Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090323709 | Determining and Distributing Routing Paths for Nodes in a Network - Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, computer-storage media, mechanisms, and means associated with determining and distributing routing paths for nodes in a network. For each route computational node of multiple route computational nodes in a network: a tree of paths between itself and each of multiple nodes in the network is determined. A particular tree of paths is determined for a particular node of these multiple nodes to the other nodes based on at least two of the determined trees of paths for the route computational nodes. The particular node then sends a packet towards a destination based on the particular tree of paths determined for the particular node. | 12-31-2009 |
20100118732 | LOOP PREVENTION TECHNIQUE FOR MPLS USING SERVICE LABELS - In one embodiment, a loss of communication is detected between a first edge device of a computer network and a neighboring routing domain. A data packet is received at the first edge device, where the received data packet contains a destination address that is reachable via the neighboring routing domain. A determination is made whether a service label is located in a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) label stack included in the received data packet. A service label in the MPLS label stack indicates that the received data packet was previously rerouted in accordance with fast reroute (FRR) operations. In response to a determination that the received data packet does not include a service label in the MPLS label stack, the received data packet is rerouted to a second edge device of the computer network for forwarding to the neighboring routing domain. | 05-13-2010 |
20100123572 | ALARM REORDERING TO HANDLE ALARM STORMS IN LARGE NETWORKS - In one embodiment, one or more routing trees may be determined based on corresponding root nodes to reach a particular receiving node in a computer network. A delay value may be calculated at each node of the routing tree, the delay value inversely proportional to a distance between each respective node and the root node of the tree. Upon detecting a trigger at a particular node of the tree to transmit a stormed message to the particular receiving node (e.g., an alarm), the particular node may initiate a timer to count down the delay value in order to receive any upstream node stormed messages prior to expiration of the timer. The particular node may then coalesce the upstream node stormed messages with the stormed message of the particular node, and may transmit the coalesced stormed message downstream along the tree toward the particular receiving node upon expiration of the timer. | 05-20-2010 |
20100125437 | DISTRIBUTED SAMPLE SURVEY TECHNIQUE FOR DATA FLOW REDUCTION IN SENSOR NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a clustering device may determine one or more sensor clusters having a plurality of sensor devices that report similar data of a same data type in a sensor network. Accordingly, the clustering device may select a subset of the sensor devices in each respective sensor cluster as one or more representative devices, such that a sensor sink obtains data from only the representative devices. | 05-20-2010 |
20100125674 | SELECTIVE A PRIORI REACTIVE ROUTING - In one embodiment, a more capable device (MCD) in a computer network may determine one or more a critical destinations (CDs), and may transmit an unsolicited reactive routing route request (RREQ) message to each CD. The MCD may then receive a route reply (RREP) message from the CDs having a route from the MCD to the CD, and may store the route at the MCD. Subsequently, the MCD may transmit a RREP message of its own to one or more less capable devices (LCDs) to provide the route from each respective LCD to the CD via the MCD. | 05-20-2010 |
20100146149 | DYNAMIC PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT LOAD BALANCING WITH BACKUP PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENTS - In one embodiment, one or more path computation requests from path computation clients (PCCs) in a first network domain are received at a first border router (BR) arranged at the border of the first network domain and a second network domain. The first BR learns of a path communication element (PCE) in the second network domain. The PCE in the second network domain is informed of path computation information for the first network domain. One or more tunnels are established between the first BR and the PCE in the second network domain. One or more path computation requests from PCCs in the first network domain are passed from the first BR, through the one or more tunnels, to the PCE in the second network domain, to be serviced by the PCE in the second network domain using the path computation information for the first network domain. | 06-10-2010 |
20100208741 | TECHNIQUE FOR ENABLING TRAFFIC ENGINEERING ON CE-CE PATHS ACROSS A PROVIDER NETWORK - In one embodiment, Traffic Engineering (TE) is configured on a provider edge device to customer edge device (PE-CE) link extending from a provider edge device (PE) in a provider network to a customer edge device (CE) in a customer network. TE information regarding the TE-configured PE-CE link is conveyed from the PE to one or more other nodes in the provider network. TE information regarding one or more other TE-configured PE-CE links is received from one or more other nodes. A TE database (TED) is expanded to include information for the one or more other TE-configured PE-CE links. TE is applied to a customer edge device to customer edge device (CE-CE) path using at least some of the information for the one or more other TE-configured PE-CE links included in the TED. | 08-19-2010 |
20110133924 | ALARM REORDERING TO HANDLE ALARM STORMS IN LARGE NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a sensor device in a network detects an alarm condition. The sensor device generates an alarm message based on the detected alarm condition and waits for a delay whose length is inversely proportional to a distance between the sensor device and a downstream destination device for which the alarm message is destined. During the delay, the sensor device receives one or more additional alarm messages from one or more upstream sensor devices. The sensor device coalesces the one or more received alarm messages from the one or more upstream sensor devices with the alarm message generated at the sensor device, to form a coalesced alarm message, and transmits the coalesced alarm message downstream towards the downstream destination device, after expiration of the delay. | 06-09-2011 |
20110228696 | DYNAMIC DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH (DAG) TOPOLOGY REPORTING - In one embodiment, a root device of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) may determine/detect a trigger to learn a network topology of the DAG. In response, the root device may transmit a DAG discovery request down the DAG with a route record request that requests that each device within the DAG add its device identification (ID) to a reverse route record stack for each route of a DAG discovery reply propagated up the DAG toward the root device. Upon receiving one or more DAG discovery replies, the root device may compile the recorded routes from the reverse route record stacks into a DAG network topology. Also, in one embodiment, the root device may determine “short-cuts” based on a traffic matrix generated in response to network statistics optionally included within the responses from the devices within the DAG. | 09-22-2011 |
20110228785 | AUTOMATIC ROUTE TAGGING OF BGP NEXT-HOP ROUTES IN IGP - In one embodiment, a router in a routing domain exchanges routing information with one or more other routers located external to the routing domain using an exterior gateway protocol (EGP). The router exchanges routing information with one or more other routers located internal to the routing domain using an interior gateway protocol (IGP). The router detects a route to be advertised by the IGP is also used as a next-hop attribute of a route advertised by the EGP. In response, the router tags the route advertised by the IGP as an important route for convergence to indicate that the tagged route is to be processed before other routes that have not been tagged during convergence processing. The tagged route is advertised within the routing domain using the IGP. | 09-22-2011 |
20110228788 | ALTERNATE DOWN PATHS FOR DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH (DAG) ROUTING - In one embodiment, a node “N” within a computer network utilizing directed acyclic graph (DAG) routing selects a parent node “P” within the DAG, and, where P is not a DAG root, may determine a grandparent node “GP” as a parent node to the parent node P. The node N may then also select an alternate parent node “P′” that has connectivity to GP and N. N may then inform P and P′ about prefixes reachable via N, and also about P′ as an alternate parent node to P to reach the prefixes reachable via N. Also, in one embodiment, P may be configured to inform GP about the prefixes reachable via N and also about P′ as an alternate parent node to P to reach the prefixes reachable via N, and P′ may be configured to store the prefixes reachable via N without informing other nodes about those prefixes. | 09-22-2011 |
20110231573 | DYNAMIC DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH (DAG) ADJUSTMENT - In one embodiment, a root device may request that one or more devices of a computer network build a directed acyclic graph (DAG) for routing traffic within the computer network based on an objective function (OF), where the OF has one or more metrics to optimize the DAG against and optionally certain constraints. Particular devices that receive the request may then build the DAG based on the OF, and may determine and report OF feedback to the root device. Upon receiving the reports regarding OF feedback, the root device may then adjust the OF based on the feedback, and request a rebuild of the DAG from the devices based on the adjusted OF. | 09-22-2011 |
20110286336 | RELAXED CONSTRAINED SHORTEST PATH FIRST (R-CSPF) - In one embodiment, a target bandwidth, a lower bandwidth boundary constraint, and an upper cost boundary constraint for a constrained path are configured. A set of paths are computed that have bandwidth within the lower bandwidth boundary constraint and cost within the upper cost boundary constraint. A determination is made whether one or more paths of the set of paths has bandwidth that provides at least the target bandwidth and, if so, a path from the one or more paths of the set of paths having bandwidth that provides at least the target bandwidth is selected to use as the constrained path, and, if not, a path from the one or more paths of the set having bandwidth that does not provide at least the target bandwidth that has bandwidth closest to the target bandwidth is selected to use as the constrained path. | 11-24-2011 |
20120020224 | SLICED TUNNELS IN A COMPUTER NETWORK - In one embodiment, a path for a sliced tunnel that extends from a head-end node to a tail-end node is computed. The sliced tunnel is furcated into a plurality of child tunnels at one or more fork nodes located downstream from the head-end node. Each child tunnel carries a portion of traffic for the sliced tunnel. The sliced tunnel is merged at one or more merge nodes located downstream from respective ones of the fork nodes. The portions of traffic on the child tunnels are aggregated at the merge nodes. The head-end node sends a signaling message to establish the sliced tunnel along the computed path. The signaling message includes an indication of the one or more fork nodes where the io sliced tunnel is furcated into child tunnels and the one or more merge nodes where child tunnels are merged. The head-end node then forwards traffic onto the sliced tunnel. | 01-26-2012 |
20120026900 | STATE SYNCHRONIZATION OF SERIAL DATA LINK SESSIONS CONNECTED ACROSS AN IP NETWORK - In one embodiment, a router maintains a communication session between a local terminal unit and a remote terminal unit, the local terminal unit interconnected to the router over a local serial data link, and the remote terminal unit interconnected to the router over an Internet Protocol (IP) session via a remote router and a corresponding remote serial data link. The router may then monitor a state of the local serial data link, and communicates this state with the remote router over the IP session, as well as a remote state of the remote serial data link. The router may then correspondingly control the state of the local serial data link to match the remote state of the remote serial data link. | 02-02-2012 |
20120039186 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO REDUCE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF DYNAMIC METRIC ADVERTISEMENT IN SMART GRID/SENSOR NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a node in a computer network represented by a directed acyclic graph (DAG) may receive advertisements of smoothed path costs to a root node of the DAG, where the advertisements contain a field for a virtual gain factor (VGF) indicative of a difference between the smoothed path cost and an actual best path cost to the root. The node may then determine a local smoothed path cost from itself to the root, and also a local VGF for each link of the node (for the path as a whole including the particular link) based on all of the received advertisements and VGFs, as well as corresponding actual link costs (e.g., based on selecting alternative parents or actual link costs being smoothed within a dual threshold). The node may then compute a resulting smoothed path cost to the root along with an associated (cumulative) VGF based on the locally determined cost and VGF. Accordingly, the node may then advertise the resulting smoothed path cost along with the associated (cumulative) VGF on each link such that, for example, any node receiving a resulting smoothed path cost and/or VGF that surpasses a threshold may request a rebuild of the DAG (e.g., a portion or in its entirety). | 02-16-2012 |
20120039190 | PARTITIONING DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH (DAG) TOPOLOGIES - In one embodiment, network statistics may be monitored for a first directed acyclic graph (DAG) from a first root node, and based on those network statistics, a trigger may be determined to partition the first DAG. As such, a candidate second root node may be selected for each of one or more DAG partitions, and a tunnel may be established between the first root node and the one or more second root nodes. Each second root node may then establish a new DAG partition with itself as the root (and with the same DAG parameters as the first DAG), wherein nodes of the first DAG remain with the first DAG or attach to the new DAG partition based on one or more metrics associated with each respective root (e.g., reachability, cost, DAG rank, etc.). | 02-16-2012 |
20120044801 | TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER TO REESTABLISH FAST REROUTED PRIMARY TUNNELS BASED ON BACKUP TUNNEL PATH QUALITY FEEDBACK - In one embodiment, a primary tunnel is established from a head-end node to a destination along a path including one or more protected network elements for which a fast reroute path is available to pass traffic around the one or more network elements in the event of their failure. A first path quality measures path quality prior to failure of the one or more protected network elements. A second path quality measures path quality subsequent to failure of the one or more protected network elements, while the fast reroute path is being used to pass traffic of the primary tunnel. A determination is made whether to reestablish the primary tunnel over a new path that does not include the one or more failed protected network elements, or to continue to utilize the path with the fast reroute path, in response to a difference between the first path quality and the second path quality. | 02-23-2012 |
20120082034 | DYNAMIC TE-LSP PRIORITY AND PREEMPTION - In one embodiment, a node of a computer network receives a request to establish a traffic engineering (TE) label switched path (LSP). The node accesses a pre-defined range of preemption-priority values that may be used with the requested TE-LSP. The node determines a preemption-priority value at which adequate network resources to accommodate the requested TE-LSP would be available that is as low as possible within the pre-defined range of preemption-priority values. The node signals the requested TE-LSP with the determined preemption-priority value. The node receives notifications from one or more other nodes within the computer network indicating information about other TE-LSPs that would be preempted if the requested TE-LSP were established at the determined preemption-priority value. In response to the information regarding other TE-LSPs that would be preempted, the node determines whether to proceed with establishment of the requested TE-LSP at the determined preemption-priority value. | 04-05-2012 |
20120113807 | Affecting Node Association Through Load Partitioning - In one embodiment, a node may request to join a parent node in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network, and may also notify the parent node of a load associated with the request and whether the node has any other parent node options. The requesting node may then receive a response from the parent node that is either an acceptance or a denial. While the node may join the parent node in response to an acceptance, if a denial is received, the node may divide the load into first and second portions, and may re-request to join the parent node with the load of the first portion. In this manner, by partitioning the load, a load balancing mode of operation across multiple is parents in a DAG is provided. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113863 | Dynamic Wake-up Time Adjustment Based on Designated Paths Through a Computer Network - In one embodiment, a computer network may include nodes and at least one root node. A first subset of the nodes may be located along a designated path (a directed acyclic graph (DAG)) through the computer network to the root node, where the first subset of nodes is configured to operate according to a first wake-up timer. A second subset of the nodes that are not along the designated path are in communication to at least one node of the first subset of nodes along the designated path, and operate according to a second wake-up timer that is longer than the first wake-up timer. In this manner, second subset of nodes may be awake less often, e.g., conserving energy. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113986 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MESSAGES IN A VERY LARGE COMPUTER NETWORK - A multicast message may be distributed by receiving, at a first node in a multicast network, a multicast message from a parent node of the first node. The multicast message is transmitted to child nodes of the first node in the multicast network. A population of the child nodes to which the multicast message was transmitted is accessed and acknowledgement messages which reveal child nodes that are among an acknowledging subset of less than all of the child nodes of the first node are received. Child nodes revealed by the received acknowledgement messages are compared with child nodes determined to be among the population of child nodes to which the multicast message is expected to be received. Based on results of the comparison, a compressed non-acknowledging subset is identified and transmitted to the parent node. | 05-10-2012 |
20120117208 | Dynamic Address Assignment for Address Aggregation in Low Power and Lossy Networks - A node in a Low power and Lossy Network (LLN) is managed by monitoring a routing configuration on a node in a LLN. A triggering parameter that is used to invoke an address change on a child node is tracked and a threshold against which to compare the triggering parameter is accessed. The triggering parameter is compared to the threshold. Based on results of comparing the triggering parameter to the threshold, it is determined that an address change at the child node is appropriate. An address change of a child node appearing in the routing configuration is invoked based on the determination that an address change is appropriate. | 05-10-2012 |
20120117213 | Negotiated Parent Joining in Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGS) - In one embodiment, a node may request to join a parent node in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network, and may notify the parent node of a load associated with the request, and whether the node has any other parent node options. The response received from the parent node may be either an acceptance or a denial (based on the load and other parent node options), where in the case of an acceptance, the node may join the parent node in the DAG. Alternatively, in response to a denial, in one embodiment, the node may perform load shedding to become acceptable to the parent node. In another embodiment, a node receiving a join request from a child node may determine an impact associated with allowing the child node (and its load) to join the receiving node in the DAG prior to returning an acceptance or denial, accordingly. | 05-10-2012 |
20120117252 | DYNAMIC SHARED RISK NODE GROUP (SRNG) MEMBERSHIP DISCOVERY - In one embodiment, a network device determines identities of each peer device in a second routing domain attached to edge devices in a first routing domain. The network device associates each address prefix reachable in the second routing domain with an identity of each peer device in the second routing domain that advertised the address prefix and with an identity of one or more edge devices in the first routing domain to which that peer device is attached. The network device determines an address prefix is associated with a same identity of a peer device in the second routing domain but with different edge devices in the first routing domain. The network device assigns the different edge devices in the first routing domain associated with the determined address prefix to a shared risk node group (SRNG). | 05-10-2012 |
