Method and system for dynamic information exchange on mesh network devices

• US 20080025330A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 2, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobitrum Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Ray
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system for dynamic information exchange on mesh network devices. A mesh network device with integrated features creates an N-way mesh network with a full mesh network topology or a partial mesh network or an ad-hoc network topology. The mesh network device is able to dynamically exchange information with other mesh network devices using stored profiles (e.g., personal data, advertisements, instant coupons, location-aware information, etc.) via a mesh network or partial mesh network or ad-hoc network.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic information interchange for mesh network devices, comprising:

receiving a first set of profile information on a first mesh network device;

sending periodically a wireless signal from the first network device to a mesh network including a plurality of other mesh network devices including other sets of profile information;

receiving one or more wireless signals from the plurality other mesh network devices on the mesh network, wherein the one or more wireless signals include other sets of profile information stored on the plurality of other mesh network devices; and

determining from the received one or more wireless signals whether any items in first set of profile information on the first network device match any items in other sets of profile information stored on the plurality of other mesh network devices, and if so,

exchanging a set of data between the first network device and the one or more other mesh network devices via the mesh network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of profile information includes an e-mail address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a hardware address, a universal resource locator (URL), a name, a street address, an telephone number, an instant message identifier, a text message identifier, a encryption key, a digital signature, a secure message digest, a security identifier, a mesh network identifier, public or emergency notices or location specific information including location-aware information.

4. The method claim 1 wherein the step of sending periodically a wireless signal includes sending an IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) wireless protocol signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending periodically a wireless signal includes sending an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16a or 802.16g wireless protocol signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exchanging a set of data includes securely exchanging a set of data between the first network device and the one or more other mesh network devices via the mesh network using a pre-determined security method.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a first set of profile information includes receiving the first set of profile on a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface on the first mesh network device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein exchanging a set of data includes exchanging one or more audio files.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending broadcasting periodically a wireless signal includes broadcasting an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16a or 802.16g wireless protocol signal.

9. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more audio files include Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) Audio Layer 3 (MP3) audio files.

10. A method for enabling dynamic information interchange for mesh network devices, comprising:

activating a profile template on a first mesh network device;

receiving a plurality of profile information items on the first network device for the profile template;

storing the profile information in the profile template in non-volatile storage on the first mesh network device; and

broadcasting periodically a wireless signal including the stored profile information from the first mesh network device to a plurality of other mesh network devices on a mesh network,

wherein the stored profile information allows the first mesh network device to exchange data with one or more of the plurality of other mesh network devices on the mesh network whose stored profile information that matches any of stored profile information of the first mesh network device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

12. The method of claim 10 herein the step of activating a profile template on a first mesh network device includes:

retrieving the profile template from non-volatile storage on the first mesh network device; and

displaying the retrieved profile template on a display associated with the first mesh network device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of activating a profile template on a first mesh network device includes:

retrieving an electronic link from non-volatile storage on the first mesh network device; and

retrieving the profile template from another location on the mesh network using the retrieved electronic link; and

displaying the retrieved profile template on a display associated with the first mesh network device.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of broadcasting periodically a wireless signal includes securely broadcasting periodically a wireless signal from the first network device to the one or more other mesh network devices via the mesh network.

15. The method claim 11 wherein the step of broadcasting periodically a wireless signal includes broadcasting an EEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) wireless protocol signal.

17. The method claim 11 wherein step of storing the profile information includes securely storing the profile template in non-volatile storage on the first mesh network device using a pre-determined security method.

18. A system for dynamic information interchange for mesh network devices, comprising, in combination:

means for activating a profile template on a first mesh network device, for receiving a plurality of profile information items on the first network device for the profile template and for storing the profile information in the profile template in non-volatile storage on the first mesh network device; and

means for sending or broadcasting periodically a wireless signal from the first network device to a mesh network including a plurality of other mesh network devices including other sets of profile information;

for receiving one or more wireless signals from the plurality other mesh network devices on the mesh network, wherein the one or more wireless signals include other sets of profile information stored on the plurality of other mesh network devices; and

for determining from the received one or more wireless signals whether any items in first set of profile information on the first network device match any items in other sets of profile information stored on the plurality of other mesh network devices, and if so, exchanging a set of data between the first network device and the one or more other mesh network devices via the mesh network.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the wireless signal includes an IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) wireless protocol signal.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein wireless signal includes an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16a or 802.16g wireless protocol signal.