PROPAGATING AD HOC WIRELESS NETWORKS BASED ON COMMON DESIGNATION AND ROUTINE

• US 20060023679A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SeekerNet Incorporated
• Inventors: TWITCHELL, Robert W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10108 interrogating only those RFIDs that fulfill a predetermined requirement, e.g. selecting all RFIDs having the same speed and moving in a cloud like fashion, e.g. on the same train; interrogating only RFIDs having a certain predetermined temperature, e.g. in the same fridge, another possibility being the active ignoring of a group of tags that fulfill a predetermined requirement, equivalent to the Boolean NOT operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of forming an ad hoc hierarchical communication network among a plurality of wireless transceiver includes assigning to each of the transceivers one or more common designations. A network organization routine of the transceivers operates to establish hierarchical networks based on the transceivers'"'"' common designations, resulting in a logical network organization that provides efficiencies for acquiring information from particular transceivers that share a common designation. Each transceiver'"'"'s common designation is used by a digital processor of the transceiver to selectively receive data packets that are intended for receipt by transceivers sharing the particular common designation. Such a “common designation” network reduces power consumption and signal interference, which increases battery life in the transceivers. The transceivers may include a query handling routine in communication with a memory of the transceiver for serving as a dynamic distributed hierarchical database system of information such as, for example, sensor-derived information and time-sensitive information.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with a population of transceivers, comprising:

(a) assigning a first class designation to a first plurality of transceivers;

(b) assigning a second class designation to a second plurality of transceivers; and

(c) propagating, by the first plurality of transceivers, a first ad hoc hierarchical network based on the first class designation assigned in said step (a), the first hierarchical ad hoc communication network including a root transceiver; and

(d) propagating, by the second plurality of transceivers, a second ad hoc hierarchical network based on the second class designation assigned in said step (b), the second ad hoc hierarchical network being logically distinct from the first ad hoc hierarchical network, the second ad hoc hierarchical communication network including a root transceiver;

(e) wherein communications to a transceiver of the first ad hoc hierarchical network from outside of the population of transceivers pass through the root transceiver of the first ad hoc hierarchical network, and wherein communications to a transceiver of the second ad hoc hierarchical network from outside of the population of transceivers pass through the root transceiver of the second ad hoc hierarchical network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) includes executing at each transceiver a network organization routine, the network organization routine of each of the first plurality of transceivers cooperating with the network organization routines of at least some of the others of the first plurality of transceivers to thereby automatically form the first ad hoc hierarchical network among the first plurality of transceivers, and wherein said step (d) includes executing at each transceiver of the second plurality of transceivers a network organization routine, the network organization routine of each of the second plurality of transceivers cooperating with the network organization routines of at least some of the others of the second plurality of transceivers to thereby automatically form the second ad hoc hierarchical network among the second plurality of transceivers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(f) establishing a network link with the root transceiver of the first ad hoc hierarchical network and the root transceiver of the second ad hoc hierarchical network;

(g) transmitting a message from an application server disposed in electronic communication with the network to the root transceiver of the first ad hoc hierarchical network and the root transceiver of the second ad hoc hierarchical network, the message including one or more data packets having a preamble that includes a target identifier representing the first common designation; and

(h) further transmitting the message by the root transceiver of the first ad hoc hierarchical network to one or more additional transceivers of the first ad hoc hierarchical network, but not transmitting the message by the root transceiver of the second ad hoc hierarchical network to one or more additional transceivers of the second ad hoc hierarchical network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each transceiver of the population of transceivers is associated with a data communications device having a machine-readable memory for storing therein sensor-acquired information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein one or more of the data communication devices of the population each includes an interface for electronic communication with a sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor comprises one of the group of a motion detector;

sound detector;

vibration detector;

camera;

microphone;

thermometer;

altimeter;

pressure sensor;

humidity sensor;

global positioning system receiver;

light detector, broadband RF signal scanner;

optical sensor;

an accelerometer;

electromagnetic detector; and

a CBRNE sensor such as a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives material sensor.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a data communication device of the population includes an interface for wireless electronic communication with an external sensor.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein a data communications device of the population includes an interface for wired electronic communication with an external sensor.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein a data communications device of the population includes an interface for electronic communication with an internal sensor.

10. A method of forming wireless data communication network among a population of wireless transceivers, wherein each of the wireless transceivers includes a digital processor;

a machine-readable memory; and

machine-executable instructions executable by the digital processor for performing a network organization routine, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) storing a first common designation in the memory of each of a first plurality of transceivers and storing a first common designation in the memory of each of a second plurality of transceivers, the population including the first plurality of transceivers and the second plurality of transceivers;

(b) initiating the network organization routines of the wireless transceivers to automatically propagate, in the absence of central control, a first hierarchical ad hoc network among the wireless transceivers of the first plurality of transceivers and a second hierarchical ad hoc network among the wireless transceivers of the second plurality of transceivers,

(c) the first and second hierarchical ad hoc networks being automatically organized so that each is logically distinct from the other.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the machine-readable medium of one or more of the wireless transceivers further includes, stored therein, sensor-acquired information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the wireless transceivers each includes an interface for electronic communication with a sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises one of the group of a motion detector;

sound detector;

camera;

microphone;

thermometer;

altimeter;

pressure sensor;

humidity sensor;

global positioning system receiver;

light detector, broad-band RF signal scanner;

optical sensor;

an accelerometer; and

chemical sensor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface comprises an interface for wireless electronic communication with an external sensor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface comprises an interface for wired electronic communication with an external sensor.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the wireless transceivers each includes an interface for electronic communication with an internal sensor.

17. A data communications device having a common designation, comprising:

(a) a wireless transceiver;

(b) a digital information processor in communication with the wireless transceiver;

(c) a power source for providing electrical power to the wireless transceiver and the digital information processor;

(d) machine-readable memory in communication with the digital information processor, the memory adapted to store the common designation;

(e) a network organization routine operable on the digital information processor to selectively communicate with one of multiple peer devices that share the same common designation, the network organization routine operable to send network organization messages including the common designation and to receive network organization requests from the peer devices, to thereby selectively propagate a common designation hierarchical ad hoc network among the network device and the peer devices.

18. The data communications device of claim 17, further comprising an interface for electronic communication with one of the group of a motion detector;

sound detector;

camera;

microphone;

thermometer;

altimeter;

pressure sensor;

humidity sensor;

global positioning system receiver;

light detector, broad-band RF signal scanner;

optical sensor;

an accelerometer; and

chemical sensor, and wherein said machine-readable memory is further adapted to store therein information acquired through said interface.

19. A dynamic distributed hierarchical database system, comprising a plurality of data communication devices, each assigned at least one common designation and including:

(a) a machine-readable memory for storing a profile representative of its common designation;

(b) an ad hoc hierarchical network organization routine in communication with said memory for establishing an ad hoc hierarchical network with other data communication devices based on the common designation; and

(c) a query handling routine for interpreting and responding to database queries received from an application server, which database queries include the common designation of the data communication device stored in said memory.

20. The database system of claim 19, further comprising an interface for electronic communication with one of the group of a motion detector;

sound detector;

camera;

microphone;

thermometer;

altimeter;

pressure sensor;

humidity sensor;

global positioning system receiver;

light detector, broad-band RF signal scanner;

optical sensor;

an accelerometer; and

chemical sensor, and wherein said machine-readable memory is further adapted to store therein information acquired through said interface.