Data forwarding in hybrid mesh networks
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsLusheng Ji, David M. Britz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for forwarding data in hybrid wireless mesh networks. The method includes configuring a number of mesh network nodes as potential relay nodes (PRNs) in an overlay network associated with a hybrid wireless mesh network, streaming data packets from a source node to a destination node using a native data forwarding algorithm of the hybrid wireless mesh network, dynamically identifying relay nodes (RNs) among PRNs in the overlay network, creating secondary paths for sending data packets towards selected RNs in the overlay network, and relaying data packets from RNs to the destination node using the overlay network.
Claims20
A method of transmitting data in a hybrid mesh network, the method comprising:
- dividing, using a source node, data blocks into a first set of data blocks and a second set of data blocks based on identifiers, wherein the data blocks are tagged with the identifiers, wherein the first set of data blocks is associated with identifiers that are non-consecutive;
- selecting, using the source node, a potential relay node associated with an overlay network, wherein the overlay network is associated with the hybrid mesh network, wherein the potential relay node provides a first path between the source node and a destination node, wherein the first path is distinct from a second path, wherein the potential relay node is not included in the first path;
- transmitting, using the source node, the first set of data blocks to the destination node using the first path;
- transmitting, using the source node, the second set of data blocks to the destination node using the second path;
- merging, using the destination node, the first set of data blocks and the second set of data blocks sequentially based on the identifiers;
- generating, using the source node, a third set of data blocks, the third set of data blocks being a duplicate of the first set of data blocks;
- transmitting, using the source node, the third set of data blocks to the destination node;
- and
- deleting, using the destination node, a dropped data block from the third set of data blocks, wherein the dropped data block is duplicated in the first set of data blocks;
- and
- merging, using the destination node, the first set of data blocks with the third set of data blocks.
A communication system comprising:
- a source node operatively coupled to a hybrid mesh network;
- a destination node coupled to the hybrid mesh network;
- and
- an overlay network associated with the hybrid mesh network, the overlay network comprising a calculating device, the calculating device performing operations comprising:
- dividing, using a source node, data blocks into a first set of data blocks and a second set of data blocks based on identifiers, wherein the data blocks are tagged with the identifiers, wherein the first set of data blocks is associated with identifiers that are non-consecutive;
- selecting, using the source node, a potential relay node associated with an overlay network, wherein the overlay network is associated with the hybrid mesh network, wherein the potential relay node provides a first path between the source node and a destination node, wherein the first path is distinct from a second path, wherein the potential relay node is not included in the first path;
- transmitting, using the source node, the first set of data blocks to the destination node using the first path;
- transmitting, using the source node, the second set of data blocks to the destination node using the second path;
- merging, using the destination node, the first set of data blocks and the second set of data blocks sequentially based on the identifiers;
- generating, using the source node, a third set of data blocks, the third set of data blocks being a duplicate of the first set of data blocks;
- transmitting, using the source node, the third set of data blocks to the destination node;
- and
- deleting, using the destination node, a dropped data block from the third set of data blocks, wherein the dropped data block is duplicated in the first set of data blocks;
- and
- merging, using the destination node, the first set of data blocks with the third set of data blocks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.