20120117268 | System and Method for Routing Critical Communications - According to one or more implementations of the disclosure, packets may be transmitted in a low power and lossy network (LLN) by receiving, on a first node, a message from a sending node, and by activating a critical message configuration to be applied in routing the message. A message identifier (e.g., signature) for the message may also be received or gleaned. The message identifier can be compared at the first node to a list of stored message identifiers, created based on routing history, to determine if the message has already been received. As such, if the message has not been received at the first node previously, a first parent and a second parent for the message are identified and the message, along with the critical message indication, can be transmitted to the first parent and the second parent, thereby achieving redundancy in the routing of the message. | 05-10-2012 |
20120117438 | Multicast Message Retransmission - In one implementation, a method of distributing a multicast message in a wireless mesh network includes receiving a multicast message from a parent node of an intermediate node. The method includes transmitting the multicast message to child nodes of the intermediate node. The method includes storing the multicast message in a cache at the intermediate node. The method includes intercepting an acknowledgement message from each acknowledging child node within an acknowledging subset of less than all of the child nodes. The method includes accessing information indicating a population of the child nodes to which the multicast message transmission was directed. The method includes comparing the acknowledging subset of the child nodes with the population of the child nodes. The method includes identifying a non-acknowledging subset of less than all of the child nodes. The method includes retransmitting the multicast message to the non-acknowledging subset of the child nodes. | 05-10-2012 |
20120155260 | Dynamic Synchronized Scheduling in a Computer Network - In one embodiment, a receiving node in a computer network may detect congestion, and also identifies a set (e.g., subset) of its neighbor nodes. In response to the congestion, the receiving node may assign a transmission timeslot to each neighbor node of the set based on the congestion, where each neighbor is allowed to transmit (synchronously) only during its respective timeslot. The assigned timeslots may then be transmitted to the set of neighbor nodes. In another embodiment, a transmitting node (e.g., a neighbor node of the receiving node) may receive a scheduling packet from the receiving node. Accordingly, the transmitting node may determine its assigned transmission timeslot during which the transmitting node is allowed to transmit. As such, the transmitting node may then transmit packets only during the assigned timeslot (e.g., for a given time). In this manner, congestion at the receiving node may be reduced. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155276 | Dynamic Expelling of Child Nodes in Directed Acyclic Graphs in a Computer Network - In one embodiment, a parent node in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network may detect congestion from its child nodes. In response, the parent node may determine particular child nodes to expel from the parent node based on the congestion, and notifies the expelled child nodes that they must detach from the parent node in response to dynamically detecting congestion (e.g., to find a new parent, excluding the parent node and optionally any nodes in the vicinity). In another embodiment, a child node receives a detach request packet from a current parent node that indicates that the child node is expelled from using the current parent node. In response, the child node triggers a new parent selection to select a new parent node that specifically excludes the current parent node (e.g., and optionally any nodes in the parent's vicinity). | 06-21-2012 |
20120155284 | Extendable Frequency Hopping Timeslots in Wireless Networks - In one embodiment, a wireless transmitting node in a frequency hopping wireless network may determine whether a packet can be transmitted within a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence based on a length of the packet. If unable to transmit the packet within the particular timeslot, the transmitting node extends the particular timeslot into a subsequent timeslot to allow transmission of the packet within the extended timeslot at a frequency associated with the particular timeslot. Once the extended timeslot ends, the transmitting node and receiving node hop frequencies into the subsequent timeslot to synchronize with the rest of the network that already hopped at the conventional rate. In another embodiment, a wireless receiving node may also extend the particular timeslot into a subsequent timeslot to allow reception of a packet that would extend beyond the particular timeslot, and may hop frequencies upon expiration of the extended timeslot. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155329 | Dynamic Reroute Scheduling in a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) - In one embodiment, a particular node joins a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network at a parent node, and determines its grade based on a topology of the DAG, the grade lower than the parent node and higher than any child nodes of the particular node. In response to detecting a trigger for a routing change in the DAG, the particular node delays the routing change based on the grade such that the delay is longer than a first associated delay of any of the child nodes and shorter than a second associated delay of the parent node. Upon expiration of the delay, the particular node may determine if the trigger for the routing change is still valid, and if valid, performs the routing change. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155397 | Collision Avoidance for Wireless Networks - In one embodiment, a particular node in a wireless network may receive a wireless signal, and may determine whether the wireless signal is intended for itself In response to determining that the wireless signal is intended for the particular node, the particular node may transmit a non-colliding wireless carrier sense detected alert (CSDA) signal during the received wireless signal to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node refrain from transmitting for a duration of the received wireless signal. In another embodiment, a node listens on a first frequency for a wireless CSDA signal regarding a second (colliding) frequency, and in response to receiving a CSDA signal, may refrain from transmitting a wireless signal on the second frequency for the particular duration, or else (if not receiving a CSDA signal), may allow transmission of a wireless signal on the second frequency, accordingly. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155463 | Increased Communication Opportunities with Low-Contact Nodes in a Computer Network - In one embodiment, a particular node (e.g., root node) in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network may identify a low-contact (e.g., wireless) node in the DAG that is at risk of having an invalid path when attempts are made to reach the low-contact node. In response, the particular node may identify neighbors of the low-contact node, and may establish a multicast tree from the particular node to the low-contact node through a plurality of the neighbors to reach the low-contact node. When sending traffic to the low-contact node, the particular node sends the traffic on the multicast tree, wherein each of the plurality of neighbors attempts to forward the traffic to the low-contact node. In another embodiment, the low-contact node itself indicates its status to the particular/root node, along with its list of neighbors in order to receive the multicast traffic. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155475 | Dynamic Routing Metric Adjustment - In one embodiment, one or more routing update parameters may be set for and propagated to nodes of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network, the routing update parameters indicative of when to perform a corresponding routing update operation. A decision node (e.g., a root node of the DAG, application in a head-end, etc.) may gather network statistics of the DAG during operation based on the routing update parameters, and may accordingly determine at least one adjusted routing update parameter based on the gathered network statistics. This adjusted routing update parameter may then be propagated to the nodes of the DAG, such that the nodes operate according to the (adaptively) adjusted routing update parameter. | 06-21-2012 |
20120158933 | Data Reporting Using Reporting Groups in a Computer Network - In one embodiment, a node may determine a topology of a plurality of reporting nodes within a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network. The reporting nodes may then be assigned to one of a plurality of reporting groups, where reporting nodes are allowed to report only during designated time windows corresponding to their assigned reporting group. The reporting nodes may then be informed of at least their own assignment to a particular reporting group. In another embodiment, a particular reporting node may join the DAG, and may also receive an assignment to one of a plurality of reporting groups. Accordingly, the particular reporting node may also determine designated time windows corresponding to the assigned reporting group, where the particular reporting node is allowed to report only during the designated time windows. | 06-21-2012 |
20120183000 | DYNAMICALLY AND EFFICIENTLY FORMING HIERARCHICAL TUNNELS - In one embodiment, a hierarchical tunnel that encapsulates a plurality of child tunnels along a shared path segment is used. The shared path segment extends from a head-end node across one or more intermediate nodes to a tail-end node. A state of a child tunnel of the plurality of child tunnels encapsulated within the hierarchical tunnel is refreshed by the head-end node sending one or more refresh messages along the child tunnel that include a request that the one or more intermediate nodes remove the state of the child tunnel without sending error messages, and sending one or more encapsulated refresh messages within the hierarchical tunnel that cause the tail-end node to continue propagation of refresh messages along the child tunnel. | 07-19-2012 |
20120213124 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO TRIGGER DAG REOPTIMIZATION IN A SENSOR NETWORK - In one embodiment, a probing technique allows a root node to determine whether to trigger reoptimization of a computer network represented by a directed acyclic graph (DAG) without injecting unnecessary traffic into the network. The root node may store and maintain information indicative of an ideal shape or topology of the DAG. During a normal DAG maintenance operation, the root node may transmit a DAG discovery request (probe request) that is configured to probe each node within the DAG for information used to determine a current topology of the DAG. In response, each node may record the information, e.g., routing and non-routing metrics, in a DAG discovery reply (probe reply) that is propagated to the root node. Upon receiving one or more replies, the root node may analyze the metrics to determine whether the current topology of the DAG deviates from the ideal DAG topology. The root node may thus determine DAG topology deviation upon probing at minimal cost. A number of algorithms may then be used to determine whether reoptimization, i.e., global repair, of the DAG is is required and, if so, the root node may dynamically trigger the global repair. | 08-23-2012 |
20120230204 | Remote Stitched Directed Acyclic Graphs - In one embodiment, in response to a trigger condition being detected at a particular location in a primary directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network, a particular node in the primary DAG at the particular location may be determined to act as a remote stitched (RS)-DAG root for an RS-DAG at the particular location. The determined RS-DAG root may then be instructed to initiate the RS-DAG, the instructing indicating one or more properties for the RS-DAG that are based on the trigger condition and that are different from properties of the primary DAG. In another embodiment, a particular node receives instructions to initiate an RS-DAG as its RS-DAG root, initiates the RS-DAG, and relays messages of the RS-DAG with a primary root of the primary DAG. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230222 | Gravitational Parent Selection in Directed Acyclic Graphs - In one embodiment, a particular node in a computer network receives an indication of a number of child nodes of one or more potential parent nodes to the particular node in a primary directed acyclic graph (DAG). From this, the particular node selects a particular potential parent node with the highest number of child nodes as a secondary DAG parent for the particular node, and joins the secondary DAG at the selected secondary DAG parent (e.g., for multicast and/or broadcast message distribution). This may recursively continue, such that nodes gravitate toward parents with more children, potentially allowing parents with fewer children to relinquish their parental responsibilities. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230370 | Efficient Transmission of Large Messages in Wireless Networks - In one embodiment, a sender in a frequency hopping wireless network classifies a message as a large message to be fragmented into a plurality of packets for transmission to a receiver, and in response, indicates to the receiver that the message is a large message to request use of an orthogonal frequency hopping sequence between the sender and receiver for the duration of the large message transmission, the orthogonal frequency hopping sequence orthogonal to a shared frequency hopping sequence of the wireless network. Thereafter, the sender transmits the large message to the receiver on the orthogonal frequency hopping sequence, and returns to the shared frequency hopping sequence upon completion. In another embodiment, the receiver receives the indication that a message is a large message (requesting use of the orthogonal frequency hopping sequence). If the receiver can comply, the large message is received on the orthogonal frequency hopping sequence. | 09-13-2012 |
20120233326 | Efficient Message Distribution for Directed Acyclic Graphs - In one embodiment, a particular node in a primary DAG receives a distributed message from distributing nodes, and from this, deterministically selects a distributing node as a distributing parent in a secondary DAG from which distributed messages are to be received. The particular node may then inform the deterministically selected distributing parent that it is being used by the particular node as its distributing parent, and if the selected distributing parent is not the particular node's primary DAG parent, then the primary DAG parent is informed that it need not send distributed messages for the particular node. In another embodiment, a distributing node continues to repeat distributed messages in response to receiving notification that it is being used as a distributing parent, and if a primary DAG parent, prevents the repeating in response to receiving a notification from all of its child nodes that it need not send distributed messages. | 09-13-2012 |
20120233473 | Power Management in Networks - In one implementation, the power consumption by network devices may be managed by accessing a routing protocol that manages an allocation of processing resources in a network. The routing protocol may be used for generating a first configuration, for which a utilization of resources may be determined. A first cost for the first configuration may be determined. A second configuration may be identified to support the utilization of the resources. A second cost may be determined for the second configuration. The first cost may be compared to the second cost. The prospective performance of the network for the second configuration may be assessed. Based on the results of the comparison and the assessment, the network may be configured to use the second configuration. Processing resources may be activated on inactive network devices to support the second configuration and deactivated on active network devices that are not utilized in the second configuration. | 09-13-2012 |
20120233485 | Phase-Based Operation of Devices on a Polyphase Electric Distribution System - In one embodiment, a device in a computer network monitors an alternating-current (AC) waveform of an electrical power source at the device, where the power source is part of a polyphase power source system. Once the device determines a particular phase of the polyphase power source system at the device, then the device joins a directed acyclic graph (DAG) specific to the particular phase. In another embodiment, a device detects a time of a zero crossing of the AC waveform, and may then determine a particular phase of the polyphase power source system at the device based on the time of the zero crossing relative to a corresponding location within a frequency hopping superframe of the computer network. | 09-13-2012 |
20120254338 | DISTRIBUTED CONTROL TECHNIQUE FOR RPL TOPOLOGY - In one embodiment, a distributed control technique may enable management of a monolithic routing topology of nodes in a computer network by apportioning the monolithic routing topology into a plurality of regional routing topology domains, each represented by a directed acyclic graph (DAG). The regional topology domains may include a super topology domain that is established as a super-DAG of intermediate nodes interconnected with leaf nodes and rooted by a master node of the computer network. The regional topology domains may further include at least one local topology domain that is established as a local-DAG of intermediate nodes interconnected with leaf nodes and rooted by a local root node of the computer network. Notably, a super node of the computer network may be configured to participate in both the super topology domain as an intermediate node of the super-DAG and the local topology domain as the local root node of the local-DAG. | 10-04-2012 |
20120307624 | MANAGEMENT OF MISBEHAVING NODES IN A COMPUTER NETWORK - In one embodiment, a node in a computer network detects a misbehaving node in the computer network based on the misbehaving node acting in violation of one or more rules. As such, the node communicates information regarding the misbehaving node to a network management system (NMS), and then may receive isolation instructions from the NMS regarding how to isolate the misbehaving node from the computer network. Accordingly, the node may perform the isolation instructions. In another embodiment, the NMS receives the communicated information regarding the misbehaving node, and determines whether the misbehaving node should be isolated based on the communicated information. If so, then the NMS determines isolation instructions regarding how to isolate the misbehaving node from the computer network, and transmits them to one or more nodes in the computer network, accordingly. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307629 | SOURCE ROUTING CONVERGENCE IN CONSTRAINED COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a source routing device (e.g., root device) pre-computes diverse source-routed paths to one or more nodes in a computer network. Upon receiving a particular packet, the device forwards the particular packet on a source-routed first path of the pre-computed diverse paths. In the event the device implicitly detects failure of the first path, then it forwards a copy of the particular packet on a source-routed second path of the pre-computed diverse paths in response. In one embodiment, implicit failure detection comprises seeing a second (repeated) packet with the same identification within a certain time since the first packet, and the second packet is forwarded on the second path. In another embodiment, implicit failure detection comprises not seeing a link-layer acknowledgment returned or receiving an error notification from a node along the broken path, and a stored copy of the particular packet is forwarded on the second path. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307652 | LIGHTWEIGHT STORING MODE FOR CONSTRAINED COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a management device, such as a root node, monitors Internet Protocol (IP) overhead (e.g., IP header sizes during source-routing or route table sizes) within a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network. If it is determined that the IP overhead is above a configured threshold, then in response, a trigger is initiated to have devices within the DAG label-switch downward traffic directed away from the root node within the DAG. In another embodiment, a device communicating within a DAG stores IP routes corresponding to upward traffic from the device directed toward a root of the DAG, and IP-routes upward traffic based on the IP routes. Conversely, the device also stores labels corresponding to downward traffic from the device directed away from the root of the DAG, and label-switches downward traffic based on the labels, accordingly. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307653 | REACHABILITY RATE COMPUTATION WITHOUT LINK LAYER ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - In one embodiment, a device in a computer network receives a particular packet associated with a transmission attempts value, the associated transmission attempts value indicative of a first number of times a transmitter has attempted to transmit the particular packet. In response, the device increases by one a stored successful attempts value stored at the device, the stored successful attempts value indicative of a second number of times the device has received the same particular packet. As such, a reachability rate of a link from the transmitter to the device may be determined based on comparing the associated transmission attempts value to the stored successful attempts value. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307825 | MAINTAINED MESSAGE DELIVERY DURING ROUTING DOMAIN MIGRATION - In one embodiment, an ingress device of a first routing domain in a computer network buffers received packets, and in response to receiving a request from a particular node indicating that the particular node has migrated from the first routing domain to a second routing domain, determines how to reach the particular node in the second routing domain, and forwards the buffered received packets to the particular node in the second routing domain, accordingly. In another embodiment, a device in the first routing domain migrates from the first routing domain to a second routing domain, and determines its new IP address. The device may then send a request to the first ingress router to forward buffered packets for the device to the second routing domain at the new IP address, and may thus receive buffered packets forwarded from the first ingress router at the device in the second routing domain. | 12-06-2012 |
