Path shortening in a wireless mesh network

An apparatus comprising:

• a wireless mesh interface circuit configured for receiving mesh advertisement messages from respective advertising mesh points of a wireless mesh network having a mesh portal, the mesh portal having a wired connection to a wired network, each mesh advertisement message specifying a corresponding metric for the corresponding advertising mesh point reaching the mesh portal and having a corresponding signal strength indicator;
• and
• a parent selection circuit configured for generating, in the apparatus, from among the advertising mesh points an ordered group of parent access points each providing a corresponding mesh link for reachability for the apparatus to the mesh portal, the ordered group ordered based on the respective metrics specified in the respective mesh advertisement messages, the ordered group starting with a first parent access point chosen by the parent selection circuit based on the first parent access point having a corresponding optimum metric for reaching the mesh portal and chosen independent of the corresponding signal strength indicator;
• the parent selection circuit further configured for generating, for output via the wireless mesh interface circuit to each of the parent access points, a corresponding registration message identifying a corresponding specified priority based on a corresponding position in the ordered group, for use by the corresponding parent access point in selecting a corresponding distinct minimum interframe spacing for forwarding toward the mesh portal a wireless packet received from the apparatus via the corresponding mesh link.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving mesh advertisement messages from respective advertising mesh points of a wireless mesh network having a mesh portal, the mesh portal having a wired connection to a wired network, each mesh advertisement message specifying a corresponding metric for the corresponding advertising mesh point reaching the mesh portal and having a corresponding signal strength indicator;
• and
• means for generating, in the apparatus, from among the advertising mesh points an ordered group of parent access points each providing a corresponding mesh link for reachability for the apparatus to the mesh portal, the ordered group ordered based on the respective metrics specified in the respective mesh advertisement messages, the ordered group starting with a first parent access point chosen by the means for generating based on the first parent access point having a corresponding optimum metric for reaching the mesh portal and chosen independent of the corresponding signal strength indicator;
• the means for generating further configured for generating, for output to each of the parent access points, a corresponding registration message identifying a corresponding specified priority based on a corresponding position in the ordered group, for use by the corresponding parent access point in selecting a corresponding distinct minimum interframe spacing for forwarding toward the mesh portal a wireless packet received from the apparatus via the corresponding mesh link.