System and method for selecting a path in a communication network

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for selecting a path in a communication network. The method comprises transmitting, through a device connected to a target node, a beacon, to one or more nodes in the communication network. The beacon comprises a set of informative parameters. The method comprises calculating, by each node, a selective score towards one more paths to be selected for reaching the target node in the communication network. The method further comprises identifying, by each node, a target path from the one or more path. The target path is a path having a highest value of the selective score as compared to selective score for other paths in the one or more paths. The method further comprises selecting, by each node, the target path from the one or more paths for reaching the target node.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for selecting a path in a communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving a first beacon via the communication network, wherein the first beacon comprises a first set of informative parameters related to a first path to a target node;   receiving a second beacon via the communication network, wherein the second beacon comprises a second set of informative parameters related to a second path to the target node;   calculating a first selective score for the first path for reaching the target node in the communication network;   calculating a second selective score for the second path for reaching the target node in the communication network; and   selecting the first path as a target path based on the first selective score having a higher selective score as compared to the second selective score.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein informative parameters comprise at least one of a device metric, a network metric, or an application metric. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the device metric is indicative or one or more of: a remaining battery time, a current free CPU percentage, or a current free memory associated with the device, wherein the network metric is indicative of a signal strength, a noise floor, a capability of one or more nodes in the communication network, a radio load at a given point, or a channel busyness at given point. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a selective score is computed by dynamically assigning one or more weights to at least one of: the device score, the network score, or the application score. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of informative parameters further comprises a link type effect due to multi-backhaul links between two or more nodes in the communication network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the multi-backhaul links indicate a combination of backhaul link types comprising one or more of: wired links or wireless links. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first path includes two or more different backhaul types. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first path includes a full-duplex link type, a half-duplex link type, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first selective score is computed for a multi-hop path in the communication network, wherein the communication network comprises at least one mesh network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first path includes a wired connection. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first path includes one or more intermediate nodes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one node of the one or more intermediate nodes includes a wireless node. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication network includes a plurality of mesh networks. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a movement along the path includes exiting a first mesh network and entering a second mesh network. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising causing a data transmission along the first path. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein subsequent to the data transmission, the first path experiences an alteration, wherein the data transmission is to follow an altered path to the target node responsive to the alteration to the first path. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a data transmission from a source node, the data transmission intended to reach a target node along a path within a communication network, the path being initially selected by the source node;   identifying an adjustment to make to the path; and   directing the data transmission toward the target node in view of the adjustment.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the path being selected by the source node from a group of paths, the path being selected in view of a selective score of the path. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein directing the data transmission toward the target node in view of the adjustment includes directing the data transmission to exit a first mesh network to enter a second mesh network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein directing the data transmission toward the target node in view of the adjustment includes directing the data transmission from a first mesh network type to a second mesh network type.