20120320923 | REDIRECTING TRAFFIC VIA TUNNELS TO DISCOVERED DATA AGGREGATORS - In one embodiment, a data aggregator discovery (DAD) message may be distributed by an associated data aggregator, the DAD message identifying the initiating data aggregator, and comprising a recorded route taken from the data aggregator to a receiving particular node as well as a total path cost for the particular node to reach a root node of the DAG through the recorded route and via the data aggregator. The receiving particular node determines a path cost increase (PCI) associated with use of the data aggregator based on the total path cost as compared to a DAG-based path cost for the particular node to reach the root node via the DAG. If the PCI is below a configured threshold, the particular node may redirect traffic to the data aggregator as source-routed traffic according to the recorded route. The traffic may then be aggregated by the data aggregator, accordingly. | 12-20-2012 |
20120324273 | DATA ROUTING FOR POWER OUTAGE MANAGEMENT - In one embodiment, a particular node in a computer network, that is, one receiving electrical power from a grid source, may determine routing metrics to a plurality of neighbor nodes of the particular node in the computer network. In addition, the node also determines power grid connectivity of the plurality of neighbor nodes. Traffic may be routed from the particular node to one or more select neighbor nodes having preferred routing metrics, until a power outage condition at the particular node is detected, at which time the traffic (e.g., last gasp messages) may be routed from the particular node to one or more select neighbor nodes having diverse power grid connectivity from the particular node. In this manner, traffic may be routed via a device that is not also experiencing the power outage condition. | 12-20-2012 |
20130010590 | DYNAMIC ENABLING OF ROUTING DEVICES IN SHARED-MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a non-repeated reachability probe is transmitted from a particular node into a shared-media network, where nodes that receive the probe are configured to reply to the particular node. Based on determining a set of one or more nodes in the shared-media network that received the probe, one or more routing nodes of the set may be selected to act as routers in the shared-media network, and notified of their selection. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010615 | RAPID NETWORK FORMATION FOR LOW-POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a node joins a communication network, and in response to joining the network, operates in a rapid startup mode, wherein the node in rapid startup mode establishes network configurations rapidly by deemphasizing quality (optimality) of the network configurations. Subsequent to operating in the rapid startup mode (e.g., after some timer or explicit command), the node then operates in a robust mode, wherein the node in robust mode iteratively refines the network configurations to increase the quality of the network configurations. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010798 | TRANSMISSION PRIORITY PATHS IN MESH NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a node may determine a trigger for establishing transmission priority on a path through a shared-media communication network for priority traffic to a particular node. As such, the node may generate a path clear message (PCM) that would instruct one or more receiving nodes along the path to suspend transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration, and also to transmit a local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of each respective receiving node, the local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to suspend transmission for the specified duration. After transmitting the PCM along the path to the particular node to establish the transmission priority for the priority traffic along the path through the shared-media network, the priority traffic may be transmitted to the particular node along the path during the transmission priority. | 01-10-2013 |
20130013809 | MANAGING HOST ROUTES FOR LOCAL COMPUTER NETWORKS WITH A PLURALITY OF FIELD AREA ROUTERS - In one embodiment, a particular field area router (FAR), in a local computer network (e.g., a mesh network) having a plurality of FARs, advertises a common subnet prefix assigned to the local computer network into a global computer network. Each of the plurality of FARs of the local computer network is configured to accept any traffic destined to the local computer network, and a tunnel overlay is built among the plurality of FARs. Upon receiving a packet at the particular FAR destined to a particular device in the local computer network, and in response to the particular FAR not having a host route to the particular device, it forwards the packet on the tunnel overlay to another of the plurality of FARs of the local computer network. | 01-10-2013 |
20130016612 | SELECTIVE TOPOLOGY ROUTING FOR DISTRIBUTED DATA COLLECTIONAANM Vasseur; Jean-PhilippeAACI Saint Martin DuriageAACO FRAAGP Vasseur; Jean-Philippe Saint Martin Duriage FRAANM Hui; Jonathan W.AACI Foster CityAAST CAAACO USAAGP Hui; Jonathan W. Foster City CA US - In one embodiment, a device, such as a network management server, determines a traffic matrix of a mesh network, where the traffic matrix indicates an amount of traffic per type of traffic transitioning between the mesh network and a global computer network via one or more current root devices. One or more optimized root devices may then be selected for corresponding directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) based on the amount of traffic and type of traffic. As such, a DAG formation request may be transmitted to the selected root devices, carrying a characteristic for a corresponding DAG to form by the respective selected root devices that indicates which one or more types of traffic correspond to the corresponding DAG. | 01-17-2013 |
20130019005 | EFFICIENT ADMISSION CONTROL FOR LOW POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKSAANM Hui; Jonathan W.AACI Foster CityAAST CAAACO USAAGP Hui; Jonathan W. Foster City CA USAANM Vasseur; Jean-PhilippeAACI Saint Martin DuriageAACO FRAAGP Vasseur; Jean-Philippe Saint Martin Duriage FRAANM Ganesan; KarthikeyanAACI CampbellAAST CAAACO USAAGP Ganesan; Karthikeyan Campbell CA USAANM Jayaraman; VikramAACI CampbellAAST CAAACO USAAGP Jayaraman; Vikram Campbell CA US - In one embodiment, a centralized network management server (NMS) determines a network state of a low power and lossy network (LLN) based on resource utilization due to traffic in the LLN. The NMS also determines an admission state based on the network state, and admission control (network-wide and/or localized control) based on the admission state. As such, the centralized NMS can then administer the admission control for all nodes in the LLN, where network-wide control comprises a single control command to all nodes in the LLN, and the nodes direct admission based on the control command, and where localized control comprises a request-response exchange between the nodes and the centralized NMS, and the NMS directs admission on a per-request basis. | 01-17-2013 |
20130022042 | DELAY BUDGET BASED FORWARDING IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, certain nodes in a computer network maintain a plurality of routing topologies, each associated with a different corresponding delay (e.g., dynamically adjusted). Upon receiving a packet with an indicated delay budget at a particular node, the node updates the delay budget based on an incurred delay up to and including the particular node since the indicated delay budget was last updated, and selects a particular routing topology on which to forward the packet based on the updated delay budget and the corresponding routing topology delays. The packet may then be forwarded with the updated delay budget on the selected routing topology, accordingly. | 01-24-2013 |
20130022046 | DIVERSE PATH FORWARDING THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR - In one embodiment, a node determines an intention to transmit a diversely forwarded packet through a computer network, and as such, transmits a first version of the packet having a packet identifier (ID) and a first distinguisher value to a first next-hop node, and transmits a second version of the packet having the same packet ID and a second distinguisher value different from the first distinguisher value to a second next-hop node different from the first next-hop node. In another embodiment, a next-hop node that receives the packet determines whether any previously received packet at the next-hop node had a same packet ID and a different distinguisher value. In response to determining that no previously received packet has the same packet ID and different distinguisher value, the next-hop node stores the packet ID and the distinguisher value, and forwards the packet to a selected next-hop node. | 01-24-2013 |
20130022053 | PACKET TRAINS TO IMPROVE PACKET SUCCESS RATE IN CARRIER SENSE MULTIPLE ACCESS NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a communication device operates according to a particular frequency hopping sequence in a communication network, and receives a first packet with an indication that the first packet is part of a particular packet train, the packet train comprising a plurality of packets to be transmitted in succession. Accordingly, the communication device prevents transmission until receiving a final packet of the packet train, and stores received packets of the particular packet train while preventing the transmission. | 01-24-2013 |
20130022083 | SUB-SLOTTING TO IMPROVE PACKET SUCCESS RATE IN CARRIER SENSE MULTIPLE ACCESS NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a communication device in a frequency hopping communication network determines an intention to forward a first packet in a particular timeslot of a frequency hopping sequence. As such, the device scans in receive mode for an initial portion of the particular timeslot on a particular frequency known to neighbors of the communication device for reaching the communication device. In response to determining that the communication device is receiving a second packet during the initial portion, the device remains in receive mode to receive a remainder of the second packet. Conversely, in response to not receiving the second packet during the initial portion, the device proceeds to transmit the first packet during a remainder of the particular timeslot. | 01-24-2013 |
20130022084 | DYNAMIC COMMON BROADCAST SCHEDULE PARAMETERS FOR OVERLAYING AN INDEPENDENT UNICAST SCHEDULE - In one embodiment, each device in a frequency hopping communication network operates according to a common broadcast schedule for the network that simultaneously overlays a configured portion of all independently determined unicast listening schedules in the network, wherein the overlaid configured portion is based on broadcast schedule parameters consisting of a first time spent for broadcast transmissions in each broadcast period and a second time between broadcast periods. By monitoring network characteristics relating to unicast traffic and broadcast traffic in the network, updated broadcast schedule parameters may then be determined based on the network characteristics. Operation of the common broadcast schedule may thus be updated with the updated broadcast schedule parameters, accordingly. | 01-24-2013 |
20130024560 | CENTRALLY DRIVEN PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF LOW POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a centralized device for a computer network divides the computer network into one or more regions for which performance is to be measured, and selects one or more nodes within each respective region of the one or more regions. The centralized device may then send a performance measurement request (PMR) to the selected node(s) for each region, and receives measured performance reports from the selected node(s) for each region in response to the PMR. Accordingly, based on the measured performance reports, the centralized device may then adjust at least one of either the divided regions or the selected node(s) for one or more of the one or more regions, e.g., for future PMRs. | 01-24-2013 |
20130028095 | DYNAMIC ALLOCATION OF CONTEXT IDENTIFIERS FOR HEADER COMPRESSION - In one embodiment, routable traffic through one or more border routers between a local computer network and a global computer network is monitored in order to characterize use of one or more global prefixes of the traffic. A particular set of the global prefixes, up to a maximum number, that are most frequently used may be mapped into a set of context identifiers (IDs) having a shorter bit-length than the global prefixes. The context IDs may then be distributed into the local computer network, and the one or more border routers convert between the context IDs and the global prefixes, accordingly. | 01-31-2013 |
20130028104 | ESTIMATED TRANSMISSION OVERHEAD (ETO) METRICS FOR VARIABLE DATA RATE COMMUNICATION LINKS - In one embodiment, an expected transmission count (ETX) link metric is computed for a link between a transmitter and a receiver in a communication network, the ETX representative of an expected number of transmissions necessary for a message to be successfully received by the receiver over the link, and a data rate of the link at which the ETX is computed is also determined. From these, an estimated transmission overhead (ETO) link metric for the link may be computed by dividing the ETX by the data rate. In one embodiment, the data rate of the link may be adjusted based on the ETO (e.g., to minimize the ETO). In another embodiment, routes through the communication network may be selected based on ETO values along the route. | 01-31-2013 |
20130028140 | USING SERVICE DISCOVERY TO BUILD ROUTING TOPOLOGIES - In one embodiment, a particular route optimizing device of a computer network (e.g., an NMS or a device in the network) discovers one or more registered services for the computer network, the registered services indicating one or more corresponding routing characteristics associated with the respective registered service. By comparing the one or more service-related routing characteristics with a current routing characteristic of a routing topology of the computer network (where the routing topology built based on a current routing topology strategy), it can be determined whether to update the routing topology strategy based on the comparison. In response to determining to update the routing topology strategy, one or more devices in the computer network may then be informed of an updated routing topology strategy and associated service-related routing characteristics, where the one or more devices are configured to update the routing topology based on the updated routing topology strategy, accordingly. | 01-31-2013 |
20130028143 | REDUCED TOPOLOGY ROUTING IN SHARED MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a particular node in a shared communication network determines a current path cost in a routing topology from itself to a root node via a current parent node. The particular node also determines a respective path cost from each reachable potential parent node of the particular node to the root node via each potential parent and a respective link metric to each potential parent node. A set of acceptable parent nodes are determined from the potential parent nodes that have a respective path cost that is less than the current path cost plus an acceptable cost increase, and also have a respective link metric that is within an acceptable range. By determining a respective number of child nodes for each acceptable parent node, the particular node may then select a new parent node based on giving preference to those having a greater respective number of child nodes. | 01-31-2013 |
20130031253 | NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SCHEDULING FOR LOW POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a network management system (NMS) determines an intent to initialize a request-response exchange with a plurality of clients in a low power and lossy network (LLN). In response, the NMS adaptively schedules corresponding responses from the clients to distribute the responses across a period of time based on a network state of the LLN. Accordingly, requests may be generated by the NMS with an indication of a corresponding schedule to be used by the clients to respond, and transmitted into the LLN to solicit the responses, which are then received at the NMS according to the indicated schedule. | 01-31-2013 |
20130055383 | COORDINATED DETECTION OF A GREY-HOLE ATTACK IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - In one embodiment, a security device receives one or more first unique identifications of packets sent by a first device to a second device for which a corresponding acknowledgment was purportedly returned by the second device to the first device. The security device also receives one or more second unique identifications of packets received by the second device from the first device and acknowledged by the second device to the first device. By comparing the first and second unique identifications, the security device may then determine whether acknowledgments received by the first device were truly returned from the second device based on whether the first and second unique identifications exactly match. | 02-28-2013 |
20130064072 | PROACTIVE SOURCE-BASED REVERSE PATH VALIDATION IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a network device may receive an indication of a particular future message time, and determines a path validation time that is prior to the particular future message time by an amount at least long enough to detect and report a route change of a path from the network device to a source of the particular future message, wherein the source utilizes the path in reverse to reach the network device for the particular future message. Accordingly, the network device sends, at the path validation time, a keepalive message on the path, where in response to a failure of the keepalive message on the path, the network device repairs the path to the source with a particular route change, and reports the particular route change to the source, e.g., such that in response, the source may transmit the particular future message on the changed path in reverse. | 03-14-2013 |
20130067063 | DYNAMIC KEEPALIVE PARAMETERS FOR REVERSE PATH VALIDATION IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a network device determines a path from itself to a source device in a computer network, where the source device utilizes the path in reverse to reach the network device. Based on determining a reliability of the path in reverse, the network device may dynamically adjust one or more keepalive parameters for keepalive messages sent on the path. Accordingly, the network device may then send keepalive messages on the path based on the dynamically adjusted keepalive parameters. | 03-14-2013 |
20130083658 | CONGESTION-BASED TRAFFIC SHAPING FOR DISTRIBUTED QUEUING IN SHARED-MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a device in a shared-media communication network determines a priority of a packet to be queued at the device, and based on the priority determines a length of time the packet is allowed to be queued before being successfully transmitted. After attempting to successfully transmit the queued packet within the shared-media communication network, in response to reaching a threshold amount of the length of time without having successfully transmitted the queued packet, the device may transmit a “shaping” request to one or more reachable neighbors in the shared-media communication network. Specifically, the shaping request is for a temporary reduction in bandwidth utilization by the reachable neighbors for traffic having a comparatively lesser priority than the priority of the packet. | 04-04-2013 |
20130088999 | ROUTE PREFIX AGGREGATION USING REACHABLE AND NON-REACHABLE ADDRESSES IN A COMPUTER NETWORK - In one embodiment, a network device determines a set of routes to one or more reachable addresses and also a set of no-routes to one or more non-reachable addresses in a computer network. The routes and no-routes may then be aggregated into one or more reachable route prefixes with one or more corresponding non-reachable no-route prefix exceptions. As such, the aggregated combination of route prefixes and no-route prefix exceptions may be utilized by the network device. | 04-11-2013 |
