Limiting message diffusion between mobile devices

• US 20010026552A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Squibbs, Robert Francis, Spratt, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Information with local relevance is diffused locally using mobile devices equipped with non-wired short-range communication means, the information being propagated from an originating point in messages passed from device to device in an unstructured way. The devices implement measures for limiting message propagation including controlling propagation of a message from a particular originating point (OP1) in dependence on the prominence of the occurrence of that originating point in a set of most recently received messages.

Claims

1. A method of locally diffusing information for presentation to users of mobile devices, the method involving propagating the information from an originating point in messages passed from device to device by non-wired short-range communication means of the devices, the messages including source identifiers indicative of the originating point of the messages, and at least some of the devices controlling propagation of a message from a particular originating point in dependence on the prominence of the occurrence of that originating point in a set of most recently received messages.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said set is defined by a receiving time window.

3. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein a message is not propagated on by said at least some of the devices if the percentage of messages in said set that come from the same originating point as the message under consideration is below a predetermined threshold.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the information comprises at least one of:

information with at least an item that is explicitly or implicitly of local relevance

the position of the originating point.

5. A mobile device for locally diffusing information in messages to other devices for presentation to their users, the messages including source identifiers indicative of the originating point of the messages;

the mobile device comprising;

a message store;

a short-range wireless transceiver for receiving messages and storing them to said store, and for transmitting messages retrieved from the store;

an originating-point monitor for monitoring the originating points of a set of most recently received messages; and

a message-propagation controller for controlling onward propagation of a message received from a particular originating point in dependence on the prominence of the occurrence of that originating point in said set of most recently received messages as monitored by the originating-point monitor.

6. A device according to

claim 5

, wherein said set is defined by a receiving time window known to the originating-point monitor.

7. A device according to

claim 5

, wherein the controller is operative to inhibit propagation of a received message if the percentage of messages in said set that come from the same originating point as the message under consideration is below a predetermined threshold.