Mesh network nodes configured to alleviate congestion in cellular network

A system comprising:

• a plurality of nodes connected in a first wireless network;
• a plurality of access points connected to the first wireless network and to at least one second wireless network distinct from the first wireless network, the plurality of access points each respectively constituting an interface between the first wireless network and the at least one second wireless network, wherein:
• each of the access points is configured to advertise its access parameters to the at least one second wireless network to the nodes in the first wireless network, the access parameters including an indication of access restrictions the corresponding access point currently has to the at least one second wireless network, respectively;
• each of the nodes is configured to maintain a list of the access parameters of each access point in the first wireless network to the at least one second wireless network based on the advertised access parameters respectively transmitted from the access points;
• each of the nodes is configured to determine whether data is to be transmitted to the second wireless network according to one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode based on the data to be transmitted and the list of access parameters maintained by that node;
• in the first transmission mode, the node is configured to determine to transmit the data to a first one of the access points having a lowest cost between the node and the first one of the access points;
• in the second transmission mode, the node is configured to determine to transmit the data to a second one of the access points having fewer access restrictions to the second wireless network than the first one of the access points, based on the maintained list of access parameters of each access point to the at least one second wireless network,
• wherein the access parameters of the access points respectively comprise information including at least one of:
• (i) whether the corresponding access point is subject to access class barring, and (ii) whether the corresponding access point is subject to extended access barring.

A method of mitigating data restrictions for a plurality of nodes connected in a first wireless network, wherein a plurality of access points are connected to the first wireless network and to at least one second wireless network distinct from the first wireless network, the plurality of access points each respectively constituting an interface between the first wireless network and the at least one second wireless network, the method comprising:

• advertising, by the access points, access parameters to the at least one second wireless network to the nodes in the first wireless network, the access parameters including an indication of access restrictions the corresponding access point currently has to the at least one second wireless network, respectively;
• maintaining, by the nodes in the first wireless network, a list of the access parameters of each access point in the first wireless network to the at least one second wireless network based on the advertised access parameters respectively transmitted from the access points;
• determining, by at least one of the nodes in the first wireless network, whether data is to be transmitted to the second wireless network according to one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode based on the data to be transmitted, a priority of a payload of the data to be transmitted, and the list of access parameters maintained by that node;
• in the first transmission mode, determining, by the at least one node, to transmit the data to a first one of the access points having a lowest cost between the node and the first one of the access points;
• and
• in the second transmission mode, determining, by the at least one node, to transmit the data to a second one of the access points having fewer access restrictions to the second wireless network than the first one of the access points, based on the maintained list of access parameters of each access point to the at least one second wireless network.

A method of mitigating data restrictions for a plurality of nodes connected in a first wireless network, wherein a plurality of access points are connected to the first wireless network and to at least one second wireless network distinct from the first wireless network, the plurality of access points each respectively constituting an interface between the first wireless network and the at least one second wireless network, the method comprising:

• advertising, by the access points, access parameters to the at least one second wireless network to the nodes in the first wireless network, the access parameters including an indication of access restrictions the corresponding access point currently has to the at least one second wireless network, respectively;
• maintaining, by the nodes in the first wireless network, a list of the access parameters of each access point in the first wireless network to the at least one second wireless network based on the advertised access parameters respectively transmitted from the access points;
• determining, by at least one of the nodes in the first wireless network, whether data is to be transmitted to the second wireless network according to one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode based on the data to be transmitted, a priority of a payload of the data to be transmitted, and the list of access parameters maintained by that node;
• in the first transmission mode, determining, by the at least one node, to transmit the data to a first one of the access points having a lowest cost between the node and the first one of the access points;
• and
• in the second transmission mode, determining, by the at least one node, to transmit the data to a second one of the access points having fewer access restrictions to the second wireless network than the first one of the access points, based on the maintained list of access parameters of each access point to the at least one second wireless network,
• wherein the access parameters of the access points respectively comprise information including at least one of:
• (i) whether the corresponding access point is subject to access class barring, and (ii) whether the corresponding access point is subject to extended access barring.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program tangibly stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of at least one node connected in a first wireless network, causes the at least one node to execute a method of mitigating data restrictions encountered by at least one access point among a plurality of access points connected to the first wireless network and to at least one second wireless network distinct from the first wireless network, the plurality of access points each respectively constituting an interface between the first wireless network and the at least one second wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the access points, advertised access parameters to the at least one second wireless network to the nodes in the first wireless network, the access parameters including an indication of access restrictions the corresponding access point currently has to the at least one second wireless network, respectively;
• maintaining a list of the access parameters of each access point in the first wireless network to the at least one second wireless network based on the advertised access parameters respectively transmitted from the access points;
• determining whether data is to be transmitted to the second wireless network according to one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode based on the data to be transmitted, a priority of a payload of the data to be transmitted, and the list of access parameters maintained by the at least one node;
• in the first transmission mode, determining to transmit the data to a first one of the access points having a lowest cost between the node and the first one of the access points;
• and
• in the second transmission mode, determining to transmit the data to a second one of the access points having fewer access restrictions to the second wireless network than the first one of the access points, based on the maintained list of access parameters of each access point to the at least one second wireless network.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program tangibly stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of at least one node connected in a first wireless network, causes the at least one node to execute a method of mitigating data restrictions encountered by at least one access point among a plurality of access points connected to the first wireless network and to at least one second wireless network distinct from the first wireless network, the plurality of access points each respectively constituting an interface between the first wireless network and the at least one second wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the access points, advertised access parameters to the at least one second wireless network to the nodes in the first wireless network, the access parameters including an indication of access restrictions the corresponding access point currently has to the at least one second wireless network, respectively;
• maintaining a list of the access parameters of each access point in the first wireless network to the at least one second wireless network based on the advertised access parameters respectively transmitted from the access points;
• determining whether data is to be transmitted to the second wireless network according to one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode based on the data to be transmitted and the list of access parameters maintained by the at least one node;
• in the first transmission mode, determining to transmit the data to a first one of the access points having a lowest cost between the node and the first one of the access points;
• and
• in the second transmission mode, determining to transmit the data to a second one of the access points having fewer access restrictions to the second wireless network than the first one of the access points, based on the maintained list of access parameters of each access point to the at least one second wireless network,
• wherein the access parameters of the access points respectively comprise information including at least one of:
• (i) whether the corresponding access point is subject to access class barring, and (ii) whether the corresponding access point is subject to extended access barring.