20130094537 | DYNAMIC HOPPING SEQUENCE COMPUTATION IN CHANNEL HOPPING COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a device in a channel hopping communication network independently maintains a slot counter, and computes a channel identification (ID) based on a function having inputs of i) a unique feature of the device, ii) a current slot of the slot counter, and iii) a set of possible channel IDs. Accordingly, the device configures its radio to receive on the computed channel ID for the respective current slot. In another embodiment, the device may determine, for a neighbor device, a current neighbor slot and unique neighbor feature, and correspondingly computes a neighbor channel ID based on the function using the unique neighbor feature, the current neighbor slot, and the set of possible channel IDs. As such, the device configures its radio to transmit on the computed neighbor channel ID for the respective current neighbor slot. | 04-18-2013 |
20130121176 | COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL FOR ENERGY-HARVESTING DEVICES - In one embodiment, an energy-harvesting communication device of a communication network accumulates energy, e.g., electromagnetic energy. Upon detecting that the accumulated energy surpasses a sufficient threshold, the communication device may transmit a message into the communication network using the accumulated energy as an unreliable and unsynchronized broadcast transmission to any available receiver within the communication network. | 05-16-2013 |
20130121331 | ADAPTIVE REOPTIMIZATION RATE FOR UNSTABLE NETWORK TOPOLOGIES - In one embodiment, the network stability of a communication network is determined based on one or more network metrics related to stability, and then based on the network stability, a particular frequency at which to perform route reoptimization is determined, where the frequency inversely corresponds to the network stability. As such, distributed route reoptimization is triggered in the communication network at the adaptively determined frequency. | 05-16-2013 |
20130121335 | DYNAMIC MULTICAST MODE SELECTION IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - In one embodiment, a network device selectively operates according to a sparse multicast mode where the network device stores individual devices interested in one or more multicast groups and distributes corresponding multicast group traffic based on the individual devices. Alternatively, the network device selectively operates according to a dense multicast mode where the network device maintains a list of the one or more multicast groups in which at least one device is interested and distributes corresponding multicast group traffic through broadcasting. By determining one or more resource-related characteristics, the network device may then select between operation in the sparse multicast mode and the dense multicast mode based on the resource-related characteristics. | 05-16-2013 |
20130124883 | ENERGY-BASED FEEDBACK FOR TRANSMISSION RECEPTION IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - In one embodiment, a communication device of a communication network determines its available power level, and also estimates a power requirement to receive an expected transmission from a transmitter of the communication network. By determining whether the available power level is sufficient for the estimated power requirement, the device may correspondingly provide feedback to the transmitter regarding whether the available power level is sufficient for the estimated power requirement (e.g., if insufficient, either ignoring the transmission or returning an explicit reply). In another embodiment, further power conservation may be afforded through a radio-triggered wake-up mechanism. | 05-16-2013 |
20130151563 | NETWORK-BASED DYNAMIC DATA MANAGEMENT - In one embodiment, a router operating in a hierarchically routed computer network may receive collected data from one or more hierarchically lower devices in the network (e.g., hierarchically lower sensors or routers). The collected data may then be converted to aggregated metadata according to a dynamic schema, and the aggregated metadata is stored at the router. The aggregated metadata may also be transmitted to one or more hierarchically higher routers in the network. Queries may then be served by the router based on the aggregated metadata, accordingly. | 06-13-2013 |
20130159479 | QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS) CONFIGURATION IN LOW-POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a distributed intelligence agent (DIA) in a computer network performs deep packet inspection on received packets to determine packet flows, and calculates per-flow service level agreement (SLA) metrics for the packets based on timestamp values placed in the packets by respective origin devices in the computer network. By comparing the SLA metrics to respective SLAs to determine whether the respective SLAs are met, then in response to a particular SLA not being met for a particular flow, the DIA may download determined quality of service (QoS) configuration parameters to one or more visited devices along n calculated paths from a corresponding origin device for the particular flow to the DIA. In addition, in one or more embodiments, the QoS configuration parameters may be adjusted or de-configured based on whether they were successful. | 06-20-2013 |
20130159548 | ASSISTED TRAFFIC ENGINEERING FOR MINIMALISTIC CONNECTED OBJECT NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a distributed intelligence agent (DIA), hosted on a border router that provides access for a computer network to a global computer network, determines a routing topology of the computer network, and also computes a traffic matrix for the computer network based on source and destination addresses of traffic traversing the DIA, the traffic matrix providing an estimate for an amount of traffic on each link of the routing topology. Accordingly, the DIA may determine one or more portions of the routing topology for which traffic engineering (TE) should be applied based on a threshold for traffic loads on the links, and may notify one or more nodes in the computer network to change its respective current next-hop in the routing topology to an alternate next-hop based on a TE solution computed by the DIA. | 06-20-2013 |
20130159550 | ASSISTED INTELLIGENT ROUTING FOR MINIMALISTIC CONNECTED OBJECT NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a distributed intelligence agent (DIA) collects local state information from a plurality of minimalistic connected objects (MCOs) in a computer network, the local state information for each MCO comprising a corresponding neighbor list and a selected next-hop for the respective MCO, where one or more of the MCOs are configured to select their next-hop without any self-optimization. The DIA may then analyze a current routing topology, which is the combined result of the selected next-hops, in comparison to a computed optimal routing topology, and (optionally) in light of required service level agreement (SLA), to determine whether to optimize the current routing topology. In response to determining that the current routing topology should be optimized, the DIA may transmit a unicast routing instruction to one or more individual MCOs to instruct those individual MCOs how to optimize the current routing topology, accordingly. | 06-20-2013 |
20130188471 | RELIABLE PACKET DELIVERY WITH OVERLAY NETWORK (RPDON) - In one embodiment, a device in a computer network establishes a reliable map that defines a set of packet criteria for which reliability is desired over an unreliable link to a peer device. In response to receiving a first packet from the peer device over the unreliable link, the device acknowledges the first packet to the peer device when the first packet matches the packet criteria of the reliable map. Also, in response to receiving a second packet destined via the peer device over the unreliable link, the device buffers the second packet when the second packet matches the packet criteria of the reliable map and retransmits the buffered second packet over the unreliable link to the peer device until acknowledged by the peer device. | 07-25-2013 |
20130188513 | FAST-TRACKING APPROACH FOR BUILDING ROUTING TOPOLOGIES IN FAST-MOVING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a local node in a communication network determines a set of its neighbor nodes, and determines a respective occurrence frequency at which each particular neighbor node is to be probed based on a rate of change in distance between the local node and the particular neighbor node. The local node may then probe each particular neighbor node according to the respective occurrence frequency to determine the rate of change in distance between the local node and each particular neighbor node, and one or more routing metrics for reaching each particular neighbor node. As such, the local node may select, based on the probing, a suitable preferred next-hop node of the set of neighbor nodes for a corresponding routing topology. | 07-25-2013 |
20130191688 | TROUBLESHOOTING ROUTING TOPOLOGY BASED ON A REFERENCE TOPOLOGY - In one embodiment, a computing device (e.g., border router or network management server) transmits a discovery message into a computer network, such as in response to a given trigger. In response to the discovery message, the device receives a unicast reply from each node of a plurality of nodes in the computer network, each reply having a neighbor list of a corresponding node and a selected parent node for the corresponding node. Based on the neighbor lists from the replies and a routing protocol shared by each of the plurality of nodes in the computer network, the device may create a reference topology for the computer network, and based on the selected parent nodes from the replies, may also determine a current topology of the computer network. Accordingly, the device may then compare the current topology to the reference topology to detect anomalies in the current topology. | 07-25-2013 |
20130212212 | APPLICATION CONTEXT TRANSFER FOR DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING RESOURCES - In one embodiment, a universal programming module on a first device collects context and state information from a local application executing on the first device, and provides the context and state information to a context mobility agent on the first device. The context mobility agent establishes a peer-to-peer connection with a second device, and transfers the context and state information to the second device, such that a remote application may be configured to execute according to the transferred context and state information from the first device. In another embodiment, the context mobility agent receives remote context and remote state information from the second device, wherein the remote application had been executing according to the remote context and remote state information, and provides the remote context and remote state information to the universal programming module to configure the local application to execute according to the remote context and remote state information. | 08-15-2013 |
20130215942 | APPLICATION-AWARE DYNAMIC BIT-LEVEL ERROR PROTECTION FOR MODULATION-BASED COMMUNICATION - In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a transmitter) determines a level of error protection of each bit position within symbols of a particular constellation map used for modulation-based communication, and also determines priority levels of application data bits to be placed into a communication frame. Application data bits may then be placed into symbols of the communication frame, where higher priority application data bits are placed into bit positions with greater or equal levels of protection than bit positions into which lower priority application data bits are placed. The communication frame may then be transmitted to one or more receivers with an indication of how to decode the placement of the application data bits within the symbols. In another embodiment, the particular constellation map may be dynamically selected from a plurality of available constellation maps, such as based on communication channel conditions and/or applications generating the data. | 08-22-2013 |
20130219045 | KEEPALIVE MECHANISM TO MAINTAIN LINKS IN A LOSSY ENVIRONMENT - In one embodiment, a particular device determines a selected link from the particular device toward a root device in a computer network, wherein traffic destined away from the root device via the particular device utilizes the selected link in reverse. By monitoring a link quality of the selected link in reverse based on received traffic over the selected link, the particular device may determine whether the link quality is below a lower threshold. In response to the link quality being below the lower threshold, the particular device activates use of keepalive messages from the particular device over the selected link. | 08-22-2013 |
20130219046 | DYNAMIC APPLICATION-AWARE ROUTING TOPOLOGIES - In one embodiment, an application flow of traffic may be detected within a computer network, e.g., by a root node, border router, network management server, etc. Thereafter, one or more traffic requirements of the application flow may be determined, and a corresponding routing topology objective function may be established based on the traffic requirements. Accordingly, creation of a specific routing topology based on the objective function may then be initiated for use with the application flow. | 08-22-2013 |
20130219478 | REDUCED AUTHENTICATION TIMES FOR SHARED-MEDIA NETWORK MIGRATION - In one embodiment, a management device in a computer network determines when nodes of the computer network join any one of a plurality of field area routers (FARs), which requires a shared-media mesh security key for that joined FAR. The management device also maintains a database that indicates to which FAR each node in the computer network is currently joined, and to which FARs, if any, each node had previously joined, where the nodes are configured to maintain the mesh security key for one or more previously joined FARs in order to return to those previously joined FARs with the maintained mesh security key. Accordingly, in response to an updated mesh security key for a particular FAR of the plurality of FARs, the management node initiates distribution of the updated mesh security key to nodes having previously joined that particular FAR that are not currently joined to that particular FAR. | 08-22-2013 |
20130223218 | DYNAMIC DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH (DAG) ROOT BYPASS FOR COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, traffic flows through a root node of a primary directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network are monitored to detect whether a particular traffic flow is above a path cost threshold. If so, then a corresponding source device may be instructed to cease using the primary DAG for the particular traffic flow, and specific action may be taken based on whether the particular traffic flow is point-to-point (P2P) or point-to-multipoint (P2MP). In particular, in response to the particular traffic flow being P2P, a source route may be computed and sent to the source device to cause the source device to use the source route for the particular traffic flow, while in response to the particular traffic flow being P2MP, the source device may be instructed to create a secondary DAG for the particular traffic flow with the source device as the secondary DAG root. | 08-29-2013 |
20130223225 | COMPUTING RISK-SHARING METRICS IN SHARED-MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a routing node determines a risk-sharing metric between pairs of nodes in a shared-media communication network, and may then compute a plurality of routes that minimizes the risk-sharing metric between the routes, to correspondingly route traffic according to the computed plurality of routes. Additionally, in another embodiment, a particular node in the shared-media communication network may determine a risk-sharing metric between itself and each of one or more other nodes in the shared-media communication network. The particular node may then share the one or more determined risk-sharing metrics with one or more routing nodes in the shared-media communication network, accordingly. | 08-29-2013 |
20130223229 | PATH SELECTION BASED ON HOP METRIC DISTRIBUTIONS - In one embodiment, a network device determines, for each particular path of a plurality of paths in a computer network, a hop metric distribution that indicates, for each interval of the hop metric distribution, a number of hops along the particular path that have a hop metric value within a corresponding interval. As such, the device may then select a path from the plurality of paths that minimizes the number of hops with correspondingly poor hop metric values along the selected path based on the hop metric distribution, and may forward traffic on the selected path, accordingly. | 08-29-2013 |
20130223237 | DIVERSE PATHS USING A SINGLE SOURCE ROUTE IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a source device determines a source route from itself to a destination device in a computer network, and forwards a first packet on the source route with the source route included within the first packet. In addition, the source device generates a second packet with the source route included within the second packet, the second packet also including an indication to cause one or more of a plurality of transit devices to forward the second packet to a reachable 1-hop neighbor of a device in the source route two hops away from the respective transit device. The source device may then forward the second packet itself, as do one the one or more transit devices on a diverse path based on the source route, to a particular reachable 1-hop neighbor of a particular device in the source route two hops away from the source (or transit) device. | 08-29-2013 |
20130223275 | ON-DEMAND DIVERSE PATH COMPUTATION FOR LIMITED VISIBILITY COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a source device detects a packet flow that meets criteria for multi-path forwarding, and forwards a probe packet on a primary path from the source device to a destination device, the probe packet carrying an indication to cause a plurality of transit devices along the primary path to add their respective local neighbor topology to the forwarded probe packet, and also to cause the destination device to compute a diverse path from the primary path based on the accumulated local neighbor topologies in the probe packet. Accordingly, the source device may receive a returned diverse path as computed by the destination device in response to the probe packet, and may thus forward the packet flow on the primary path and the diverse path from the source device to the destination device according to the multi-path forwarding. | 08-29-2013 |
20130227055 | MANAGING FATE-SHARING IN SHARED-MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a management device receives one or more fate-sharing reports locally generated by one or more corresponding reporting nodes in a shared-media communication network, the fate-sharing reports indicating a degree of localized fate-sharing between one or more pairs of nodes local to the corresponding reporting nodes. The management device may then determine, globally from aggregating the fate-sharing reports, one or more fate-sharing groups indicating sets of nodes having a global degree of fate-sharing within the communication network. As such, the management device may then advertise the fate-sharing groups within the communication network, wherein nodes of the communication network are configured to select a plurality of next-hops that minimizes fate-sharing between the plurality of next-hops. | 08-29-2013 |
20130227114 | HIERARCHICAL SCHEMA TO PROVIDE AN AGGREGATED VIEW OF DEVICE CAPABILITIES IN A NETWORK - In one embodiment, an aggregation device within a computer network domain receives one or more capability messages from one or more devices in the computer network domain. The aggregation device may then aggregate device capabilities from the capability messages, and provides the aggregated device capabilities to a management device located outside of the computer network domain. | 08-29-2013 |
20130227336 | EFFICIENT LINK REPAIR MECHANISM TRIGGERED BY DATA TRAFFIC - In one embodiment, an intermediate device transmits a data message away from a root device toward a receiver device in a computer network, the data message transmitted by utilizing, in reverse, a link that had been previously selected by the receiver device toward the root device. In response to detecting that the data message did not reach the receiver device, a discovery message is may be sent to one or more neighbor devices, wherein the discovery message carries an identification (ID) of the receiver device and a discovery scope indicating how many hops the discovery message is allowed to traverse to reach the receiver device, and wherein the receiver device, upon receiving the discovery message, triggers a local link repair of the link from the receiver device toward the root device. | 08-29-2013 |
20130232193 | Control-Plane Interface Between Layers in a Multilayer Network - In one embodiment, information is exchanged between independent control planes of different layers in a multilayer network, such as, but not limited to, between a packet switching client-layer network and an optical server-layer network. This exchanged information includes signaling regarding a server-layer communications service, having server-layer characteristics, within the server-layer network for use in communicatively coupling at least two devices of the client-layer network. In one embodiment, the client-layer network specifies at least one of these server-layer characteristics that the server-layer communications service provided by the server-layer network must have. In one embodiment, the server-layer network signal to the client-layer network at least one of these server-layer characteristics of the existing server-layer communications service. In one embodiment, this signaling between the client-layer network and the server-layer network includes sending extended Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) messages. | 09-05-2013 |
