Patent ID: 7916666

Claim:
A method for broadcasting messages in an ad hoc wireless network having a tree-based architecture, comprising: a. receiving a message at a node in the network; b. determining whether the message is a broadcast message; c. when the message is a broadcast message, determining a source node of the broadcast message based on stored data at the node that represents an existing tree-based topology of the network; d. determining from the broadcast message a number of node hops to a root node for said source node and deriving therefrom a number of nodes from said root node to said node; e. comparing the number of node hops from said root node to said node with data stored at said node that represents the number of node hops between said root node and said node for said existing tree-based topology of the network; f. based on said (e) comparing, building a list of identifiers of other nodes in the network from which said node requires reception of a broadcast message as an implicit acknowledgment that said other nodes in the network have received said broadcast message; and g. re-broadcasting said broadcast message.