US6535498B1 — Route updating in ad-hoc networks

Claim 1

Independent Claim 131 words

In an ad-hoc network, a method for updating a route between a source node and a destination node, the method comprising the steps of: exchanging information between the source node and the destination node over a first route; determining, in the source node, whether a predetermined event has occurred; broadcasting a request for updated route message if the predetermined event has occurred; receiving the request for updated route message at a neighbor node; determining whether the neighbor node is the destination node; and generating and sending a reply message from the neighbor node if the neighbor node is the destination node, wherein the network uses a reactive routing protocol and wherein the source node and destination node continue to use the first route to exchange information until another route is established.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 131 words

In an ad-hoc network, a method for updating a route between a source node and a destination node, the method comprising the steps of: exchanging information between the source node and the destination node over a first route; determining, in the source node, whether a predetermined event has occurred; broadcasting a request for updated route message if the predetermined event has occurred; receiving the request for updated route message at a neighbor node; determining whether the neighbor node is the destination node; and generating and sending a reply message from the neighbor node if the neighbor node is the destination node, wherein the network uses a reactive routing protocol and wherein the source node and destination node continue to use the first route to exchange information until another route is established.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the network operates in accordance with source routing, and the step of generating and sending a reply message further comprises the step of: inserting the entire route between the source node and the destination node in the reply message.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: forwarding the reply message through intermediate nodes to the source node; and inserting information about network condition into the reply message at the intermediate nodes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 3 , wherein the source node determines whether to use the first route or the route in the reply message based on the network condition information.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the network operates in accordance with distance vector routing, the method further comprising the step of: storing temporary route information from the neighbor node to the source node.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: receiving the reply message at a node; determining whether the node is the source node; replacing the first route between the source node and the destination node with the temporary route; and sending messages over the temporary route if the node is the source node.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: determining whether the neighbor node has a cached route to the destination node; and generating and sending a reply message from the neighbor node if the neighbor node has a cached route to the destination node which meets predetermined criteria.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of: storing a time value when a route is created or updated, wherein the predetermined criteria is met if the cached route has been created or updated less than a predetermined time prior to reception of the request for updated route message.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 55 words

The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of: storing a time value when a route was last used to carry packets, wherein the predetermined criteria is met if the cached route was last used to carry packets less than a predetermined time prior to reception of the request for updated route message.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the ad-hoc network is a Bluetooth scatternet.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined event is the expiration of a predetermined time period.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time period is set to a time period longer than the sum of the time it takes for the request for updated route message to reach the destination node and the time it take the reply message to reach the source node.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time period is set to a first value which is incrementally shortened based on how often routes to the destination node are broken.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 76 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined event is selected from the group of predetermined events consisting of: traffic load along the first route between the source node and the destination node, amount of delay along the first route between the source node and the destination node, hop count along the first route between the source node and destination node, and hot spots along the first route between the source node and destination node.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 141 words

In an ad-hoc network, an arrangement for updating a route between a source node and a destination node, the arrangement comprising: a source node comprising: means for exchanging information between the source node and the destination node over a first route; means for determining whether a predetermined event has occurred; and means for broadcasting a request for updated route message if the predetermined event has occurred; a neighbor node comprising: means for receiving the request for updated route message; means for determining whether the neighbor node is the destination node; and means for generating and sending a reply message from the neighbor node if the neighbor node is the destination node, wherein the network uses a reactive routing protocol and wherein the source node and destination node continue to use the first route to exchange information until another route is established.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 141 words

In an ad-hoc network, an arrangement for updating a route between a source node and a destination node, the arrangement comprising: a source node comprising: means for exchanging information between the source node and the destination node over a first route; means for determining whether a predetermined event has occurred; and means for broadcasting a request for updated route message if the predetermined event has occurred; a neighbor node comprising: means for receiving the request for updated route message; means for determining whether the neighbor node is the destination node; and means for generating and sending a reply message from the neighbor node if the neighbor node is the destination node, wherein the network uses a reactive routing protocol and wherein the source node and destination node continue to use the first route to exchange information until another route is established.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the network operates in accordance with source routing, and the means for generating and sending a reply message further comprises: means inserting the entire route between the source node and the destination node in the reply message.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The arrangement of claim 16 , further comprising: intermediate nodes comprising: means for forwarding the reply message to the source node; and means for inserting information about network condition into the reply message.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

The arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the source node further comprises: means for determining whether to use the first route or the route in the reply message based on the network condition information.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 36 words

The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the network operates in accordance with distance vector routing, wherein the neighbor node further comprises: means for storing a temporary route from the neighbor node to the source node.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 61 words

The arrangement of claim 19 , further comprising: means for receiving the reply message at a node; means for determining whether the node is the source node; means for replacing the first route between the source node and the destination node with the temporary route; and means for sending messages over the temporary route if the node is the source node.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 56 words

The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the neighbor node further comprises: means for determining whether the neighbor node has a cached route to the destination node; and means for generating and sending a reply message from the neighbor node if the neighbor node has a cached route to the destination node which meets predetermined criteria.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 55 words

The arrangement of claim 21 , wherein the neighbor node further comprises: means for storing a time value when a route is created or updated, wherein the predetermined criteria is met if the cached route has been created or updated less than a predetermined time prior to reception of the request for updated route message.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 58 words

The arrangement of claim 21 , wherein the neighbor node further comprises: means for storing a time value when a route was last used to carry packets, wherein the predetermined criteria is met if the cached route was last used to carry packets less than a predetermined time prior to reception of the request for updated route message.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 14 words

The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the ad-hoc network is a Bluetooth scatternet.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined event is the expiration of a predetermined time period.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 51 words

The arrangement of claim 25 , wherein the predetermined time period is set to a time period longer than the sum of the time it takes for the request for updated route message to reach the destination node and the time it take the reply message to reach the source node.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 32 words

The arrangement of claim 25 , wherein the predetermined time period is set to a first value which is incrementally shortened based on how often routes to the destination node are broken.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 76 words

The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined event is selected from the group of predetermined events consisting of: traffic load along the first route between the source node and the destination node, amount of delay along the first route between the source node and the destination node, hop count along the first route between the source node and destination node, and hot spots along the first route between the source node and destination node.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-03-17	2006-09-16	2007-03-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-03-17	2010-09-16	2011-03-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-03-17	2014-09-16	2015-03-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Route updating in ad-hoc networks

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