory, the receiver, and the transmitter, and responsive to receipt of the agent packet by the receiver to execute the operating instructions.

A method in a communication network having a plurality of nodes including a base node having a data collection function, the method comprising the steps of, at a particular node selected from the plurality of nodes:

• maintaining a route suitability level based on an evaporation and a diffusion constant, wherein the route suitability level reflects suitability of the particular node for routing agent packets toward the base node;
• wherein the step of maintaining a route suitability level comprises the steps of applying an evaporation algorithm to reduce the route suitability level over time;
• wherein the step of maintaining a route suitability level comprises the step of applying a diffusion algorithm to decrease the route suitability level based on the route suitability level of at least one neighbor node;
• receiving an agent packet;
• updating the agent packet with reporting data when the agent packet contains reporting criteria, and a local condition exists that meets the reporting criteria;
• and
• forwarding the agent packet toward the base node via a neighbor node selected from the plurality of nodes based on the route suitability level associated with the neighbor node, when the agent packet has data destined for the base node.