Method and apparatus for determining a level of involvement of mesh points in a wireless communication system

• US 20060248385A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rahman, Shamim Akbar, Zuniga, Juan Carlos, Rudolf, Marian
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/04 based on wireless node resources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of mesh points (MPs), a method for determining a level of involvement of MPs within the system includes a first MP transmitting a network status request signal to a second MP. The second MP responds to the first MP with network status information. The first MP receives the network status information from the second MP, and determines a level of involvement in the wireless system based on the network status information.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of mesh points (MPs), a method for determining a level of involvement of MPs within the system, the method comprising:

a first MP transmitting a network status request signal to a second MP;

the second MP responding to the first MP with the network status information;

the first MP receiving the network status information from the second MP; and

the first MP determining a level of involvement in the wireless communication system based on the received network status information; and

wherein the status information includes at least one of availability of other MPs in the system, connection status of other MPs in the system, authentication and encryption required to connect to the system, availability of an external network, average and peak delays in the system, bandwidth availability, and the number of other MPs in the system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first MP displaying the network status information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the first MP displaying status information relating to the first MP;

wherein the status information relating to the first MP includes information relating to at least one of connectivity with additional MPs, authentication and encryption required, quality of connections, current levels of wireless activity, power level, and the current level of service availability to other MPs in the wireless communication system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the first MP transmitting the status information relating to the first MP to the second MP.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first MP is in communication with all MPs in the wireless communication system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first MP does not provide routing to additional MPs in the wireless communication system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first MP provides limited routing.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first MP provides routing under emergency conditions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a user of the first MP configures the level of involvement.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the user utilizes a graphical user interface (GUI) to configure the level of involvement.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of involvement of the first MP is configured remotely.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising remotely monitoring the configuration of the first MP.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein information related to the configuration of the first MP is stored in a database.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information is displayed via a graphical user interface (GUI) on the first MP.

12. The method of claim 12 wherein the remote configuration includes signal frames and protocols transmitted to the first MP.

16. In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of mesh points (MPs), a method for determining a level of involvement of MPs within the system, comprising:

receiving network status information from a second MP; and

determining a level of involvement of a first MP in the wireless communication system based on the received network status information; and

wherein the network status information includes information includes at least one of availability of other MPs in the system, connection status of other MPs in the system, authentication and encryption required to connect to the system, availability of an external network, average and peak delays in the system, bandwidth availability, and the number of other MPs in the system.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the first MP displaying the network status information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the first MP displaying status information relating to the first MP;

wherein the status information relating to the first MP includes information relating to at least one of connectivity with additional MPs, authentication and encryption required, quality of connections, current levels of wireless activity, power level, and the current level of service availability to other MPs in the wireless communication system.

19. In a wireless communication system, a mesh point (MP) comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a processor in communication with both the receiver and the transmitter wherein the processor is configured to control the transmitter such that the transmitter transmits a network status request to other MPs in the wireless communication system;

wherein the processor is further configured to receive the network status information of MPs that respond to the network status request and determine a level of involvement in the wireless communication system; and

wherein the network status information provided in response to the network status request includes at least one of availability of other MPs in the system, connection status of other MPs in the system, and the number of other MPs in the system.

20. The MP of claim 19 wherein the network status information provided in response to the status request further comprises at least one of authentication and encryption required to connect to the system, availability of an external network, average and peak delays in the system, and bandwidth availability.

21. The MP of claim 20 wherein the processor of the MP is configured to display the network status information provided in response to the network status request.

22. The MP of claim 19 wherein the processor is further configured to display status information relating to the first MP, wherein the status information relating to the first MP includes information relating to at least one of connectivity with additional MPs, authentication and encryption required, quality of connections, current levels of wireless activity, power level, and the current level of service availability to other MPs in the wireless communication system.

23. In a wireless communication system including a plurality of mesh points (MP), the MPs including an integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a processor in communication with both the receiver and the transmitter wherein the processor is configured to control the transmitter such that the transmitter transmits a network status request to other MPs in the wireless communication system;

wherein the processor is further configured to determine a level of involvement in the wireless communication system; and

wherein the network status information provided in response to the network status request includes at least one of availability of other MPs in the system, connection status of other MPs in the system, and the number of other MPs in the system.

24. The IC of claim 23 wherein the network status information provided in response to the network status request further comprises at least one of authentication and encryption required to connect to the system, availability of an external network, average and peak delays in the system, and bandwidth availability.

25. The IC of claim 24 wherein the processor is configured to display the network status information provided in response to the network status request.

26. The IC of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to display status information relating to the first MP, wherein the status information relating to the first MP includes information relating to at least one of connectivity with additional MPs, authentication and encryption required, quality of connections, current levels of wireless activity, power level, and the current level of service availability to other MPs in the wireless communication system.