System, method and apparatus for reliable exchange of information between nodes of a multi-hop wireless communication network

A multi-hop wireless communication network for reliably exchanging information between a plurality of nodes, the multi-hop wireless communication network comprising:

• the plurality of nodes, operating within the multi-hop wireless communication network to broadcast network management information for a dedicated channel, wherein the network management information includes usage and interference information for one or more timeslots of the dedicated channel, wherein the dedicated channel comprises a dedicated Reliable Information Distribution (RID) channel comprising a plurality of timeslots within a superframe, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes and are assigned one of the plurality of timeslots in the dedicated RID channel for periodically performing the broadcast of the network management information in a HELLO message;
• and
• a node in the neighborhood of the plurality of nodes and configured to:
• receive the dedicated RID channel comprising the network management information from the plurality of nodes in the multi-hop wireless communication network;
• monitor the dedicated channel for a time period;
• identify a particular timeslot of the dedicated channel as being unused based on the network management information received from the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel;
• confirm that the particular timeslot is unused by:
• transmitting an allocation announcement message via a contention channel to the plurality of nodes, wherein the allocation announcement message requests an assignment of the particular timeslot to the node;
• receiving a response to the allocation announcement message from at least two or more nodes of the plurality of nodes over the contention channel;
• and
• determining, at least in part based on the received responses, whether the particular timeslot is unused;
• and
• broadcast within the particular timeslot when the particular timeslot is confirmed as unused.

A node for reliable exchange of information between nodes of a multi-hop wireless communication network, the node comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive broadcasted network management information for a dedicated channel from a plurality of nodes operating within the multi-hop wireless communication network, wherein the network management information includes usage and interference information for one or more timeslots of the dedicated channel, wherein the dedicated channel comprises a dedicated Reliable Information Distribution (RID) channel comprising a plurality of timeslots within a superframe, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes are in the neighborhood of the node and are assigned one of the plurality of timeslots in the dedicated RID channel for periodically performing the broadcasting of the network management information in a HELLO message;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive the network management information from the plurality of nodes in the multi-hop wireless communication network from the dedicated RID channel comprising;
• monitor the dedicated channel for a time period;
• identify a particular timeslot of the dedicated channel as unused based on the received network management information received from the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel;
• confirm that the particular timeslot is unused using responses received by the receiver over the contention channel from at least two or more of the plurality of nodes to an allocation announcement message transmitted by the node, wherein the allocation announcement message requested assignment of the particular time slot to the node;
• and
• a transmitter configured to:
• transmit the allocation announcement message via a contention channel;
• and
• broadcast within the particular timeslot when the particular timeslot is confirmed as unused by the processor.