Embodiments include methods, for an intermediate node in a wireless mesh network, to identify a critical link in a path between a source node and a destination node in the wireless mesh network. Such methods include receiving a first message relating to a discovery of a path between the source node and the destination node. Such methods also include forwarding the first message to one or more other nodes in the wireless mesh network based on an entry in a discovery table, stored in the intermediate node, that indicates that the intermediate node is part of a critical link in the path. The first message can be a path request message or a path reply message, and the methods can include various other operations associated with each type of first message. Other embodiments include wireless devices configured to operate as intermediate nodes in accordance with these methods.

Embodiments include methods, for an intermediate node in a wireless mesh network, to identify a critical link in a path between a source node and a destination node in the wireless mesh network. Such methods include receiving a first message relating to a discovery of a path between the source node and the destination node. Such methods also include forwarding the first message to one or more other nodes in the wireless mesh network based on an entry in a discovery table, stored in the intermediate node, that indicates that the intermediate node is part of a critical link in the path. The first message can be a path request message or a path reply message, and the methods can include various other operations associated with each type of first message. Other embodiments include wireless devices configured to operate as intermediate nodes in accordance with these methods.

Various embodiments implement a set of low overhead mechanisms to enable on-demand routing protocols. The on-demand protocols use route accumulation during discovery floods to discover when better paths have become available even if the paths that the protocols are currently using are not broken. In other words, the mechanisms (or “Route Optimizations”) enable improvements to routes even while functioning routes are available. The Route Optimization mechanisms enable nodes in the network that passively learn routing information to notify nodes that need to know of changes in the routing information when the changes are important. Learning routing information on up-to-date paths and determining nodes that would benefit from the information is performed, in some embodiments, without any explicit control packet exchange. One of the Route Optimization mechanisms includes communicating information describing an improved route from a node where the improved route diverges from a less nearly optimal route.

Various embodiments implement a set of low overhead mechanisms to enable on-demand routing protocols. The on-demand protocols use route accumulation during discovery floods to discover when better paths have become available even if the paths that the protocols are currently using are not broken. In other words, the mechanisms (or “Route Optimizations”) enable improvements to routes even while functioning routes are available. The Route Optimization mechanisms enable nodes in the network that passively learn routing information to notify nodes that need to know of changes in the routing information when the changes are important. Learning routing information on up-to-date paths and determining nodes that would benefit from the information is performed, in some embodiments, without any explicit control packet exchange. One of the Route Optimization mechanisms includes communicating information describing an improved route from a node where the improved route diverges from a less nearly optimal route.

A message transmission method and related devices are provided in the disclosure. The method includes the following. A first long range (LoRa) device creates a LoRa mesh group. Based on a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication requirement with a second LoRa device belonging to the LoRa mesh group, the first LoRa device switches to a P2P communication mode, transmits a mode switching instruction to the second LoRa device, and increases a transmission priority associated with a target message type to a predetermined transmission priority. The mode switching instruction is used to instruct the second LoRa device to switch to the P2P communication mode. The target message type is the type of a message that needs to be transmitted in P2P communication between the first LoRa device and the second LoRa device. The first LoRa device transmits a message of the target message type to the second LoRa device.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to network unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An example method includes establishing, with a processor, a discoverable network node in a first unmanned aerial vehicle in response to deployment in a geographic region of interest, joining, with the processor, a second unmanned aerial vehicle to the communication network in response to a connection request, acquiring, with the processor, payload data with a sensor of the first unmanned aerial vehicle from the geographic region of interest, identifying, with the processor, a profile type of the payload data, and transmitting, with the processor, a first portion of the payload data to the second unmanned aerial vehicle when the profile type of the payload data has a first profile type.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to network unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An example method includes establishing, with a processor, a discoverable network node in a first unmanned aerial vehicle in response to deployment in a geographic region of interest, joining, with the processor, a second unmanned aerial vehicle to the communication network in response to a connection request, acquiring, with the processor, payload data with a sensor of the first unmanned aerial vehicle from the geographic region of interest, identifying, with the processor, a profile type of the payload data, and transmitting, with the processor, a first portion of the payload data to the second unmanned aerial vehicle when the profile type of the payload data has a first profile type.

Systems and methods include a WSN having sensor nodes that are configured with electronic circuitry for interfacing with one or more associated sensors. The WSN also includes a gateway sensor node configured to receive sensor data from and forward instructions to the one or more sensor nodes, and a server configured to control the WSN in combination with the gateway sensor node. The WSN also includes circuitry configured to recognize a link break within a data communication route of the WSN via a routing protocol, and buffer incoming packets from a source node. The circuitry is also configured to propagate a RERR message of the link break to the plurality of sensor nodes, and build a bypass route around the link break of the data communication route towards a destination node. The circuitry is also configured to send the buffered incoming packets to the destination node through the bypass route.

Implementations of the disclosed subject matter provide a method of connecting, via a communications interface of an autonomous mobile device, to both a first communication network and a second communication network. A third communication network may be connected to when the communications interface is disconnected. A map may be stored that includes a first one or more locations of the autonomous mobile device where the plurality of communications networks are accessible, and includes a second one or more locations of the autonomous mobile device where one or more of the plurality of communications networks have been disconnected. At a different time, when the autonomous mobile device is within a predetermined distance of one of the locations that the communications networks have been disconnected, the third communications network or another one of the plurality of communications networks may be switched to based on the map.

Implementations of the disclosed subject matter provide a method of connecting, via a communications interface of an autonomous mobile device, to both a first communication network and a second communication network. A third communication network may be connected to when the communications interface is disconnected. A map may be stored that includes a first one or more locations of the autonomous mobile device where the plurality of communications networks are accessible, and includes a second one or more locations of the autonomous mobile device where one or more of the plurality of communications networks have been disconnected. At a different time, when the autonomous mobile device is within a predetermined distance of one of the locations that the communications networks have been disconnected, the third communications network or another one of the plurality of communications networks may be switched to based on the map.