20130235716 | DYNAMIC PROTECTION AGAINST FAILURE OF A HEAD-END NODE OF ONE OR MORE TE-LSPS - In one embodiment, a repair label switched path (LSP) is established for a primary LSP having a head-end node. The repair LSP extends from a neighboring upstream node of the head-end node to a downstream neighboring node of the head-end node. When a failure of the head-end node is detected, the neighboring upstream node reroutes traffic onto the repair LSP. The rerouted traffic rejoins the primary LSP at the down-stream neighboring node. The neighboring upstream node refreshes state of the primary LSP to maintain the primary LSP after failure of the head-end node. | 09-12-2013 |
20130250754 | PROACTIVE TIMER-BASED LOCAL REPAIR PATH COMMUNICATION IN REACTIVE ROUTING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, an intermediate device may determine a source route in use from a source to a destination in a reactive routing computer network, and may also determine a request to provide local repair for the source route for duration of a timer set by the source. In response to the request (e.g., and in response to a poor/failed connection), the device may discover a local repair path based on a limited-scope discovery, and maintains the local repair path for the source route until expiration of the timer. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250808 | BUILDING ALTERNATE ROUTES IN REACTIVE ROUTING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, an intermediate node in a computer network may receive one or more reactive routing route requests (RREQs) from an originating node and, based on those RREQs, may build a first directed acyclic graph (DAG) in the computer network that may be rooted at the originating node. The intermediate node may then forward the RREQs towards a target node in the computer network. The intermediate node may then receive one or more reactive routing route responses (RREPs) from the target node. Based on those RREPs, the intermediate node may then build a second DAG in the computer network that may be rooted at the target node. The intermediate node may then forward the RREPs towards the originating node. In this manner, the intermediate node may then forward traffic from the originating node toward the target node according to the second DAG (with alternate routes to the target node). | 09-26-2013 |
20130250809 | REGION-BASED ROUTE DISCOVERY IN REACTIVE ROUTING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a region anchor node may receive a unicasted route request (RREQ) for a target node. The region anchor node may then flood the RREQ to a region within which it resides. Subsequently, the region anchor node may receive one or more reactive routing route replies (RREPs) returned by the target node within the region. Based on the RREPs, the region anchor node may build one or more region routes from the region anchor node to the target node, and returns the one or more region routes to the originator node to cause the originator node to concatenate the one or more region routes and the unicast route of the original RREQ to form a path from the originator node to the to target node. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250811 | DYNAMIC DIVISION OF ROUTING DOMAINS IN REACTIVE ROUTING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a reactive routing network may be dynamically divided into reactive routing network sub-domains that comprise a plurality of nodes having bounded route request (RREQ) scopes (e.g., search-domains) that are limited to a particular path length. The transit node in a first reactive routing network sub-domain may receive a RREQ from an originating node within the first reactive routing network sub-domain for a target node determined by the originating node to be beyond the bounded RREQ scope of the originating node. The transit node may then discover a route from the transit node to the target node, and return the route to the originating node. In this manner, the transit node may establish a complete route between the originating node and the target node. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250866 | FULL-DUPLEX CAPACITY ALLOCATION FOR OFDM-BASED COMMUNICATION - In one embodiment, device determines a quantity of subcarriers available for data frame transmission and data frame receipt based on information included in an acknowledgement data frame. The device transmits a first data frame over at least one of the subcarriers and includes information associated with one or more additional data frames pending transmission. The device then receives a second data frame, subsequent to transmission of the first data frame, and determines a quantity of subcarriers available for transmission of the one or more additional data frames pending transmission based on the information included in the second data frame. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250945 | PROACTIVE LINK-ESTIMATION IN REACTIVE ROUTING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a node in a computer network may receive one or more reactive routing route requests (RREQs) originated by an originating node, and may then identify one or more links that provide routes to the originating node based on the RREQs. The node may then determine one or more particular links within the one or more links for which to perform proactive link-estimation, and then perform proactive link-estimation on the one or more particular links. Optionally, the node may also maintain a number of the particular links that were subject to proactive link-estimation for a period of time. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250953 | ALLOWING A SINGLE TRANSMITTER TO TRANSMIT MULTIPLE DATA FRAMES IN OFDM COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a transmitting device may determine a first data frame to a first destination and a second data frame to a second destination, and may assign subcarriers in a non-overlapping arrangement to the first and second data frames. Once assigned, the transmitting device may augment a transmission physical (PHY) header with a destination and tone map tuple for each of the first and second destinations, and transmits the transmission with the first and second data frames simultaneously on the assigned subcarriers. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250969 | OPTIMIZING THROUGHPUT OF DATA FRAMES IN ORTHOGONAL FREQUENCY DIVISION MULTIPLEXING (OFDM) COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a device maintains a predetermined number of high-priority subcarriers for use in communicating high-priority data frames and a predetermined number of low-priority subcarriers for use in communicating low-priority data frames. A data frame is received and a data frame priority is determined for the data frame. If the data frame is determined to be a low-priority data frame, a minimum number of subcarriers, from the low-priority subcarriers, required for communication of the data frame is determined and the data frame is communicated using the minimum number of subcarriers. If the data frame is determined to be a high-priority data frame, a maximum number of subcarriers available, including the high-priority subcarriers and the low-priority subcarriers, is determined and the data frame is communicated using the maximum number of subcarriers. | 09-26-2013 |
20130251053 | REDUCING THE IMPACT OF SUBCARRIER QUALITY EVALUATION - In one embodiment, a device may select, based on an optimal tone map, a particular subcarrier for use when transmitting a data frame, the data frame to serve as a tone map request (TMREQ). The device may then populate one or more unused quality subcarriers of the TMREQ data frame other than the particular subcarrier with a well-known bit sequence, and transmits the TMREQ data frame to a receiving device to cause the receiving device to evaluate transmission quality of the one or more unused quality subcarriers based on the well-known bit sequence. | 09-26-2013 |
20130251054 | DYNAMIC SUBCARRIER UTILIZATION AND INTELLIGENT TRANSMISSION SCHEDULING - In one embodiment, a transmitting device monitors transmission activity of each of a plurality of subcarriers in a communication network, and determines a set of unutilized subcarriers of the plurality of subcarriers. As such, the transmitting device may then transmit a data frame on one or more of the unutilized subcarriers to a receiving device while transmission activity is present on one or more utilized subcarriers within the network. In another embodiment, the transmitting device may also determine timing information associated with the transmission activity, and may correspondingly schedule the transmitting to optimize network performance based on the timing information. | 09-26-2013 |
20130279540 | ON-DEMAND PAIR-WISE FREQUENCY-HOPPING SYNCHRONIZATION - In one embodiment, a device receives and stores a broadcast schedule, and may determine whether a neighbor unicast listening schedule is available for a neighboring device. If so, the device may transmit a data frame to the neighboring device pursuant to the neighbor unicast listening schedule. If a neighbor unicast listening schedule is not available, the device may transmit the data frame to the neighboring device pursuant to a broadcast schedule. Once the data frame is received by the neighboring device, pursuant to the neighbor unicast listening schedule or the broadcast schedule, an acknowledgement may be received from the neighboring device, which may include an updated neighbor unicast listening schedule for that neighboring device. | 10-24-2013 |
20130336103 | INTER-DOMAIN SIGNALING TO UPDATE REMOTE PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENTS AFTER A CALL SET-UP FAILURE - In one embodiment, a router in a non-originating domain receives a signal to establish a tunnel, the signal having an identification (ID) of an originating path computation element (PCE) of an originating domain from where the signal to establish the tunnel originated. In response to determining that establishment of the tunnel fails, the router may signal the failure of the establishment to a local PCE of the non-originating domain, the signaling indicating the ID of the originating PCE to cause the local PCE to provide updated routing information of the non-originating domain to the originating PCE. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336107 | DYNAMICALLY TRIGGERED TRAFFIC ENGINEERING ROUTING ADVERTISEMENTS IN STATEFUL PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT ENVIRONMENTS - In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a path computation element, PCE) monitors a tunnel set-up failure rate within a computer network, and determines whether to adjust an accuracy of routing information based on the tunnel set-up failure rate. For instance, the tunnel set-up failure rate being above a first threshold indicates a need for greater accuracy. In response to the tunnel set-up failure rate being above the first threshold, the device may then instruct one or more routers to shorten their routing update interval in the computer network. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336108 | GLOBAL STATE RESYNCHRONIZATION FOR PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT FAILURE DURING A REOPTIMIZATION PROCESS - In one embodiment, a router initiates reroutes of one or more tunnels at the router as part of optimization of a plurality of tunnels in a computer network, and stores an original state of the one or more tunnels at the router prior to the optimization. By detecting whether path computation element (PCE) failure occurs prior to completion of the optimization, the router may revert to the original state of the one or more tunnels in response to PCE failure prior to completion of the optimization. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336109 | ORDERED FLOODING REQUESTS FOR PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENTS - In one embodiment, a stateful path computation element (PCE) in a computer network determines a need to route at least a threshold number of tunnels, and in response, triggers a routing update from a determined set of routers. Having updated the routing information and available network resources for the set of routers, the stateful PCE may then compute the tunnels based on the update. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336116 | CONGESTION-BASED NOTIFICATION DURING FAST REROUTE OPERATIONS IN STATEFUL PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT ENVIRONMENTS - In one embodiment, once activation of use of a backup tunnel is detected for a primary tunnel, then a level of congestion of the path of the backup tunnel may be determined. In response to the level being greater than a threshold, a head-end node of the primary tunnel is triggered to reroute the primary tunnel (e.g., requesting to a path computation element). Conversely, in response to the level not being greater than the threshold, the backup tunnel is allowed to remain activated. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336126 | TIME-BASED SCHEDULING FOR TUNNELS COMPUTED BY A STATEFUL PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT - In one embodiment, a path computation element (PCE) in a computer network receives one or more path computation requests (PCReqs), and records a time of each PCReq and the corresponding requested bandwidth. Based on this information, the PCE may determine a traffic profile of the computer network, and may augment a traffic engineering database (TED) with requested bandwidth according to time based on the traffic profile. As such, prior to a particular time, the PCE may determine placement of tunnels within the traffic profile for the particular time. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336159 | DISTRIBUTED STATEFUL PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT OVERLAY ARCHITECTURE - In one embodiment, a particular device in a computer network maintains a locally owned tunnel-state table, and joins a distributed hash table (DHT) ring. In addition, the locally owned tunnel-state table is shared with other devices of the DHT ring to establish a DHT-owned tunnel-state table. The particular device (and other devices) determines ownership of link-state advertisements (LSAs) for a specific portion of a traffic engineering database (TED) according to the DHT ring. As such, when the particular device (or any device) computes a path for a tunnel using a local TED, the particular device may request permission to use resources along the computed path that were advertised in particular LSAs from owners of those particular LSAs when not owned by the particular device. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336316 | RELIABLE ON-DEMAND DISTRIBUTED DATA MANAGEMENT IN A SENSOR-ACTUATOR FABRIC - In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes in a computer network, the minimalistic data collection nodes configured to generate sensed data values of a particular type and to communicate the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values. The system also comprises a plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network, the capable data collecting nodes configured to store the data values of the minimalistic data collection nodes from the DA packets. One or more points of use of the system may be configured to request the data values, wherein one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the system are configured to service the request in substantially real-time on behalf of the minimalistic data collection nodes with the stored data values. | 12-19-2013 |
20140006893 | Repeater Nodes in Shared Media Networks | 01-02-2014 |
20140016643 | DIVERSE PATH FORWARDING THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR - In one embodiment, a node determines an intention to transmit a diversely forwarded packet through a computer network, and as such, transmits a first version of the packet having a packet identifier (ID) and a first distinguisher value to a first next-hop node, and transmits a second version of the packet having the same packet ID and a second distinguisher value different from the first distinguisher value to a second next-hop node different from the first next-hop node. In another embodiment, a next-hop node that receives the packet determines whether any previously received packet at the next-hop node had a same packet ID and a different distinguisher value. In response to determining that no previously received packet has the same packet ID and different distinguisher value, the next-hop node stores the packet ID and the distinguisher value, and forwards the packet to a selected next-hop node. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016644 | PROPAGATION OF ROUTING INFORMATION IN RSVP-TE FOR INTER-DOMAIN TE-LSPs - In one embodiment, a traffic engineering (TE) label switched path (LSP) is established between a head-end node in a local domain and a tail-end node in a remote domain. The TE-LSP spans one or more intervening domains located between the local domain and the remote domain. The head-end node sends a routing information request over the TE-LSP to a target node on the TE-LSP that is in the remote domain. The head end node receives routing information from the target node. The received routing information includes a list of address prefixes reachable by the target node. The head end node uses the received routing information to calculate routes reachable via the TE-LSP to the target node. The calculated routes have a next-hop interface set to be the TE-LSP. The calculated routes are inserted into a routing table of the head-end node. | 01-16-2014 |
20140022906 | SELECTIVE TOPOLOGY ROUTING FOR DISTRIBUTED DATA COLLECTION - In one embodiment, a device, such as a network management server, determines a traffic matrix of a mesh network, where the traffic matrix indicates an amount of traffic per type of traffic transitioning between the mesh network and a global computer network via one or more current root devices. One or more optimized root devices may then be selected for corresponding directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) based on the amount of traffic and type of traffic. As such, a DAG formation request may be transmitted to the selected root devices, carrying a characteristic for a corresponding DAG to form by the respective selected root devices that indicates which one or more types of traffic correspond to the corresponding DAG. | 01-23-2014 |
20140029432 | FEEDBACK-BASED TUNING OF CONTROL PLANE TRAFFIC BY PROACTIVE USER TRAFFIC OBSERVATION - In one embodiment, a management device may determine whether user traffic in a computer network is suffering from insufficient network resources. In response to user traffic suffering from insufficient network resources, the device may then trigger the computer network to reduce control plane traffic. In another embodiment, a network device may transmit control plane traffic into a computer network at a first rate. In response to receiving instructions to reduce control plane traffic due to user traffic suffering from insufficient network resources, the device may then transmit control plane traffic into the computer network at a reduced second rate. | 01-30-2014 |
20140029445 | ROUTING USING CACHED SOURCE ROUTES FROM MESSAGE HEADERS - In one embodiment, an intermediate node of a computer network can receive a message intended for a destination. The message can include a header indicating a source route. The intermediate node can determine a routing entry for a routing entry for the destination associated with a next hop based on the source route and cache the routing entry. The intermediate node can further receive a second message intended for the destination that does not indicate the next hop, and transmit the second message according to the cached routing entry. | 01-30-2014 |
20140029610 | MANAGING GREY ZONES OF UNREACHABLE NODES IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a node (e.g., a root-node) of a currently known directed acyclic graph (DAG) topology of a computer network can identify a sub-DAG of one or more nodes that are unreachable. The node can further determine a scope of the unreachable nodes of the sub-DAG and tunnel a redirected message to a reachable node of the DAG topology that is adjacent to at least one of the unreachable nodes of the sub-DAG. The redirected message may cause the reachable node to distribute the redirected message to one or more of the unreachable nodes of the sub-DAG based on the scope. | 01-30-2014 |
20140029624 | REACTIVE AND PROACTIVE ROUTING PROTOCOL INTEROPERATION IN LOW POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a border node between a reactive routing network and a proactive routing network may receive an inter-domain route request (RREQ) from a requestor for a destination, and determines whether it knows the destination. In response to knowing the destination, the border node responds to the requestor. However, in response to not knowing the destination at the border node, when the border node is ingressing the inter-domain RREQ into the proactive routing network, it sends the inter-domain RREQ to each other border node of the proactive routing network. Alternatively, when the border node is ingressing the inter-domain RREQ into the reactive routing network, it sends the inter-domain RREQ into the reactive routing network. | 01-30-2014 |
20140036908 | RECORDING PACKET ROUTES USING BLOOM FILTERS - In one embodiment, a Bloom filter is provided in a data packet signal functional to preferably encode the identifier of each nodal device and record the nodal hop count the signal traverses across in a computer network. The Bloom filter provided in a data packet signal has one or more fields. The recorded nodal path may updated en-route as the data packet traverses a nodal path in the computer network and/or the order of nodes traversed by the data packet in the computer network are encoded in the bloom filter. | 02-06-2014 |
20140036912 | MULTICAST GROUP ASSIGNMENT USING PROBABILISTIC APPROXIMATIONS - In one embodiment, a source node (e.g., responsible node) determines a plurality of destination nodes of a message, and generates a probabilistic data structure that encodes each of the plurality of destination nodes without any false negatives and with zero or more false positives. The source node may then transmit the message with the probabilistic data structure toward the plurality of destination nodes, wherein nodes receiving the message interpret the probabilistic data structure to determine whether the receiving node is probabilistically one of the intended plurality of destination nodes. | 02-06-2014 |
