METHOD OF USING DATA RATES AS A ROUTING METRIC IN AD-HOC NETWORKS

摘要

A system and method for improving the manner in which data packets are delivered between nodes in an ad-hoc communications network. In particular, the system and method for achieving the best routing path for data packets being sent from a source node (102-1) to a destination node (102-4) in an ad-hoc packet-switched communications network, by enabling the source node to designate a routing path based on the data transmit rates of the nodes. The source node comprises a controller (112) that is adapted to select a routing path including at least one of a plurality of other nodes in the network via which a data packet is to be routed to the destination node based on the data transfer rates between the nodes. The controller can examine routing information indicating the data transfer rates between the nodes. The controller can examine routing information indicating the data transfer rates between nodes and select the routing path based on this information.