Patent ID: 8792409

Claim:
A wireless network comprising: a control node; and a plurality of communication nodes in wireless communication with the control node, each of the communication nodes having a wireless communication path to the control node that is either a direct path or an indirect path through one or more other communication nodes that serve as repeaters, wherein the control node is configured to receive, from the plurality of communication nodes, broadcast messages each associated with a broadcast message identifier, wherein the control node is further configured to, after receiving a specified quantity of two or more broadcast messages associated with different respective broadcast message identifiers, broadcast a clear broadcast message to the plurality of communication nodes, the clear broadcast message including each of the different respective broadcast message identifiers and causing the plurality of communication nodes to clear messages having any of the different respective broadcast message identifiers from respective message queues associated with the plurality of communication nodes, wherein the control node delays broadcasting of the clear broadcast message at least until receiving the specified quantity of two or more broadcast messages each associated with a different respective broadcast message identifier.