System and method for enabling a radio node to selectably function as a router in a wireless communications network

• US 20030060202A1
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Robin U.
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a mobile user terminal in an ad-hoc packet-switched wireless communications network to selectably operate as a router for other mobile user terminals in the network based on certain criteria. The user terminal comprises a transceiver and a controller. The transceiver is adapted to transmit wireless communications data, such as packetized data, addressed to a destination user terminal, to at least one other user terminal for routing by that other user terminal to the destination user terminal. The controller is adapted to prevent the transceiver from transmitting the wireless communications data to that particular other user terminal based on routing data pertaining to an ability of the other user terminal to route said wireless communications data to the destination user terminal. The user terminal further includes a memory for storing the routing data received from the other user terminal, for example, in the form of routing table information, or from the wireless communications network.

Claims

1. A user terminal, adapted for use in a wireless communications network, said user terminal comprising:

a transceiver, adapted to transmit wireless communications data, addressed to a destination user terminal, to an other user terminal for routing by said other user terminal to said destination user terminal; and

a controller, adapted to prevent said transceiver from transmitting said wireless communications data to said other user terminal based on routing data pertaining to an ability of said other user terminal to route said wireless communications data to said destination user terminal.

2. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a memory, adapted to store said routing data received from said other user terminal.

3. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a memory, adapted to store said routing data received from said wireless communications network.

4. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said routing data indicates that said other user terminal is not operating to route any said wireless communications data to said destination user terminal.

5. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said routing data indicates that said other user terminal is among a group of user terminals having a particular characteristic.

6. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller is further adapted to control said transceiver to transmit to said other user terminal wireless communications data addressed for end use by said other user terminal.

7. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said wireless communications network includes a packet-switched data network; and

said wireless communications data includes packetized data.

8. A user terminal, adapted for use in a wireless communications network, said user terminal comprising:

a transceiver, adapted to receive wireless communications data addressed to a destination user terminal, and to retransmit said wireless communications data to another user terminal or said destination user terminal; and

a controller, adapted to control said transceiver to transmit transceiver status information indicating that said transceiver is being controlled to refrain from retransmitting said wireless communications data.

9. A user terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said controller is adapted to control said transceiver to transmit said transceiver status information in response to a command received from a person using said user terminal.

10. A user terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said controller is adapted to control said transceiver to transmit said transceiver status information in response to a command received from said wireless communications network.

11. A user terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes data which is adapted to control a controller of a node of said network to prevent said node from transmitting to said user terminal any communications data addressed for end use by another user terminal different from said user terminal.

12. A user terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes information indicating that said user terminal is among a group of user terminals having a particular characteristic.

13. A user terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes router table data pertaining to said user terminal.

14. A user terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said wireless communications network includes a packet-switched data network; and

said wireless communications data includes packetized data.

15. A method for controlling a user terminal, adapted for use in a wireless communications network, said method comprising:

controlling a transceiver of said user terminal to operate in a first state in which said transceiver is adapted to transmit wireless communications data, addressed to a destination user terminal, to an other user terminal for routing by said other user terminal to said destination user terminal, when routing data pertaining to an ability of said other user terminal to route said wireless communications data indicates that said other user terminal is adapted to route said wireless communications data to said destination user terminal; and

controlling said transceiver to operate in a second state in which said transceiver is prevented from transmitting said wireless communications data to said other user terminal when said routing data indicates that said other user terminal is being controlled to refrain from routing said wireless communications data to said destination user terminal.

16. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

storing said routing data received from said other user terminal in a memory of said user terminal.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

storing said routing data received from said wireless communications network in a memory of said user terminal.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said routing data indicates that said other user terminal is among a group of user terminals having a particular characteristic.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

controlling said transceiver to transmit to said other user terminal wireless communications data addressed for end use by said other user terminal.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said wireless communications network includes a packet-switched data network; and

said wireless communications data includes packetized data.

21. A method for controlling a user terminal, adapted for use in a wireless communications network, said method comprising:

selectably controlling a transceiver of said user terminal to receive wireless communications data addressed to a destination user terminal, and to retransmit said wireless communications data to another user terminal or said destination user terminal; and

controlling said transceiver to transmit transceiver status information indicating that said transceiver is being controlled to refrain from retransmitting said wireless communications data.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said controlling controls said transceiver to transmit said transceiver status information in response to a command received from a person using said user terminal.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said controlling controls said transceiver to transmit said transceiver status information in response to a command received from said wireless communications network.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes data which is adapted to control a controller of a node of said network to prevent said node from transmitting to said user terminal any communications data addressed for end use by another user terminal different from said user terminal.

25. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes information indicating that said user terminal is among a group of user terminals having a particular characteristic.

26. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said wireless communications network includes a packet-switched data network; and

said wireless communications data includes packetized data.

27. A computer readable medium of instructions, adapted to control a user terminal which is adapted for use in a wireless communications network, said computer readable medium of instructions comprising:

a first set of instructions, adapted to control a transceiver of said user terminal to operate in a first state in which said transceiver is adapted to transmit wireless communications data, addressed to a destination user terminal, to an other user terminal for routing by said other user terminal to said destination user terminal, when routing data pertaining to an ability of said other user terminal to route said wireless communications data indicates that said other user terminal is adapted to route said wireless communications data to said destination user terminal; and

a second set of instructions, adapted to control said transceiver to operate in a second state in which said transceiver is prevented from transmitting said wireless communications data to said other user terminal when said routing data indicates that said other user terminal is being controlled to refrain from routing said wireless communications data to said destination user terminal.

28. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a third set of instructions, adapted to control said user terminal to store said routing data received from said other user terminal in a memory of said user terminal.

29. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a fourth set of instructions, adapted to control said user terminal to store said routing data received from said wireless communications network in a memory of said user terminal.

30. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, wherein:

said routing data indicates that said other user terminal is among a group of user terminals having a particular characteristic.

31. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a fifth set of instructions, adapted to control said transceiver to transmit to said other user terminal wireless communications data addressed for end use by said other user terminal.

32. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, wherein:

said wireless communications network includes a packet-switched data network; and

said wireless communications data includes packetized data.

33. A computer readable medium of instructions, adapted to control a user terminal which is adapted for use in a wireless communications network, said computer readable medium of instructions comprising:

a first set of instructions, adapted to selectably control a transceiver of said user terminal to receive wireless communications data addressed to a destination user terminal, and to retransmit said wireless communications data to another user terminal or said destination user terminal; and

a second set of instructions, adapted to control said transceiver to transmit transceiver status information indicating that said transceiver is being controlled to refrain from retransmitting said wireless communications data.

34. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 33, wherein:

said second set of instructions is adapted to control said transceiver to transmit said transceiver status information in response to a command received from a person using said user terminal.

35. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 33, wherein:

said second set of instructions is adapted to control said transceiver to transmit said transceiver status information in response to a command received from said wireless communications network.

36. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 33, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes data which is adapted to control a controller of a node of said network to prevent said node from transmitting to said user terminal any communications data addressed for end use by another user terminal different from said user terminal.

37. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 33, wherein:

said transceiver status information includes information indicating that said user terminal is among a group of user terminals having a particular characteristic.

38. A computer readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 33, wherein:

said wireless communications network includes a packet-switched data network; and

said wireless communications data includes packetized data.