20140036925 | COMPRESSING DATA PACKET ROUTING INFORMATION USING BLOOM FILTERS - In one embodiment, a Transit Information Bloom Filter (TIBF) signal component is generated for use with a routing protocol control message, the TIBF signal component identifying at least one parent node for a corresponding routing topology. The TIBF signal component is encoded in a generated Bloom filter. The parameters of the generated Bloom filter are based at least on one parent node to be encoded and a desired false positive rate for the Bloom filter. The address for each parent node is also encoded in the Bloom filter. | 02-06-2014 |
20140092753 | TRAFFIC-BASED QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS) MONITORING IN HIGHLY CONSTRAINED NETWORKS - In one embodiment, one or more monitoring nodes may monitor network traffic within a computer network, and dynamically identify one or more paths within the network that specifically require performance monitoring based on one or more traffic criteria triggered by the monitoring. The one or more paths may each include one or more path nodes. The one or more monitoring nodes may then request that the one or more path nodes initiate transmission of performance indicia, which may allow the one or more monitoring nodes to monitor the performance of the one or more paths based on the performance indicia received at the one or more monitoring nodes. | 04-03-2014 |
20140092769 | DYNAMIC MULTI-PATH FORWARDING FOR SHARED-MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a quality of one or more links of a particular node in a communication network may be determined, and then whether the quality of the one or more links is below a threshold may also be determined. In response to determining that the quality of at least one of the one or more links is above the threshold, a select one of the at least one of the one or more links with quality above the threshold may be utilized for communication with the particular node. Conversely, in response to determining that the quality of each of the one or more links is below the threshold, multi-path forwarding over a plurality of links of the particular node may be utilized for communication with the particular node. | 04-03-2014 |
20140092905 | ROUTING MESSAGES IN A COMPUTER NETWORK USING DETERMINISTIC AND PROBABILISTIC SOURCE ROUTES - In one embodiment, a data packet message is provided which includes a routing header configured to accommodate both a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route for encoding a nodal source route. The nodal source route is selectively encoded with one or both of a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route based upon one or more predetermined criteria. | 04-03-2014 |
20140095864 | REDUCED AUTHENTICATION TIMES IN CONSTRAINED COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a capable node in a low power and lossy network (LLN) may monitor the authentication time for one or more nodes in the LLN. The capable node may dynamically correlate the authentication time with the location of the one or more nodes in the LLN in order to identify one or more authentication-delayed nodes. The node may then select, based on the location of the one or more authentication-delayed nodes, one or more key-delegation nodes to receive one or more network keys so that the key-delegation nodes may perform localized authentication of one or more of the authentication-delayed nodes. The capable node may then distribute the one or more network keys to the one or more key-delegation nodes. | 04-03-2014 |
20140105015 | NETWORK TRAFFIC SHAPING FOR LOW POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, data packet messages are received in a Field Area Router (FAR) sent from one or more sources toward one or more destination devices in a Low-Power Lossy Network (LLN). An LLN routing topology for the data packet messages is interpolated in the FAR. An expected time for the data packet messages to reach a destination device in the LLN is determined based upon the routing topology interpolation. Traffic shaping is applied by thse FAR for the data packet messages based upon the determined expected time for the data packet messages to reach destination devices in the LLN. | 04-17-2014 |
20140105027 | TRANSMISSION PRIORITY PATHS IN MESH NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a node may determine a trigger for establishing transmission priority on a path through a shared-media communication network for priority traffic to a particular node. As such, the node may generate a path clear message (PCM) that would instruct one or more receiving nodes along the path to suspend transmission for traffic other than the priority traffic for a specified duration, and also to transmit a local non-repeated distributed message to one or more neighbor nodes of each respective receiving node, the local non-repeated distributed message to instruct the neighbor nodes to suspend transmission for the specified duration. After transmitting the PCM along the path to the particular node to establish the transmission priority for the priority traffic along the path through the shared-media network, the priority traffic may be transmitted to the particular node along the path during the transmission priority. | 04-17-2014 |
20140105033 | DUPLICATING TRAFFIC ALONG LOCAL DETOURS BEFORE PATH REMERGE TO INCREASE PACKET DELIVERY - In one embodiment, a source node monitors a quality of a primary link, and forwards one or more duplicate copies of a packet in response to poor quality of the primary link. Specifically, forwarding generally comprises transmitting a first copy of the packet on the primary link with an indication of duplicate copies, and transmitting a second copy of the packet on a backup link with an indication of duplicate copies. In another embodiment, an intermediate node receives a first copy of a packet with an indication of duplicate copies, and stores an identifier of the first copy of the packet in response to the indication. Upon receiving a second copy of the packet with the indication of duplicate copies, the node determines whether the identifier of the second copy matches the stored identifier of the first copy, such that in response to a match, the second copy is dropped. | 04-17-2014 |
20140105211 | ELIMINATING IPV6 NEIGHBOR SOLICITATIONS IN CONSTRAINED COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, the techniques herein provide that a node may receive a packet from a neighboring node in a low power and lossy network (LLN). The node may then extract, from the packet, a link-layer source address from a link layer header and an internet protocol (IP) source address from an IP header. The node may then determine whether the neighboring node originated the packet and, based on that determination, the node may correlate the link-layer source address with the IP source address to provide neighbor discovery. | 04-17-2014 |
20140108643 | MAINTAINING AND COMMUNICATING NODAL NEIGHBORING INFORMATION - In one embodiment, a nodal device receives information from each of its neighboring nodes in a network. The information identifies a link quality between the nodal device and each of its neighboring nodes. The link quality information is stored in one or more bloom filters in the nodal device such that a table having a compressed format is provided in the bloom filter. The table includes probabilistic identifiers to identify link quality between the nodal device and each of its neighboring nodes. | 04-17-2014 |
20140122673 | Dynamic Address Assignment for Address Aggregation in Low Power and Lossy Networks - A node in a Low power and Lossy Network (LLN) is managed by monitoring a routing configuration on a node in a LLN. A triggering parameter that is used to invoke an address change on a child node is tracked and a threshold against which to compare the triggering parameter is accessed. The triggering parameter is compared to the threshold. Based on results of comparing the triggering parameter to the threshold, it is determined that an address change at the child node is appropriate. An address change of a child node appearing in the routing configuration is invoked based on the determination that an address change is appropriate. | 05-01-2014 |
20140126348 | IP PACKET TRANSMISSION USING VEHICULAR TRANSPORT - In one embodiment, a first stationary router may detect a disconnected backhaul link to a destination. In response to detecting the disconnected backhaul link, the first stationary router may send a message to a first traveling mobile device, to cause the message to be sent toward the destination via a second stationary router. The second stationary router may receive the message from the first traveling mobile device, and in response to forwarding the message to the destination over its connected backhaul link, may send an acknowledgment toward the first stationary router via a second traveling mobile device. The first stationary router may then, in response to receiving the acknowledgment, cease sending copies of the message to other traveling mobile devices. | 05-08-2014 |
20140126354 | SEAMLESS MULTIPATH RETRANSMISSION USING SOURCE-ROUTED TUNNELS - In one embodiment, a device receives a destination unreachable message originated by a particular node along a first source route, the message carrying an encapsulated packet as received by the particular node. In response, the device may determine a failed link along the first source route based on a tunnel header and the particular node. Once determining an alternate source route without the failed link, the device may re-encapsulate and re-transmit the original packet on an alternate source route with a new tunnel header indicating the alternate source route (e.g., and a new hop limit count for the tunnel header and an adjusted hop limit count in the original packet). | 05-08-2014 |
20140126423 | ENABLING DYNAMIC ROUTING TOPOLOGIES IN SUPPORT OF REAL-TIME DELAY TRAFFIC - In one embodiment, a device determines a set of sources and used destinations for traffic in a computer network, where nodes of the network are configured to send all traffic to the used destinations through a root node of the computer network according to a directed acyclic graph (DAG). The device may then also determine a set of capable nodes as common ancestors to source-destination pairs that provide a more optimal path between the source-destination pairs than traversing the root node, and instructs the set of capable nodes to store downward routes to forward traffic for one or more of the used destinations according to the stored downward route rather than through the root node. | 05-08-2014 |
20140126426 | MINTREE-BASED ROUTING IN HIGHLY CONSTRAINED NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a capable node in a computer network may host a path computation element, receive one or more neighborhood discovery messages including neighborhood information from a plurality of nodes in the computer network, and compute a minimum spanning tree (MinTree) for the computer network based on the neighborhood information. The MinTree may divide the plurality of nodes in the computer network into a first subset of routing nodes and a second subset of host nodes. The first subset of routing nodes may form one or more interconnected paths of routing nodes within the MinTree, and each host node within the second subset of host nodes may be located within one hop of at least one routing node. The capable node may then communicate a MinTree message to the plurality of nodes in the computer network to build the MinTree by enabling routing on each routing node. | 05-08-2014 |
20140126431 | INTERFACING WITH LOW-POWER AND LOSSY NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a client device determines when it is coupled to an IoT/LLN device to establish and enable an IP link between a headset interface on the client device and a signal interface on the IoT/LLN device. Once the IP link is established, a duplex data signal is transmitted between the client device and the IoT/LLN device, via the IP link. | 05-08-2014 |
20140126610 | FAST FREQUENCY-HOPPING SCHEDULE RECOVERY - In one embodiment, a device determines a need to resynchronize a broadcast and unicast frequency-hopping schedules on its network interface. In response to the need, the device may solicit the broadcast schedule from one or more neighbor devices having the synchronized broadcast schedule, and then establishes the unicast schedule for the network interface using communication during the synchronized broadcast schedule. | 05-08-2014 |
20140129734 | PUSH-BASED SHORT-CUT REQUESTS WITHIN A DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH - In one embodiment, a root of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) may determine transmission of critical traffic from a first device to a second device in a computer network using the DAG, and may also determine a maximum tolerable delay of the critical traffic. As such, the root may compute, based on a known topology of the computer network, a constrained shortest path first (CSPF) point-to-point (P2P) path from the first device to the second device to meet the maximum tolerable delay. The root may then inform the first device of the P2P path to the second device to cause the first device to use the P2P path for the critical traffic. | 05-08-2014 |
20140129876 | ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS IN A SENSOR-ACTUATOR FABRIC OF A CONNECTED ENVIRONMENT - In one embodiment, the techniques herein provide that a node may receive indicia of a fault state in one or more components of a computer network. Based on the indicia, the node may then identify a network dependency group including a plurality of network components that are hierarchically associated with the one or more components. The node may then receive, from a database, a time series of performance data values corresponding to the network dependency group, wherein the time series comprises performance data values from before and after the onset of the fault state. The node may then identify altered performance data values in the time series comprising values which differ before and after onset of the fault state, and then determine a root cause of the fault state by identifying one or more particular components within the network dependency group that are associated with the altered performance data values. | 05-08-2014 |
20140136881 | MANAGING FATE-SHARING IN SHARED-MEDIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a management device receives one or more fate-sharing reports locally generated by one or more corresponding reporting nodes in a shared-media communication network, the fate-sharing reports indicating a degree of localized fate-sharing between one or more pairs of nodes local to the corresponding reporting nodes. The management device may then determine, globally from aggregating the fate-sharing reports, one or more fate-sharing groups indicating sets of nodes having a global degree of fate-sharing within the communication network. As such, the management device may then advertise the fate-sharing groups within the communication network, wherein nodes of the communication network are configured to select a plurality of next-hops that minimizes fate-sharing between the plurality of next-hops. | 05-15-2014 |
20140219078 | BINARY SEARCH-BASED APPROACH IN ROUTING-METRIC AGNOSTIC TOPOLOGIES FOR NODE SELECTION TO ENABLE EFFECTIVE LEARNING MACHINE MECHANISMS - In one embodiment, nodes are polled in a network for Quality of Service (QoS) measurements, and a QoS anomaly that affects a plurality of potentially faulty nodes is detected based on the QoS measurements. A path, which traverses the plurality of potentially faulty nodes, is then computed from a first endpoint to a second endpoint. Also, a median node that is located at a point along the path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is computed. Time-stamped packets are received from the median node, and the first endpoint and the second endpoint of the path are updated based on the received time-stamped packets, such that an amount of potentially faulty nodes is reduced. Then, the faulty node is identified from a reduced amount of potentially faulty nodes. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219103 | MIXED CENTRALIZED/DISTRIBUTED ALGORITHM FOR RISK MITIGATION IN SPARSELY CONNECTED NETWORKS - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to a mixed centralized/distributed algorithm for risk mitigation in sparsely connected networks. In particular, in one embodiment, a management node determines one or more weak point nodes in a shared-media communication network, where a weak point node is a node traversed by a relatively high amount of traffic as compared to other nodes in the network. In response to determining that a portion of the traffic can be routed over an alternate acceptable node, the management node instructs the portion of traffic to reroute over the alternate acceptable node. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219114 | REMOTE PROBING FOR REMOTE QUALITY OF SERVICE MONITORING - In one embodiment, a targeted node in a computer network receives a probe generation request (PGR), and in response, generates a link-local multicast PGR (PGR-Local) carrying instructions for generating probes based on the PGR. The targeted node then transmits the PGR-Local to neighbors of the targeted node to cause one or more of the neighbors to generate and transmit probes to a collection device in the computer network according to the PGR-Local instructions. In another embodiment, a particular node in a computer network receives a link-local multicast probe generation request (PGR-Local) from a targeted node in the computer network, the targeted node having received the PGR-Local from a remote device, and determines how to generate probes based on instructions carried within the PGR-Local before sending one or more probes to a collection device in the computer network according to the PGR-Local instructions. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219133 | PROACTIVE AND SELECTIVE TIME-STAMPING OF PACKET HEADERS BASED ON QUALITY OF SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND NODE LOCATION - In one embodiment, a message is received at a node in a network indicating that the node is classified as a critical node, and requesting the node to proactively time-stamp data packets. Data packets are received from one or more child nodes of the node, and the node selects a data packet of the received data packets to time-stamp. Then, the node proactively inserts a time-stamp in the selected data packet. The time-stamped data packet is sent toward a central management node. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222725 | FAST LEARNING TO TRAIN LEARNING MACHINES USING SHADOW JOINING - In one embodiment, a node receives a request to initiate a shadow joining operation to shadow join a field area router (FAR) of a computer network, and preserves its data structures and soft states. The shadow joining operation may then be initiated to shadow join the FAR, wherein shadow joining comprises preforming join operations without leaving a currently joined-FAR, and the node measures one or more joining metrics of the shadow joining operation, and reports them accordingly. In another embodiment, a FAR (or other management device) determines a set of nodes to participate in a shadow joining operation, and informs the set of nodes of the shadow joining operation to shadow join the FAR. The device (e.g., FAR) participates in the shadow joining operation, and receives reports of one or more joining metrics of the shadow joining operation measured by the set of nodes. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222726 | ACCELERATING LEARNING BY SHARING INFORMATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE LEARNING MACHINES - In one embodiment, variables maintained by each of a plurality of Learning Machines (LMs) are determined. The LMs are hosted on a plurality of Field Area Routers (FARs) in a network, and the variables are sharable between the FARs. A plurality of correlation values defining a correlation between the variables is calculated. Then, a cluster of FARs is computed based on the plurality of correlation values, such that the clustered FARs are associated with correlated variables, and the cluster allows the clustered FARs to share their respective variables. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222727 | ENHANCING THE RELIABILITY OF LEARNING MACHINES IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, network data is processed using a Learning Machine (LM) algorithm in a network, and results of the processing of network data are determined. A reliability checking algorithm is selected to determine a reliability level of the results. The reliability checking algorithm may be a local reliability checking algorithm or an external reliability checking algorithm. The reliability level of the results is determined using the reliability checking algorithm. Then, the LM algorithm is adjusted based on the determined reliability level. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222728 | TRIGGERING ON-THE-FLY REQUESTS FOR SUPERVISED LEARNING OF LEARNING MACHINES - In one embodiment, network data is received at a Learning Machine (LM) in a network. It is determined whether the LM recognizes the received network data based on information available to the LM. When the LM fails to recognize the received network data: a connection to a central management node is established, a request is sent for information relating to the unrecognized network data to the central management node, and information is received from the central management node in response to the request. The received information assists the LM in recognizing the unrecognized network data. