System and method for message consolidation in a mesh network

A method for an access node coupled to a computer to consolidate outbound messages to a plurality of radio nodes in a network of radio nodes each coupled to a sensing device or an actuator, comprising the steps of:

• determining whether two or more original outbound messages addressed to separate destination radio nodes contain one or more common route segments;
• constructing a consolidated outbound message containing each original outbound message that is addressed to a separate radio node and has a common route segment with another original outbound message, wherein the consolidated message contains a common route and a remaining route portion for each original outbound message that is part of the consolidated outbound message;
• transmitting wirelessly the consolidated outbound message along the common route to a radio node that is a last radio node in the common route;
• splitting the consolidated message at the last radio node in the common route into the original outbound messages;
• and
• transmitting wirelessly the original outbound messages from the last radio node in the common route to each of the separate destination radio nodes,
• wherein the consolidated message is transmitted during an outbound transmit time by a radio node that comprises part of the common route to a radio node that is on a logical layer that is logically further from the access node.

A method for an access node coupled to a computer to consolidate outbound messages to a plurality of radio nodes in a network of radio nodes each coupled to a sensing device or an actuator, comprising the steps of:

• determining whether two or more original outbound messages addressed to separate destination radio nodes contain one or more common route segments;
• constructing a consolidated outbound message containing each original outbound message that is addressed to a separate radio node and has a common route segment with another original outbound message, wherein the consolidated message contains a remaining route portion for each original outbound message that is part of the consolidated outbound message;
• transmitting wirelessly the consolidated outbound message along the common route to a radio node that is a last radio node in the common route;
• splitting the consolidated message at the last radio node in the common route into two or more split messages, wherein one or more of the split messages contains a plurality of original outbound messages;
• transmitting wirelessly the one or more of the split messages containing a plurality of original messages from the last radio node in the common route to a last radio node in a continued common route;
• separating the one or more of the split messages containing a plurality of original messages at the last radio node in the continued common route into the original outbound messages;
• and
• transmitting wirelessly the original outbound messages from the last radio node in the continued common route to each of the separate destination radio nodes,
• wherein the consolidated message is transmitted during an outbound transmit time by a radio node that comprises part of the common route to a radio node that is on a logical layer that is logically further from the access node.