Method and apparatus for providing a collaborative reply over an ad-hoc mesh network

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing a collaborative reply to a flooding message over an ad-hoc mesh network. A reply message to a flooding message is received by a wireless node within the ad-hoc network. The wireless node monitors for an acknowledgement of receipt of the reply message according to a routing table and initiates a scheduled transmission of the reply message based on the monitoring.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method comprising:
 determining one or more restrictions associated with an ad-hoc wireless network based, at least in part, on a traffic load, a power consumption, or a combination thereof; and   determining whether to broadcast a flooding message based, at least in part, on the one or more restrictions.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 causing, at least in part, a comparison of the traffic load, the power consumption, or a combination thereof to at least one threshold,   wherein the one or more restrictions are based, at least in part, on the traffic load, the power consumption, or a combination thereof relative to the at least one threshold.   
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one threshold is mapped to a maximum allowable transmission rate, further comprising:
 determining a transmission rate exceeds the maximum allowable transmission rate; and   determining to not rebroadcast the flooding message based, at least in part, on the transmission rate.   
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the traffic load comprises:
 determining an elapsed time since a previous flooding message was received,   wherein the traffic load is based, at least in part, on the elapsed time.   
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a number of times the message has been received, transmitted, or a combination thereof; and   determining whether to broadcast the message based, at least in part, on the number of times.   
     
     
         7 . A method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a utilization of a radio of one or more nodes within the ad-hoc wireless network, wherein the utilization comprises a percentage a beaconing period is associated with active transmission; and   causing, at least in part, a controlling of the utilization based, at least in part, on the traffic load.   
     
     
         8 . A method of  claim 7 , wherein a processing and/or facilitating of a processing of the flooding message to determine a response message or to make a decision on forwarding the flooding message occurs between active transmission periods when the radio is off. 
     
     
         9 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein, after a broadcast of the flooding message, further comprising:
 causing, at least in part, a monitoring for rebroadcasts of the flooding message; and   causing, at least in part, a broadcast of the flooding message based, at least in part, on a rebroadcast threshold if rebroadcasts of the flooding message are not detected.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 determine one or more restrictions associated with an ad-hoc wireless network based, at least in part, on a traffic load, a power consumption, or a combination thereof; and 
 determine whether to broadcast a flooding message based, at least in part, on the one or more restrictions. 
   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 cause, at least in part, a comparison of the traffic load, the power consumption, or a combination thereof to at least one threshold,   wherein the one or more restrictions are based, at least in part, on the traffic load, the power consumption, or a combination thereof relative to the at least one threshold.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one threshold is mapped to a maximum allowable transmission rate, and the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 determine a transmission rate exceeds the maximum allowable transmission rate; and   determine to not rebroadcast the flooding message based, at least in part, on the transmission rate.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein, with respect to determining the traffic load, the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 determine an elapsed time since a previous flooding message was received,   wherein the traffic load is based, at least in part, on the elapsed time.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 determine a number of times the message has been received, transmitted, or a combination thereof; and   determine whether to broadcast the message based, at least in part, on the number of times.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 determine a utilization of a radio of one or more nodes within the ad-hoc wireless network, wherein the utilization comprises a percentage a beaconing period is associated with active transmission; and   cause, at least in part, a controlling of the utilization based, at least in part, on the traffic load.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 process and/or facilitate a processing of the flooding message to determine a response message, or to make a decision on forwarding the flooding message, between active transmission periods when the radio is off.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein, after a broadcast of the flooding message, the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 cause, at least in part, a monitoring for rebroadcasts of the flooding message; and   cause, at least in part, a broadcast of the flooding message based, at least in part, on a rebroadcast threshold if rebroadcasts of the flooding message are not detected.   
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:
 determine one or more restrictions associated with an ad-hoc wireless network based, at least in part, on a traffic load, a power consumption, or a combination thereof; and   determine whether to broadcast a flooding message based, at least in part, on the one or more restrictions.   
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:
 cause, at least in part, a comparison of the traffic load, the power consumption, or a combination thereof to at least one threshold,   wherein the one or more restrictions are based, at least in part, on the traffic load, the power consumption, or a combination thereof relative to the at least one threshold.   
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one threshold is mapped to a maximum allowable transmission rate, the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:
 determine a transmission rate exceeds the maximum allowable transmission rate; and   determine to not rebroadcast the flooding message based, at least in part, on the transmission rate.   
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:
 determine a utilization of a radio of one or more nodes within the ad-hoc wireless network, wherein the utilization comprises a percentage a beaconing period is associated with active transmission; and   cause, at least in part, a controlling of the utilization based, at least in part, on the traffic load,   wherein a processing and/or facilitating a processing of the flooding message to determine a response message, or to make a decision on forwarding the flooding message, occurs between active transmission periods when the radio is off.