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222729 | PRE-PROCESSING FRAMEWORK COMPONENT OF DISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENCE ARCHITECTURES - In one embodiment, a state tracking engine (STE) defines one or more classes of elements that can be tracked in a network. A set of elements to track is determined from the one or more classes, and the set of elements is tracked in the network. Access to the tracked set of elements then provided via one or more corresponding application programming interfaces (APIs). In another embodiment, a metric computation engine (MCE) defines one or more network metrics to be tracked in the network. One or more tracked elements are received from the STE. The one or more network metrics are tracked in the network based on the received one or more tracked elements. Access to the tracked network metrics is then provided via one or more corresponding APIs. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222730 | DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE FOR MACHINE LEARNING BASED COMPUTATION USING A DECISION CONTROL POINT - In one embodiment, a request is received from a requesting node in a network to assist in distributing a task of the requesting node. Upon receiving the message, a capability to perform the task of one or more helping nodes in the network is evaluated, and a helping node of the one or more helping nodes is selected to perform the task based on the evaluated capability of the selected helping node. The distribution of the task is then authorized from the requesting node to the selected helping node. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222731 | DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE FOR LAYERED HIDDEN MARKOV MODELS - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to a distributed architecture for layered Hidden Markov Models. In particular, in one embodiment, a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) at a layer i receives a sequence of hidden state produced by an HMM at a layer i−1, and uses the sequence of hidden state produced by the HMM at layer i−1 as input to the HMM at layer i, where the HMM at layer i−1 uses first time period bins, and the HMM at layer i uses second time period bins that are greater in length than the first time period bins. In another embodiment, the HMM at layer i originates the input (e.g., from measured properties), and produces the sequence of hidden state to output it to an HMM at a layer i+1 for use as its input. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222748 | TRAFFIC-BASED INFERENCE OF INFLUENCE DOMAINS IN A NETWORK BY USING LEARNING MACHINES - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to traffic-based inference of influence domains in a network by using learning machines. In particular, in one embodiment, a management device computes a time-based traffic matrix indicating traffic between pairs of transmitter and receiver nodes in a computer network, and also determines a time-based quality parameter for a particular node in the computer network. By correlating the time-based traffic matrix and time-based quality parameter for the particular node, the device may then determine an influence of particular traffic of the traffic matrix on the particular node. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222975 | LEARNING MACHINE BASED COMPUTATION OF NETWORK JOIN TIMES - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to learning machine based computation of network join times. In particular, in one embodiment, a device computes a join time of the device to join a computer network. During joining, the device sends a configuration request to a server, and receives instructions whether to provide the join time. The device may then provide the join time to a collector in response to instructions to provide the join time. In another embodiment, a collector receives a plurality of join times from a respective plurality of nodes having one or more associated node properties. The collector may then estimate a mapping between the join times and the node properties and determines a confidence interval of the mapping. Accordingly, the collector may then determine a rate at which nodes having particular node properties report their join times based on the confidence interval. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222983 | DYNAMICALLY DETERMINING NODE LOCATIONS TO APPLY LEARNING MACHINE BASED NETWORK PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to dynamically determining node locations to apply learning machine based network performance improvement. In particular, a degree of significance of nodes in a network, respectively, is calculated based on one or more significance factors. One or more significant nodes are then determined based on the calculated degree of significance. Additionally, a nodal region in the network of deteriorated network health is determined, and the nodal region of deteriorated network health is correlated with a significant node of the one or more significant nodes. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222996 | DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING A SET OF MONITORED NETWORK PROPERTIES USING DISTRIBUTED LEARNING MACHINE FEEBACK - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to dynamically adjusting a set of monitored network properties using distributed learning machine feedback. In particular, in one embodiment, a learning machine (or distributed learning machines) determines a plurality of monitored network properties in a computer network. From this, a subset of relevant network properties of the plurality of network properties may be determined, such that a corresponding subset of irrelevant network properties based on the subset of relevant network properties may also be determined. Accordingly, the computer network may be informed of the irrelevant network properties to reduce a rate of monitoring the irrelevant network properties. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222997 | HIDDEN MARKOV MODEL BASED ARCHITECTURE TO MONITOR NETWORK NODE ACTIVITIES AND PREDICT RELEVANT PERIODS - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to a Hidden Markov Model based architecture to monitor network node activities and predict relevant periods. In particular, in one embodiment, a device determines a statistical model for each of one or more singular-node traffic profiles (e.g., based on one or more Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) each corresponding to a respective one of the one or more traffic profiles). By analyzing respective traffic from individual nodes in a computer network, and matching the respective traffic against the statistical model for the one or more traffic profiles, the device may detecting a matching traffic profile for the individual nodes in a computer network. In addition, the device may predict relevant periods of traffic for the individual nodes by extrapolating a most-likely future sequence based on prior respective traffic of the individual nodes and the corresponding matching traffic profile. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222998 | LEARNING MACHINE BASED DETECTION OF ABNORMAL NETWORK PERFORMANCE - In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to learning machine based detection of abnormal network performance. In particular, in one embodiment, a border router receives a set of network properties x | 08-07-2014 |
20140223155 | FAST LEARNING TO TRAIN LEARNING MACHINES USING SMART-TRIGGERED REBOOT - In one embodiment, a triggered reboot of a field area router (FAR) of a computer network is initiated, and gathered states of the FAR are saved. The nodes in the computer network are informed of the triggered reboot, and then feedback may be collected from the nodes in response to the triggered reboot. As such, it can be determined whether to complete the triggered reboot based on the feedback, and the FAR is rebooted in response to determining to complete the triggered reboot. In another embodiment, a node receives information about the initiated triggered reboot of the FAR, and determines whether it has critical traffic. If not, the node buffers non-critical traffic and indicates positive feedback in response to the triggered reboot, but if so, then the node continues to process the critical traffic and indicates negative feedback in response to the triggered reboot. | 08-07-2014 |
20140245055 | PHASE-BASED OPERATION OF DEVICES ON A POLYPHASE ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a device in a computer network monitors an alternating-current (AC) waveform of an electrical power source at the device, where the power source is part of a polyphase power source system. Once the device determines a particular phase of the polyphase power source system at the device, then the device joins a directed acyclic graph (DAG) specific to the particular phase. In another embodiment, a device detects a time of a zero crossing of the AC waveform, and may then determine a particular phase of the polyphase power source system at the device based on the time of the zero crossing relative to a corresponding location within a frequency hopping superframe of the computer network. | 08-28-2014 |
20140247726 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO REDUCE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF DYNAMIC METRIC ADVERTISEMENT IN SMART GRID/SENSOR NETWORKS - The subject disclosure relates to a method for directing acyclic graph routing and management for Low power and Lossy Networks (LANs). A system may identify a gain factor that indicates a potential gain that can be obtained in link cost from a node in a network represented by a direct acyclic graph (DAG) to the root node of the DAG when an upper node in the DAG changes its routing decision. When the gain factor exceeds a threshold, the node can transmit a DAG rebuild request to other nodes in the DAG. Upon receiving the request, the system may determine whether to satisfy the DAG rebuild request based on the number of requesting nodes. Based on the determination, the system may select a new parent node for the node that receives the request. The DAG rebuild can decrease in link cost from the transmitting node to the root node. | 09-04-2014 |
20140258486 | Server-Layer Shared Link Risk Group Analysis to Identify Potential Client-Layer Network Connectivity Loss - In one embodiment, a particular device within a client-layer network maintains client-layer topology information including server-layer Shared Risk Link Group (SRLG) information of server-layer devices and links in a server-layer network associated with client-layer links and client-layer nodes in the client-layer network. A determination is made to discover if there is an alternative client-layer path to an established client-layer path between a first packet switching device and a second packet switching device if all server-layer resources of any particular server-layer SRLG of a plurality of total server-layer SRLGs associated with the established client-layer path become unavailable. In one embodiment, the plurality of total server-layer SRLGs includes: an SRLG of a same optical node, an SRLG of a same optical fiber, an SRLG of co-located plurality of optical nodes, and/or an SRLG of co-located plurality of optical fibers. | 09-11-2014 |
20140269402 | DYNAMICALLY ENABLING SELECTIVE ROUTING CAPABILITY - In one embodiment, a particular node in a shared-media communication network determines a resource level and in response to determining a trigger condition (e.g., that the resource level is below a threshold), the particular node enters a selective forwarding mode. In the selective forwarding mode, the particular node does not forward non-critical messages. The particular node also notifies one or more neighboring nodes in the shared-media communication network of the entered selective forwarding mode. In another embodiment, a node may receive from a neighboring node, an indication of having entered a selective forwarding mode, and in response the node may forward only critical messages to the neighboring node. | 09-18-2014 |
20140269413 | CYCLE-FREE MULTI-TOPOLOGY ROUTING - In one embodiment, a node in a shared-media communication network may determine a first directed acyclic graph (DAG) topology, wherein the first DAG topology has a particular direction. The node may determine a second DAG topology in the shared-media communication network based on the first DAG topology. The second DAG topology may share the particular direction of the first DAG topology, to prevent loops between the first and the second DAG topologies. | 09-18-2014 |
20140269592 | APPLICATION-AWARE DYNAMIC BIT-LEVEL ERROR PROTECTION FOR MODULATION-BASED COMMUNICATION - In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a transmitter) determines a level of error protection of each bit position within symbols of a particular constellation map used for modulation-based communication, and also determines priority levels of application data bits to be placed into a communication frame. Application data bits may then be placed into symbols of the communication frame, where higher priority application data bits are placed into bit positions with greater or equal levels of protection than bit positions into which lower priority application data bits are placed. The communication frame may then be transmitted to one or more receivers with an indication of how to decode the placement of the application data bits within the symbols. In another embodiment, the particular constellation map may be dynamically selected from a plurality of available constellation maps, such as based on communication channel conditions and/or applications generating the data. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270771 | Network Server Layer Providing Disjoint Channels in Response to Client-Layer Disjoint Path Requests - In one embodiment, a network server layer provides disjoint channels in response to client-layer disjoint path requests. For example, the network layer can be an optical network, and the client layer may be a packet switching layer (e.g., label switching, Internet Protocol). In one embodiment, a server-layer node receives a client-layer disjoint path request to provide a server-layer channel through a server-layer network. The client-layer disjoint path request includes an identifier corresponding to an existing client-layer path that traverses a current channel through the server-layer network that does not include the server-layer node. The server-layer network determines a particular channel through the server-layer network that is disjoint to the current channel based on route information of the current channel, and then signaling is performed within the server-layer network to establish the particular channel. | 09-18-2014 |
20140281670 | PROVIDING A BACKUP NETWORK TOPOLOGY WITHOUT SERVICE DISRUPTION - In one embodiment, a primary root node may detect one or more neighboring root nodes based on information received from a first-hop node and may select a backup root node among the neighboring root nodes. Once selected, the backup root node may send the primary root node a networking identification and a corresponding group mesh key which the primary root node may forward to the first-hop nodes to cause the first-hop nodes to migrate to the backup root node when connectivity to the primary root node fails. In addition, the first-hop root nodes may migrate back to the primary root node when connectivity to the primary root node is restored. | 09-18-2014 |
20140286377 | DYNAMIC ASSIGNMENT OF FREQUENCY HOPPING SEQUENCES IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - In one embodiment, a management device determines a topology of nodes in a network. Based on the topology, frequency hopping sequences are assigned (and notified) to the nodes such that each particular node of a certain set of the nodes is assigned a frequency hopping sequence on which to transmit that is different than frequency hopping sequences of neighbors and hidden neighbors of that particular node. In another embodiment, a transmitting node first transmits a transmission indication signal on its particular frequency band based on its frequency hopping sequence, and then transmits a message on the particular frequency band. In a further embodiment, a receiving node listening to a plurality of frequency bands may detect the transmission indication signal on the particular frequency band. In response, the receiving node filters out all frequency bands other than the particular frequency band, and receives the following transmission on that particular frequency band. | 09-25-2014 |
20140304427 | MANAGING HOST ROUTES FOR LOCAL COMPUTER NETWORKS WITH A PLURALITY OF FIELD AREA ROUTERS - In one embodiment, a particular field area router (FAR), in a local computer network (e.g., a mesh network) having a plurality of FARs, advertises a common subnet prefix assigned to the local computer network into a global computer network. Each of the plurality of FARs of the local computer network is configured to accept any traffic destined to the local computer network, and a tunnel overlay is built among the plurality of FARs. Upon receiving a packet at the particular FAR destined to a particular device in the local computer network, and in response to the particular FAR not having a host route to the particular device, it forwards the packet on the tunnel overlay to another of the plurality of FARs of the local computer network. | 10-09-2014 |
20140314096 | CONTROLLING ROUTING DURING SCHEDULED NODE DOWNTIME - In one embodiment, a first node in a shared-media communication network may receive a message indicated a scheduled downtime of a second node located between the first node and a destination. The first node may determine whether to perform a search for an alternate route toward the destination. In response to determining to perform the search, the first node may perform the search for an alternate route toward the destination for use at least during the scheduled downtime. | 10-23-2014 |
20140328346 | MAINTAINED MESSAGE DELIVERY DURING ROUTING DOMAIN MIGRATION - In one embodiment, an ingress device of a first routing domain in a computer network buffers received packets, and in response to receiving a request from a particular node indicating that the particular node has migrated from the first routing domain to a second routing domain, determines how to reach the particular node in the second routing domain, and forwards the buffered received packets to the particular node in the second routing domain, accordingly. In another embodiment, a device in the first routing domain migrates from the first routing domain to a second routing domain, and determines its new IP address. The device may then send a request to the first ingress router to forward buffered packets for the device to the second routing domain at the new IP address, and may thus receive buffered packets forwarded from the first ingress router at the device in the second routing domain. | 11-06-2014 |
20140355425 | SOURCE ROUTING CONVERGENCE IN CONSTRAINED COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a source routing device (e.g., root device) pre-computes diverse source-routed paths to one or more nodes in a computer network. Upon receiving a particular packet, the device forwards the particular packet on a source-routed first path of the pre-computed diverse paths. In the event the device implicitly detects failure of the first path, then it forwards a copy of the particular packet on a source-routed second path of the pre-computed diverse paths in response. In one embodiment, implicit failure detection comprises seeing a second (repeated) packet with the same identification within a certain time since the first packet, and the second packet is forwarded on the second path. In another embodiment, implicit failure detection comprises not seeing a link-layer acknowledgment returned or receiving an error notification from a node along the broken path, and a stored copy of the particular packet is forwarded on the second path. | 12-04-2014 |
20140372577 | DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING NETWORK PARAMETERS USING WEATHER FORECASTS - In one embodiment, network parameters are dynamically adjusted using weather forecasts. The embodiments include determining a weather forecast that predicts a weather condition proximate to a network. Network parameters are then selected for adjustment based on the predicted weather condition. The selected network parameters are adjusted to improve performance of the network in response to the predicted weather condition. | 12-18-2014 |
20140372585 | RELIABLE BULK DATA DISSEMINATION USING RATELESS CODES - In one embodiment, an aggregating node receives feedback messages from one or more destination nodes in the network. The destination nodes are designated to receive data as packets from a source node using rateless coding. Further, the feedback messages indicate whether packets are needed at a corresponding destination node to complete the data. Then, the feedback messages are aggregated into a single aggregated message, and the aggregated message is transmitted toward the source node. | 12-18-2014 |
