Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for coordinating communications between network nodes

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium in which a computer program is stored that when executed by a computer provides instructions to control or carry out:

• determining, at a first network node, whether neighboring network nodes are implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode or collecting-and-broadcasting mode;
• in response to determining that at least one neighboring network node is implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode at the first network node, wherein when implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode, the computer program product further provides instructions for:
• causing an information message related to the first network node at least one neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode to be transmitted during a first time interval;
• causing a collective information message package to be received from the at least one neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode during a second time interval, wherein the collective information message package comprises:
• one or more information messages received by the neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode from one or more network nodes during the first time interval and an information message related to the neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• determining for an information message included in the collective information message package whether a network node to which the information message is related neighbors the first network node based at least in part upon an indicated identity of the network node included in the collective information message package;
• discarding the information message when the network node to which the information message is related does not neighbor the first network node;
• in response to determining that no neighboring network nodes are implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode at the first network node, wherein when implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, the computer program product further provides instructions for:
• causing an information message from at least one neighboring network node implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode to be received during the first time interval;
• generating a collective information message package comprising:
• one or more information messages received from other network nodes and an information message related to the first network node;
• and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• and
• causing the collective information message package to be transmitted to at least one neighboring network node implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode during the second time interval.

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to at least:

• determine whether neighboring network nodes are implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode or collecting-and-broadcasting mode;
• in response to a determination that at least one neighboring network node is implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, implement broadcasting-and-extracting mode, wherein when implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to at least:
• transmit an information message related to the apparatus to at least one neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode during a first time interval;
• receive a collective information message package from the at least one neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode during a second time interval, wherein the collective information message package comprises:
• one or more information messages received by the neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode from one or more network nodes during the first time interval and an information message related to the neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• determine for an information message included in the collective information message package whether a network node to which the information message is related neighbors the apparatus based at least in part upon an indicated identity of the network node included in the collective information message package;
• and
• discard the information message when the network node to which the information message is related does not neighbor the apparatus;
• in response to a determination that no neighboring network nodes are implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, implement collecting-and-broadcasting mode, wherein when implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to at least:
• receive an information message from at least one neighboring network node implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode during the first time interval;
• generate a collective information message package comprising:
• one or more information messages received from other network nodes and an information message related to the apparatus;
• and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• and
• transmit the collective information message package to at least one neighboring network node implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode during the second time interval.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for determining, at a first network node, whether neighboring network nodes are implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode or collecting-and-broadcasting mode;
• means for implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode at the first network node in response to determining that at least one neighboring network node is implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, wherein the means for implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode further comprises:
• means for transmitting an information message related to the first network node to at least one neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode during a first time interval;
• means for receiving a collective information message package from the at least one neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode during a second time interval, wherein the collective information message package comprises:
• one or more information messages received by the neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode from one or more network nodes during the first time interval and an information message related to the neighboring network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• means for determining for an information message included in the collective information message package whether a network node to which the information message is related neighbors the first network node based at least in part upon an indicated identity of the network node included in the collective information message package;
• means for discarding the information message when the network node to which the information message is related does not neighbor the first network node;
• means for implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode at the first network node in response to determining that no neighboring network nodes are implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode, wherein the means for implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode further comprises:
• means for receiving an information message from at least one neighboring network node implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode during the first time interval;
• means for generating a collective information message package comprising comprising:
• one or more information messages received from other network nodes and an information message related to the apparatus;
• and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• and
• means for transmitting the collective information message package to at least one neighboring network node implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode during the second time interval.

A system comprising:

• a first network node implementing collecting-and-broadcasting mode;
• and
• one or more network nodes neighboring the first network node and implementing broadcasting-and-extracting mode;
• wherein the first network node is configured to:
• receive an information message from at least one of the one or more neighboring network nodes during a first time interval;
• generate a collective information message package comprising:
• information messages received from other network nodes and an information message related to the first network node;
• and
• an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• determine for an information message included in the collective information message package whether a network node to which the information message is related neighbors the first network node based at least in part upon an indicated identity of the network node included in the collective information message package;
• discard the information message when the network node to which the information message is related does not neighbor the first network node;
• transmit the collective information message package to the one or more network nodes neighboring the first network node during a second time interval;
• wherein the one or more network nodes neighboring the first network node are configured to:
• transmit an information message to the first network node during the first time interval;
• and
• receive the collective information message package from the first network node during the second time interval, wherein the collective information message package comprises an indication, for each information message in the collective information message package, of an identity of a network node to which a respective information message is related;
• and
• wherein when the first network node implements collecting-and-broadcasting mode, no network node neighboring the first network node implements collecting-and-broadcasting mode.