Route discovery based piconet forming

Abstract

A method for establishing a route over which data packets are to be sent from a source node to a destination node in an ad-hoc network is provided. A source having packets to send to a destination node employs a reactive routing protocol if it does not posses the route to the destination node. Initially, it may be determined whether or not the source node is a member of an existing piconet. If the source node is a member of an existing piconet, a ROUTE request message may be broadcast to the nodes of the existing piconet, while the source awaits a timely REPLY message. If the source node is not a member of an existing piconet, or if a time REPLY message is not received, the source node may initiate a new route discovery process wherein the nodes attempt to establish new piconets that enable more efficient communication between the source and destination nodes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In an ad-hoc network wherein data packets are sent from a source node to a destination node via an established route, a source node comprising: 
 logic configured to request route discovery between the source not and a destination node;    logic configured to determine whether said request for route discovery between the source node and the destination node over existing network connections fails; and    logic configured to establish a route between the source node and the destination node by forming one or more new connections if it is determined that said request for route discovery between the source node and the destination node over existing network connections fails.    
     
     
         2 . The source node of  claim 1 , wherein said logic configured to request route discover comprises: 
 logic configured to broadcast a route discovery request message, for a route between the source node and the destination node over one or more connections associated with one or more existing subnetworks, if the source node is a member of one or more of the existing subnetworks.    
     
     
         3 . The source node of  claim 2 , wherein said logic configured to determine whether said request for route discovery over existing network connections fails comprises: 
 logic configured to determine if a timely reply message is received by the source node in response to the broadcast route discovery request message.    
     
     
         4 . The source node of  claim 3 , wherein said logic configured to establish a route comprises: 
 logic configured to establish a route between the source node and the destination node over one or more new connections associated with one or more newly formed subnetworks, if it is determined that a timely reply was not received.    
     
     
         5 . In an ad-hoc network wherein data packets are sent from a source node to a destination node via an established route, a source node comprising: 
 logic configured to request route discovery between the source not and a destination node;    logic configured to determine whether said request for route discovery between the source node and the destination node over existing network connections fails; and    logic configured to establish a route between the source node and the destination node by forming one or more new connections if it is determined that said request for route discovery between the source node and the destination node over existing network connections fails.    
     
     
         6 . The source node of  claim 5 , wherein said logic configured to request route discover comprises: 
 logic configured to broadcast a route discovery request message, for a route between the source node and the destination node over one or more connections associated with one or more existing subnetworks, if the source node is a member of one or more of the existing subnetworks.    
     
     
         7 . The source node of  claim 6 , wherein said logic configured to determine whether said request for route discovery over existing network connections fails comprises: 
 logic configured to determine if a timely reply message is received by the source node in response to the broadcast route discovery request message.    
     
     
         8 . The source node of  claim 7 , wherein said logic configured to establish a route comprises: 
 logic configured to establish a route between the source node and the destination node over one or more new connections associated with one or more newly formed subnetworks, if it is determined that a timely reply was not received.