Mobility-aware mesh construction algorithm for low data-overhead multicast ad hoc routing

A mobile ad hoc network method, comprising:

• automatically communicating wirelessly between a mobile ad hoc network node and a plurality of other mobile ad hoc network nodes through a wireless communication interface;
• automatically maintaining, at the mobile ad hoc network node, a plurality of multicast trees defining alternate communication paths;
• and
• automatically hosting and routing communications through the mobile ad hoc network, in dependence on the plurality of multicast trees, wherein a communication path is probabilistically selected based on a composite function of at least a communication reliability metric and a communication data-overhead metric, wherein low data-overhead communication paths are selected with increasing probability with an increasing reliability.

A method for communicating through a mobile ad hoc network, comprising:

• providing a mobile ad hoc network node having an automated wireless communication interface configured to support at least communications with a plurality of other mobile nodes;
• automatically maintaining a plurality of multicast trees comprising a plurality of alternate communication paths, hosting communications and routing communications in the mobile ad hoc network through the automated wireless communication interface;
• and
• automatically selecting communications paths for communication through the mobile ad hoc network from the plurality of alternate communication paths, dependent on at least the multicast trees, a reliability metric and a communication data-overhead metric, wherein low data-overhead communication paths to a communication destination are selected with increasing probability with an increasing reliability of a respective communication path.