Patent ID: 7366113
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method carried out by a plurality of nodes of a communication network at least a portion of which is an ad hoc network in which at least some messages are communicated between originating nodes and destination nodes without being routed via any intermediate nodes, the method comprising carrying out an exhaustive topology discovery of at least a portion of said ad hoc network, wherein said exhaustive topology discovery comprises discovering all of the nodes of at least said portion of said ad hoc network, and all of the links between each pair of such nodes, wherein information identifying all of the discovered nodes and all of the discovered links is collected by an individual one of the nodes of the communication network, wherein two or more of said discovered links are wireless links, wherein said discovering comprises a diffusion phase and a subsequent gathering phase, wherein said diffusion phase comprises and wherein said diffusion phase further comprises each node that had broadcasted a modified version of said topology discovery request rebroadcasting said modified version if that node has not received an acknowledgment message within a predetermined time after having broadcast said modified version.