Patent ID: 9386504
Filing Date: 2016-07-05
CPC Classification: H04W,Y02D

Claim Text:
1. A method for changing routing responsibilities for a node in a wireless network comprised of a plurality of nodes that transmit and receive information between each other and ultimately to a main node in a tree-like configuration, comprising: a. at the node in the wireless network, broadcasting a first message from the node to downstream nodes associated with the node when the node determines that communication between it and an upstream node associated with the node is compromised, wherein the first message informs the downstream nodes associated with the node that a repair process is underway, wherein the downstream nodes are downstream from the node and downstream from the main node, and wherein the upstream node is downstream from the main node and upstream from the node; b. selecting, at the node, the repair process from a full repair process and a virtual repair process, wherein the selection between the full repair process and the virtual repair process is dependent on a power availability of the node and comprises comparing power availability of the node with a threshold, and selecting the full repair process if the power availability is greater than the threshold; c. initiating, via the node, the repair process, wherein the repair process comprises establishing a link between the node and another node in the network in a manner dependent on the power availability of the node and attempting to join the network at a different node to establish communication between the node and the upstream node associated with the node through the different node; d. broadcasting a second message from the node when attempts to join the network at other upstream nodes fail and when the power availability of the node is less than the threshold, wherein the second message alerts the downstream nodes associated with the node to establish communication with other nodes in the wireless network, and wherein the second message informs the downstream nodes associated with the node that the node is resigning as an upstream node for the downstream nodes associated with the node; e. receiving at a first downstream node associated with the node the second message from the node, and in response thereto, when the first downstream node has no downstream nodes associated with it, attempting to join the different node in the wireless network to establish communication between the first downstream node associated with the node and the upstream node associated with the node through the different node; f. receiving at the first downstream node one or more messages from other nodes that are candidate upstream nodes for the first downstream node, wherein the messages include information indicating data routing responsibility for the corresponding candidate upstream node; and g. determining at the first downstream node to join the network at a candidate upstream node that has the least data routing responsibility among the candidate upstream nodes.