MESH HC - Patented Dynamic Forward Routing by AirTegrity Wireless

How Does Dynamic Forward Routing Work?

Dynamic Forward Routing, ("DFR") enables every subscriber’s radio to act not only as a source and destination of data packets, but also as a repeater of data packets on behalf of other users.  In a network based on the client/server model, DFR overcomes the classic “hidden radio” problem.  Any user of a cellular telephone who has lost a connection knows what it is to be “hidden” from the cell site.  With DFR, the hidden radio asks neighboring client radios to help out and repeat data packets between it and the cell site. 

The hidden radio selects the best route through one or more neighboring radios. It also remembers alternate routes through other neighbors. In the event that the route of first choice becomes inoperative, the hidden radio selects an alternate route.  Even though there may be many possible multi-hop routes from a given hidden radio to a server radio, only the best route is selected.  The radios that are in range, but not on the route, do not repeat the packets to avoid interfering with the radios dynamically selected for “the” route.

Without dynamic forward routing, every route between each subscriber (client) and the server radio (connected to the Internet and elevated on a tower) is limited to a “one-hop” route.  In order to minimize hidden radios in such an unintelligent network, more towers and server radios have to be added.  In a typical network topology, DFR eliminates on average one third of the infrastructure cost.  With DFR, fewer towers are required since they are replaced with multi-hop connections among subscriber client radios.