摘要 |
<p>An invitation message (112, 116, 120) is sent from a concentrator (102) to nodes in a network. Each node records (124) an identifier (126) of the node or concentrator from which it received the message and forwards (122) the message to its neighbors. A node (108) then sends a trace message (132, 134, 136) to the concentrator (102) via intermediate nodes (106, 104) traversed by the invitation message in reaching the node and appends thereto the identifiers of the intermediate nodes. The concentrator then uses source routing to send a subsequent message (144, 146, 148) to the node (108) using the identifiers included in the trace message. The invitation message and/or the subsequent message includes characteristics) (200) of the concentrator one or more of which are then stored by nodes, including node (108). The characteristic(s) are used in deciding (206, 208) to send further trace messages, thereby regulating use of network bandwidth.</p> |