20140376361 | FAST REROUTE USING DIFFERENT FREQUENCY-HOPPING SCHEDULES - In one embodiment, a primary node in a shared-media communication network is selected by a node toward a destination. In response to determining the primary node, the node determines a frequency-hopping schedule of the primary node. One or more backup nodes for the primary nodes are then determined based on a frequency-hopping schedule diversity between the primary node and the one or more backup nodes. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376427 | DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING FRAME MTU TO SUPPORT LOW-LATENCY COMMUNICATION - In one embodiment, a sender in a shared-communication network determines whether a pending frame is low-latency or high-throughput, and sets a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the pending frame as a first MTU in response to a low-latency frame and a longer second MTU in response to a high-throughput frame. In another embodiment, a receiver receives a data frame from a sender according to an MTU, and determines a trigger for adjusting the MTU based on latency requirements. In response to the trigger, the receiver sets an interrupt flag in a link-layer acknowledgment for the received data frame. In still another embodiment, a sender determines a pending low-latency data frame to send to a receiver operating according to an MTU, and sends a control message to the receiver to indicate the pending low-latency data frame and an adjusted MTU. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376567 | OVERLAYING RECEIVE SCHEDULES FOR ENERGY-CONSTRAINED DEVICES IN CHANNEL-HOPPING NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a time at which a first device in a frequency-hopping communication network is expected to transmit a data message is determined. A first schedule is then generated based on the determined time, and the first schedule is overlaid on a frequency-hopping schedule for a second device in the network. The first schedule defines a first timeslot during which the second device listens for the data message, while the frequency-hopping schedule defines second timeslots during which the second device listens for data messages from other devices in the network. Notably, a duration of the first timeslot is greater than respective durations of the second timeslots. | 12-25-2014 |
20140379896 | DISTRIBUTED LIVENESS REPORTING IN A COMPUTER NETWORK - In one embodiment, liveness reporting is performed using a distributed approach. The embodiments include a management node that is configured to receive a message containing an indication of activity or inactivity of one or more subject nodes, and determine which of the one or more subject nodes are active based on the received message. The indication is derived from one or more observer nodes observing network traffic of the one or more subject nodes. The embodiments further include one or more observer nodes configured to observe network traffic of the one or more subject nodes in the network, generate the message containing the indication of activity or inactivity of the one or more subject nodes, and transmit the message to the management node. | 12-25-2014 |
20140379900 | CUMULATIVE NODE HEARTBEAT RELAY AGENTS IN CONSTRAINED COMPUTER NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a message instructing a particular node to act as a heartbeat relay agent is received at the particular node in a network. The particular node is selected to receive the message based on a centrality of the particular node. Heartbeat messages are then collected from child nodes of the particular node in the network. Based on the collected heartbeat messages, a heartbeat report is generated, and the report is transmitted to a collecting node in the network. | 12-25-2014 |
20150023174 | USING STATISTICAL AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION OF TOPOLOGY METRICS IN CONSTRAINED NETWORKS - Statistical and historical values of performance metrics are actively used to influence routing decisions for optimum topologies in a constrained network. Traffic service level is constantly monitored and compared with a service level agreement. If deviation exists between the monitored traffic service level and the terms of the service level agreement, stability metrics are used to maintain paths through the network that meet the terms of the traffic service level agreement or that improve the traffic flow through the network. Backup parent selection for a node in the network is performed based on previous performance of backup parents for the node. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023186 | EFFICIENT NETWORK PROBING FOR DETERMINISTIC WIRELESS NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a device (e.g., path computation device) informs a network management device of a plurality of possible probing profiles, where nodes of a computer network receive the plurality of possible probing profiles from the network management device. Based on determining that particular information is desired from one or more particular nodes of the nodes of the computer network, the device may then select one or more particular probing profiles of the plurality of possible probing profiles based on the particular information, and instructs the one or more particular nodes to probe one or more particular destination nodes according to the one or more particular probing profiles. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023205 | PATH COMPUTATION ELEMENT PROXYING FOR DETERMINISTIC WIRELESS NETWORKS - In one embodiment, an agent device discovers a set of path computation elements (PCEs) and corresponding available capabilities and resources, and determines particular capabilities and resources of interest in a particular computer network. Upon building a simplified view of the available capabilities and resources of the set of PCEs based on the particular capabilities and resources of interest, the agent device advertises the simplified view of the available capabilities and resources into the particular computer network. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023313 | Exclusive and Overlapping Transmission Unit Allocation and Use in a Network - One embodiment allocates and uses exclusive and overlapping transmission units in a network. One embodiment includes sending information, from a first network node in a network, during an exclusive transmission unit, wherein the exclusive transmission unit includes one or more wireless time slot-frequency pairings assigned to the first network node to send info nation without another assigned network transmission unit providing overlapping time slot-frequency interference from another network node communicating in the network. One embodiment includes sending information, from the first network node, during an overlapping transmission unit, wherein the overlapping transmission unit includes one or more wireless time slot-frequency pairings assigned to the first network node to send information, with the overlapping transmission unit overlapping in time slot-frequency with one or more other assigned network transmission units that will cause interference if simultaneously used. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023314 | Reassignment of Unused Portions of a Transmission Unit in a Network - One embodiment includes signaling, by a first network node to a transmission unit owner node, identifying one or more remaining wireless time slot-frequency pairings of a current transmission unit assigned to the first network node that will not be used by the first network node during the current transmission unit. The transmission unit owner node reassigns one or more of the remaining wireless time slot-frequency pairings to a second network node in the network to use during the current transmission unit. One embodiment includes communicating information between a first network node and a second network node using a particular time slot-frequency pairing, including a particular frame time from the second network node to the first network node, a particular acknowledgement time from the first network node to the second network node, and a particular acknowledgment of the acknowledgment time from the second network node to the first network node. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023325 | Configuring New Paths in a Wireless Deterministic Network - In one embodiment, a first node in a wireless deterministic network communicates to a second node configuration information identifying a destination-facing path portion of a particular one-way path traversing from a source node to a destination node within the wireless deterministic network. The destination-facing portion includes a path traversing from the second node over one or more additional nodes to the destination node over which to forward packets received over a first portion of the particular one-way path from the source node to the second node. The configuration information includes a particular time slot for the second node to receive packets being sent over the particular one-way path. In one embodiment, the first node receives from the second node an acknowledgement message in the particular time slot that the destination-facing portion of the particular one-way path was configured and activated. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023326 | Installation of Time Slots for Sending a Packet through an ARC Chain Topology Network - One embodiment includes: determining, by a particular networked device, sending and receiving time slots for progressively communicating a particular packet among nodes of an arc of an Available Routing Construct (ARC) chain topology network in both directions on the arc to reach each edge node of the arc; and determining, by the particular networked device, for each edge node of the arc a predetermined respective time slot for communicating the particular packet to a respective child node on a second arc of the ARC chain topology network. One embodiment includes respectively installing said determined time slots in said nodes of the arc. In one embodiment, the network is a wireless deterministic network. In one embodiment, the predetermined respective time slot for each particular edge node is after all time slots in which the particular packet could be received by said particular edge node. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023327 | Resilient Forwarding of Packets in an ARC Chain Topology Network - One embodiment includes: forwarding a particular packet through an Available Routing Construct (ARC) chain topology network. In one embodiment, this forwarding includes: sending the particular packet by each particular non-edge node on an arc of the plurality of arcs receiving the particular packet to each sibling on the arc that did not send the particular packet to said particular non-edge node, while not sending the particular packet if it was received from both siblings of said particular edge node; and sending the particular packet to a respective child node on a second arc of the plurality of arcs by each particular edge node of two edge nodes on the arc after receiving the particular packet. In one embodiment, the network is a wireless deterministic network with pre-assigned time slots for receiving and subsequently sending a same particular packet by each node of the network. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023328 | OAM and Time Slot Control in a Deterministic ARC Chain Topology Network - In one embodiment, a network of nodes is configured to communicate according to a configuration of Available Routing Construct (ARC) chains as well as monitoring communication in the network, and/or selectively controls whether or not provisioned particular links will be used. One embodiment colors nodes of the network (e.g., a wireless deterministic network) along different paths through the network and marks packets with the color of each traversed node to track a path taken by a packet. One embodiment sends a particular packet through the network and marks over which links the packet traverses and aggregates these traversed links of other copies of the particular packet. One embodiment controls whether or not the provisioned time slots are used based on flooding a control packet through the network with enable or disable information for each of these links. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023348 | Cross-Layer Forwarding in a Low-Power and Lossy Network - In accordance with techniques presented herein, a packet is received at a forwarding device operating in a multi-service Low-power and Lossy Network (LLN). The forwarding device is configured to retrieve service requirements associated with the packet and obtain forwarding information from a plurality of networking layers associated with forwarding of the packet. The forwarding device is further configured to evaluate the service requirements in view of the forwarding information to dynamically adjust one or more parameters within the LLN for use in forwarding packets within the LLN. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023363 | OBTAINING DATA RECEPTION PARAMETERS ON-DEMAND IN A MULTIPLE INTERFACE NETWORK - In a multi-PHY, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a sender determines that a dwell time threshold limit for transmission of data will be exceeded by transmission of the data over a first network interface or that the recipient is unknown. The sender determines transmission parameters for the transmission of the data over the first network interface and transmits the transmission parameters to a receiver device over a second network interface that is different than the first network interface. The sender determines a channel on the first network interface for transmission of the data and transmits the determined channel with the transmission parameters to the receiver, or the receiver determines the channel on the first network interface for transmission of the data and transmits an indication of the determined channel to the sender in response to receiving the transmission parameters. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023369 | OBTAINING DATA RECEPTION PARAMETERS IN A MULTIPLE INTERFACE NETWORK - In a multi-PHY, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a sender determines that a dwell time threshold limit for transmission of data will be exceeded by transmission of the data over a first network interface or that the recipient is unknown. The sender determines transmission parameters for the transmission of the data over the first network interface and transmits the transmission parameters to a receiver device over a second network interface that is different than the first network interface. The sender determines a channel on the first network interface for transmission of the data and transmits the determined channel with the transmission parameters to the receiver, or the receiver determines the channel on the first network interface for transmission of the data and transmits an indication of the determined channel to the sender in response to receiving the transmission parameters. | 01-22-2015 |
20150026268 | UTILIZING MULTIPLE INTERFACES WHEN SENDING DATA AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PACKETS - Utilizing multiple network interfaces when sending data and acknowledgement packages comprises, in a low power and lossy network (LLN) or other network, a sender device comprises two or more network interfaces for communicating with one or more recipient devices. The sender device assesses the transmission capabilities of the network interfaces to determine data rates available for each interface. The sender device specifies which network interface will be used to transfer data and which network interface will be used to receive an acknowledgement from the recipient device. The sender device selects the network interface with the larger data capacity for transmitting a data packet and the network interface with the smaller data capacity for receiving an acknowledgement. The data transmission and the acknowledgement transmission may be transmitted simultaneously. The recipient device uses transmission parameters received from the sender device to determine the data rate with which to transmit the acknowledgement. | 01-22-2015 |
20150030033 | REDIRECTING TRAFFIC VIA TUNNELS TO DISCOVERED DATA AGGREGATORS - In one embodiment, a data aggregator discovery (DAD) message may be distributed by an associated data aggregator, the DAD message identifying the initiating data aggregator, and comprising a recorded route taken from the data aggregator to a receiving particular node as well as a total path cost for the particular node to reach a root node of the DAG through the recorded route and via the data aggregator. The receiving particular node determines a path cost increase (PCI) associated with use of the data aggregator based on the total path cost as compared to a DAG-based path cost for the particular node to reach the root node via the DAG. If the PCI is below a configured threshold, the particular node may redirect traffic to the data aggregator as source-routed traffic according to the recorded route. The traffic may then be aggregated by the data aggregator, accordingly. | 01-29-2015 |
20150043384 | MULTIPLE TOPOLOGY ROUTING ARCHITECTURE IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In a multiple interface, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a low transmission power and medium transmission power topology are defined for the network and a channel-hopping schedule is defined for the devices operating in each topology. A sender determines that data is capable of being transmitted via a link on the low transmission power topology. The sender determines the transmission parameters for the transmission of the data over the link on the low transmission power topology and determines a low transmission power channel for transmission of the data. The sender transmits the determined channel and the transmission parameters to the receiver. The sender transmits the data via the determined channel in the low transmission power topology. | 02-12-2015 |
20150043519 | INTERLEAVING LOW TRANSMISSION POWER AND MEDIUM TRANSMISSION POWER CHANNELS IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In a multiple interface, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a low transmission power and medium transmission power topology are defined for the network and a channel-hopping schedule is defined for the devices operating in each topology. A sender determines that data is capable of being transmitted via a link on the low transmission power topology. The sender determines the transmission parameters for the transmission of the data over the link on the low transmission power topology and determines a low transmission power channel for transmission of the data. The sender transmits the determined channel and the transmission parameters to the receiver. The sender transmits the data via the determined channel in the low transmission power topology. | 02-12-2015 |
20150063365 | DYNAMIC FRAME SELECTION WHEN REQUESTING TONE MAP PARAMETERS IN MESH NETWORKS - In a multiple interface, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a sender node dynamically selects a data packet for setting a transmission parameter request in response to determining that an age value for a set of transmission parameters associated with a recipient device has expired or is expiring. The sender node selects an desired data packet for sending a transmission parameter request and transmits the selected data packet to the recipient device. The sender node receives a transmission parameter response from the recipient node comprising updated transmission parameters for that recipient node and then updates the current transmission parameters associated with the recipient node accordingly. | 03-05-2015 |
20150071255 | Sensor Data Transport and Consolidation Within Communication Nodes in a Network - In one embodiment, sensor data is transported in a network to a rendezvous point network node, which consolidates the information into a consolidated result which is communicated to the destination. Such consolidation by a network node reduces the number of paths required in the network between the sensors and the destination. One embodiment includes acquiring, by each of a plurality of originating nodes in a wireless deterministic network, external data related to a same physical event; communicating through the network said external data from each of the plurality of originating nodes to a rendezvous point network node (RP) within the network; processing, by the RP, said external data from each of the plurality of originating nodes to produce a consolidated result; and communicating the consolidated result to a destination node of the network. In one embodiment, the network is a low power lossy network (LLN). | 03-12-2015 |
20150071295 | ON-DEMAND MEDIUM TO LOW TRANSMISSION POWER CHANNEL SWITCHING IN COMPUTER NETWORKS - In a multiple interface, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a low transmission power and medium transmission power topology are defined for the network and a channel-hopping schedule is defined for the devices operating in each topology. A sender determines that data is capable of being transmitted via a link on the low transmission power topology. The sender determines the transmission parameters for the transmission of the data over the link on the low transmission power topology and determines a low transmission power channel for transmission of the data. The sender transmits the determined channel and the transmission parameters to the receiver. The sender transmits the data via the determined channel in the low transmission power topology. | 03-12-2015 |
20150078204 | DOMINATING SET IDENTIFICATION FOR PATH COMPUTATION BASED ON DIRECTED ACYCLIC GRAPH MEMBERSHIP - In one embodiment, a method comprises a path computation device receiving device information from member network devices, each member network device belonging to a directed acyclic graph to a destination in a low power lossy network; and the path computation device classifying each member network device belonging to a directed acyclic graph as belonging to a dominating set, for generation of optimized routes distinct from any directed acyclic graph, for reaching any one of the member network devices of the dominating set. | 03-19-2015 |
20150089081 | CO-EXISTENCE OF A DISTRIBUTED ROUTING PROTOCOL AND CENTRALIZED PATH COMPUTATION FOR DETERMINISTIC WIRELESS NETWORKS - In one embodiment, a device both communicates with a network operating a distributed proactive routing protocol, and participates in a centralized path computation protocol. The device communicates routing characteristics of the distributed proactive routing protocol for the network from the network to the centralized path computation protocol, and also communicates one or more computed paths from the centralized path computation protocol to the network, where the computed paths from the centralized path computation protocol are based on the routing characteristics of the distributed proactive routing protocol for the network. | 03-26-2015 |