Degree-constrained multihop scatternet formation for Bluetooth networks

We describe BlueMesh, a new protocol for the establishment of scatternets, i.e., multihop ad hoc networks of Bluetooth devices. BlueMesh defines rules for device discovery, piconet formation and piconet interconnection in order to achieve the following desirable properties: a) BlueMesh generates connected scatternets without requiring the Bluetooth devices all to be in each other's transmission range; b) the BlueMesh scatternet topology is a mesh with multiple paths between any pair of nodes; c) BlueMesh piconets are made up of no more than 7 slaves. Simulation results in networks with 200 nodes show that BlueMesh is effective in quickly generating a connected scatternet in which each node, on average, does not assume more than 2.3 roles. Moreover, the length of routes between any two nodes in the network, is comparable to that of the shortest paths between the nodes.