Wireless extended proximity networks: systems, methods and program products
First Claim
1. In a short-range wireless system, a wireless extended proximity network, comprising:
- a) a plurality of access points, each access point coupled to a proximity network including at least one mobile device for peer to peer communication;
b) means coupling the access points in a network; and
c) means installed in each mobile device and access point enabling each peer to communicate with any peer in the mesh network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless proximity network is extended to provide peer-to peer communication among ad hoc networks. A mobile device (peer) coupled to an access point serves an adhoc network via a short-range communication link. The peer executes a Bluetooth protocol stack. Each peer has a routing table about all the peers in the adhoc network. A peer to peer software layer (P2P) runs on top of the Bluetooth protocol stack and beneath a multi-user application layer. The P2P software handles application deployment, peer management and communications for applications and provides information about existing peers on the adhoc network; routes messages between peers within an ad hoc network and from one peer to another in different adhoc networks. The access point is connected to a wireless LAN via a wireless router. The access point has an IP-BT address conversion table and communicates with other access points via wireless routers using TCP/IP protocols.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. In a short-range wireless system, a wireless extended proximity network, comprising:
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a) a plurality of access points, each access point coupled to a proximity network including at least one mobile device for peer to peer communication;
b) means coupling the access points in a network; and
c) means installed in each mobile device and access point enabling each peer to communicate with any peer in the mesh network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method enabling a peer in a communication network to communicate with any peer in a mesh network, comprising:
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a) forming a plurality of proximity networks, each proximity network including at least one mobile device coupled to an access point;
b) coupling the access points in a mesh network; and
c) installing middleware in the access points and the mobile devices enabling mobile devices to communicate with any mobile device in the mesh network on a peer to peer basis. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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19. The method of claim 167 comprising;
f) installing in each access point a conversion table for converting mobile device addresses to mesh addresses of access point.
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25. A method of communicating on a peer to peer in a mesh network of adhoc short range communication networks, comprising:
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a) maintaining a list of existing peers in a mesh network;
b) receiving a message from a sending peer in an adhoc network, the received message containing a recipient address of a receiver peer;
c) analyzing the received message;
d) based on the recipient address in the received message, determining a next level address for forwarding the received message without changing the recipient address in the received message;
e) replacing the next level of address without changing the recipient address in order to forward the message to the receiver peer; and
f) coupling the sending and receiver peers for communication with each other. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A medium, executable in a computer system, for enabling a peer in a communication network to communicate with any peer in a mesh network, the medium comprising:
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a) program code for forming a plurality of proximity networks, each proximity network including at least one mobile device coupled to an access point;
b) program code for coupling the access points in a mesh network c) program code installing middleware in a communication protocol stack enabling mobile devices to communicate with any mobile device in the mesh network on a peer to peer basis. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method enabling a user to continue to receive data while temporarily disconnected from a proximity network comprising:
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(a) connecting a user attending an event to a proximity network via an access point having a coverage area;
(b) activating an application in the mobile device for acquisition of services from the proximity network;
(c) executing the application while connected to the proximity network;
(d) temporarily moving out of the coverage area of the access point;
(e) detecting the departure of the user from the proximity network by the access point;
(f) storing application data of the user in the access point while the user is out of the coverage area of the access point; and
(g) providing the stored application data to the user upon reconnection to the access point.
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35. Apparatus enabling a user to continue to receive data while temporarily disconnected from a proximity network comprising:
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(a) means connecting a user attending an event to a proximity network via an access point having a coverage area;
(b) means activating an application in a mobile device for acquisition of services from the proximity network;
(c) means executing the application while the mobile device is connected to the proximity network;
(d) means detecting the departure of the user from the proximity network by the access point;
(f) means storing application data in the access point while the user is out of the coverage area of the access point; and
(g) means providing the stored application data to the user upon reconnection to the access point.
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Specification