Method and apparatus for addressing in a resource-constrained network

Abstract

An electronic device may receive a protocol data unit (PDU) comprising a plurality of addressing bits. Data-link-layer processing of the PDU may be based on each of the addressing bits. Network layer processing of the PDU may be based on a first subset of the plurality of addressing bits. Transport-layer processing of the PDU may be based on a second subset of plurality of addressing bits. The data-link-layer processing may comprise determining whether the PDU is unicast-addressed or non-unicast-addressed. For a unicast-addressed PDU, the data-link-layer processing may comprise determining whether the PDU is destined for the electronic device based on a comparison of a Target ID field of the PDU and a device ID of the electronic device. For a non-unicast-addressed PDU, the Target ID field may not be present, and whether the PDU is destined for the electronic device may be determined based on other criteria.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:
 receiving a protocol data unit (PDU) comprising a plurality of addressing bits;   performing data-link-layer processing of said PDU based on each of said plurality of addressing bits;   performing network layer processing of said PDU based on a first subset of said plurality of addressing bits; and   performing transport-layer processing of said PDU based on a second subset of said plurality of addressing bits.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said data-link-layer processing of said PDU comprises determining whether said PDU is a unicast-addressed PDU or non-unicast-addressed PDU. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a unicast-addressed PDU, said data-link-layer processing comprises determining whether said PDU is destined for said electronic device based on a comparison of a Target ID field of said PDU and a device ID of said electronic device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a non-unicast-addressed PDU, said Target ID field is not present in said PDU and whether said PDU is destined for said electronic device is determined based on criteria other than a device ID of said electronic device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a non-unicast-addressed PDU, said network-layer processing of said PDU comprises determining whether said PDU comprises a Routing Header field. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a non-unicast-addressed PDU, said transport-layer processing of said PDU comprises determining whether said PDU comprises a Query Template field. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, during said transport-layer processing of said PDU, said electronic device compares data in said Query Template field to data stored in said electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, during said transport-layer processing of said PDU, a result of said comparison is utilized to determine whether said electronic device is an intended recipient of said PDU. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, during said transport-layer processing of said PDU, a result of said comparison is utilized to determine whether to forward said PDU to another electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . A communication system comprising:
 an electronic device operable to:   receive a protocol data unit (PDU) comprising a plurality of addressing bits;   perform data-link-layer processing of said PDU based on each of said plurality of addressing bits;   perform network layer processing of said PDU based on a first subset of said plurality of addressing bits; and   perform transport-layer processing of said PDU based on a second subset of said plurality of addressing bits.   
     
     
         11 . The communication system of  claim 10 , wherein said data-link-layer processing of said PDU comprises determining whether said PDU is unicast-addressed or non-unicast-addressed PDU. 
     
     
         12 . The communication system of  claim 11 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a unicast-addressed PDU, said data-link-layer processing comprises determining whether said PDU is destined for said electronic device based on a comparison of a Target ID field of said PDU and a device ID of said electronic device. 
     
     
         13 . The communication system of  claim 12 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a non-unicast-addressed PDU, said Target ID field is not present in said PDU and whether said PDU is destined for said electronic device is determined based on criteria other than a device ID of said electronic device. 
     
     
         14 . The communication system of  claim 11 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a non-unicast-addressed PDU, said network-layer processing of said PDU comprises determining whether said PDU comprises a Routing Header field. 
     
     
         15 . The communication system of  claim 14 , wherein, in instances that said PDU is a non-unicast-addressed PDU, said transport-layer processing of said PDU comprises determining whether said PDU comprises a Query Template field. 
     
     
         16 . The communication system of  claim 15 , wherein, during said transport-layer processing of said PDU, said electronic device compares data in said Query Template field to data stored in said electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 16 , wherein, during said transport-layer processing of said PDU, a result of said comparison is utilized to determine whether said electronic device is an intended recipient of said PDU. 
     
     
         18 . The communication system of  claim 17 , wherein, during said transport-layer processing of said PDU, a result of said comparison is utilized to determine whether to forward said PDU to another electronic device. 
     
     
         19 . A communication system comprising:
 an electronic device operable to:   receive a protocol data unit (PDU) comprising a plurality of addressing bits;   determine whether said received PDU is unicast-addressed, anycast-addressed, multicast-addressed, or broadcast-addressed PDU based on said plurality of addressing bits;   if said PDU is unicast-addressed, determine whether said PDU is destined for said electronic device during data-link-layer processing of said PDU; and   if said PDU is anycast-addressed or multicast-addressed, determine whether said PDU is destined for said device during transport-layer processing of said PDU.   
     
     
         20 . The communication system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 said transport-layer processing comprises comparing a search token contained in said PDU to data stored in said electronic device; and   determining that said PDU is intended for said electronic device if a correlation between said search token and said data stored in said electronic device is above a threshold.