Patent ID: 8467297

Claim:
A method for selecting a route between a source node and a destination node in a wireless mesh network, said method comprising establishing said route between said source node and said destination node, said selected route between said source node and said destination node being based on hybrid mesh on-demand and proactive mesh routing, wherein said hybrid mesh on-demand routing further comprises: receiving, by a node, a request message; if said receiving node is a non-forwarding node and said receiving node is not said destination node, then said request message is discarded; first determining, by said node, if said request message is a first request message from said source node; updating a metric in said request message and establishing a reverse route to said source node in a routing table of said node, responsive to said first determining act; second determining, by said node, one of a) if said node is said destination node and b) if said node has a valid unexpired route to said destination node in said routing table, if said node is not said destination node then said node is an intermediate node; first performing one of unicasting a reply message to said source node and propagating said request message with said updated metric if said node is said intermediate node; comparing a metric in said routing table with said updated metric responsive to said first determining act, and if said node is said intermediate node; updating said reverse route responsive to said comparing act; and second performing one of unicasting a route reply message to said source node and propagating said request message using said updated reverse route responsive to said second updating act.