Patent ID: 7738404
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of grouping nodes within a distributed network, comprising: performing a leader node self determination operation, without interacting with other nodes within the distributed network, by which each node within the distributed network determines whether to become a leader node or a non-leader node, each leader node being the leader of a group including at least one node; sending requests, from each leader node, requesting at least one non-leader node to join the group associated with the leader node, the at least one non-leader node initially being unassociated with the leader node sending the requests; accepting, at each non-leader node, a request from a first requesting leader node, such that accepting non-leader nodes transition from a non-leader node to a dependent node dependent upon the requesting leader node; sending requests, from each remaining non-leader node, requesting to join the group associated with at least one leader node; determining, at each requested leader node, whether to accept the non-leader node into the group associated with the requested leader node; and accepting, at each requested leader node, the non-leader node into the group associated with the requested leader node based on the determining step.