Method and apparatus for relaying information in an ad-hoc network

• US 20040033778A1
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fonseca, Benedito Jr., Calcev, George, Bonta, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,735,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Mitigation of battery consumption will occur by prioritizing those units utilized for relay purposes. The prioritization scheme favors actively transmitting units over inactive units. In yet another embodiment, those units using real-time services are prioritized over active units using non-real time services.

Claims

1. A method for relaying information in an ad-hoc network, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of devices that can serve as relay devices;

identifying attributes for the plurality of devices;

based on the attributes, determining a device that will result in a best system performance if utilized as the relay device; and

utilizing the device for relaying the information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the device comprises the step of determining a device that has minimum effect on overall system battery consumption.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying attributes comprises the step of identifying attributes taken from the group consisting of whether the device is A/C powered, has a large battery reserve, is actively communicating, and whether the device is using real-time services.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

rank ordering the plurality of devices based on the attributes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of utilizing the device for relaying the information comprises the step of sending information to the device utilizing a first over-the-air protocol, causing the device to transmit the information to infrastructure equipment utilizing a second over-the-air protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of utilizing the device for relaying the information comprises the step of sending information to the device utilizing an ad-hoc over-the-air protocol, causing the device to transmit the information to infrastructure equipment utilizing a cellular over-the-air protocol.

7. A method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of devices that can serve as an ad-hoc relay;

identifying which of the plurality of devices is actively transmitting; and

based on the step of identifying, utilizing a device that is actively transmitting for the ad-hoc relay.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of utilizing the device comprises the step of sending information to the device utilizing a first over-the-air protocol, causing the device to transmit the information to infrastructure equipment utilizing a second over-the-air protocol.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of utilizing the device comprises the step of sending information to the device utilizing an ad-hoc over-the-air protocol, causing the device to transmit the information to infrastructure equipment utilizing a cellular over-the-air protocol.

10. An apparatus comprising:

logic circuitry utilized for identifying a plurality of devices that can serve as an ad-hoc relay, identifying which of the plurality of devices is actively transmitting, and choosing an actively-transmitting device to act as the ad-hoc relay; and

a transmitter for sending information to the actively-transmitting device utilizing a first over-the-air protocol, causing the actively-transmitting device to transmit the information to infrastructure equipment utilizing a second over-the-air protocol.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the logic circuitry comprises an ad-hoc networking module.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first over-the-air protocol comprises an ad-hoc over-the-air protocol.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first over-the-air protocol comprises an ad-hoc over-the-air protocol and the second over-the-air protocol comprises a cellular over-the-air protocol.

14. An apparatus comprising:

logic circuitry utilized for identifying a plurality of devices that can serve as an ad-hoc relay, identifying a plurality of attributes for the identified devices, and choosing a device to act as the ad-hoc relay based on the identified attributes, wherein the device chosen maximizes system performance; and

a transmitter for sending information to the device utilizing a first over-the-air protocol, causing the device to transmit the information to infrastructure equipment utilizing a second over-the-air protocol.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the logic circuitry comprises an ad-hoc networking module.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first over-the-air protocol comprises an ad-hoc over-the-air protocol.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first over-the-air protocol comprises an ad-hoc over-the-air protocol and the second over-the-air protocol comprises a cellular over-the-air protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the attributes are chosen from the group consisting of whether the devices are A/C powered, have a large battery reserve, are actively communicating to infrastructure equipment utilizing the second over-the-air protocol, and using real-time services.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein maximizing system performance comprises minimizing battery consumption for the system.

20. A method for relaying information within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

intermittently transmitting first information to a first network;

receiving relay information from a remote unit over a second network;

buffering the relay information;

determining when the first information is to be transmitted to the first network; and

transmitting the relay information along with the first information to the first network.