METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INCENTIVE-BASED AD HOC NETWORKING

• US 20080037499A1
• Filed: 08/11/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birchler, Mark A., Ekl, Randy L., Kotzin, Michael D., Hill, Thomas C., Kumar, Surender, Lee, Whay Chiou, Stanforth, Peter J., Matson, Peggy K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/14 based on stability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/16 based on interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• 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

A system (100) and method (300) for mesh/ad hoc participation is provided. The method can include providing (310) an incentive to a user operating a device in an ad hoc network and determining (320) network resources associated with providing the incentive. The method can establish a credit system for devices within the ad hoc network, evaluate a supply and demand for the network resources, and allocate credits to the devices for forwarding packets in the ad hoc network. The method can determine a delivery capacity for the devices and negotiate an optimal packet route through the devices in the ad hoc network based on the supply and demand.

Claims

1. A method for ad hoc participation, comprising:

providing at least one incentive to a user for allowing a device to operate and relay communication in an ad hoc network; and

determining network resources associated with providing the at least one incentive;

wherein the incentive to the users optimizes packet forwarding efficiency in the ad hoc network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining network resources further comprises:

probing devices in the ad hoc network for communication capabilities;

selecting routes within the ad hoc network based on a quality of service and packet forwarding longevity in view of the probing; and

negotiating at least one incentive for the routes based on at least one of a battery life of the device, a communication interference of the device, a security of the device, a load capacity of the device, or a community acceptance of the device in the ad hoc network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining network resources further comprises:

determining a supply and demand for the network resources; and

determining a delivery capacity for devices for collaboratively forwarding packets in the ad hoc network based on the supply and demand.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing at least one incentive further comprises:

allocating credits to the devices for forwarding packets in the ad hoc network;

providing a clearing house service to the user for allowing users to trade and barter credits; and

establishing routing within the ad hoc network based on credits.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the credit is an air-time value credit to the user to encourage participation in the ad hoc network and optimize a packet routing.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating ad hoc communities that make collaborative decisions for incentive policies in the ad hoc communities including managing, configuring, and policing incentive policies.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the managing, configuring, and policing incentive policies further comprises:

mandating a device in the ad hoc network to provide cooperative capabilities and services under urgent conditions;

taxing a device for discouraging a user from joining the ad hoc community;

collecting left-over credits and utilizing the left-over credits to attract other devices into the ad hoc network; and

assessing all devices in the ad hoc network for redistributing credits to other devices into the ad hoc network.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

categorizing credits based on value, wherein a value is time-based, location-based, or context-based for providing route optimization;

determining packet routing optimization in the ad hoc network based on message types; and

providing a feedback for identifying cooperation and participation of the device in the ad hoc network.

9. A method for ad hoc participation, comprising:

providing an incentive to a user for allowing a device of the user to operate in an ad hoc network;

determining a supply and demand for network resources associated with the providing an incentive;

implementing a credit accumulation rate to minimize an unnecessary dropping of packets and provide an incentive for packet forwarding;

managing an incentive policy for allocating credits to the device for optimizing packet delivery among one or more routes in the ad hoc network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adapting packet forwarding of a device based on an availability of network resources using the credit accumulation rate that is based on a topology, battery longevity, and load of the network resources,

wherein the credit accumulation rate determines credit offered to the device in the ad hoc network for delivering packets to minimize an unnecessary dropping of packets and provide an incentive for packet forwarding.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein forwarding decisions are based on the relative offered load capacity and not on a packet-to-packet decision basis.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adapting to a relative offered load for nodes located in parts of the ad hoc network where traffic is low for preventing packet forwarding discrimination,

wherein the relative offered load capacity is a ratio of a packet generation rate of the device to a rate at which packets are received by the device for forwarding.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the credit accumulation rate for forwarding packets is proportional to a dynamic factor that is a function of ad hoc network system parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forwarding every packet received at the device;

increasing a counter value by a value determined by a dynamic factor for each packet forwarded,

decreasing the counter value proportionally to the number of hops required to send packets to other devices within the ad hoc network.

wherein the dynamic factor is a function of a hop count, battery capacity, and a relative offered load.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the credit accumulation comprises:

increasing a credit of the device to forward packets to other nodes when a relative offered load capacity of the device is high; and

maintaining the credit on the device to forward packets on behalf of the other device when the relative offered load capacity of the device is low.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the credit accumulation rate is a function of minimum transmission power to achieve a predetermined range for delivering packets within the ad hoc network, and the credit accumulation rate is correlated with the minimum transmission power for offering a packet forwarding incentive to devices located away from the device in terms of a number of hops in the ad hoc network.

17. A system for ad hoc networking, comprising

a plurality of mobile wireless user terminals for:

providing at least one incentive to a user operating a device in the ad hoc network;

determining network resources associated with the providing the at least one incentive; and

compensating the user for allowing the mobile wireless user terminal to relay communication in the ad hoc network in view of the network resources;

wherein the plurality of mobile wireless user determine a forwarding capacity for the mobile wireless user terminals and negotiate an optimal packet route through the ad hoc network by;

establishing a credit system for mobile wireless user terminals within the ad hoc network for providing the at least one incentive;

determining a supply and demand for the network resources; and

allocating credits to the mobile wireless user terminals for forwarding packets in the ad hoc network based on the supply and demand.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting an air-time value credit to the user to encourage participation in the ad hoc network and optimize the packet routing.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a clearing house community to the user for allowing users to trade and barter air-time value credits; and

sustaining ad hoc communities that make collective decisions for incentive policies in the ad hoc communities including managing, configuring, and policing the incentive policies.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein a node further comprises:

a transceiver capable of receiving and transmitting signals including packetized signals to and from the node;

a controller for controlling the transceiver and updating routing information; and

a memory capable of storing routing information pertaining to the node and other nodes in the ad hoc network, wherein the controller

probes mobile wireless user terminals in the ad hoc network for communication capabilities;

selects routes within the ad hoc network based on a quality of service and packet forwarding longevity in view of the probing; and

negotiates at least one incentive for the routes based on at least one of a battery life of the mobile wireless user terminal, a communication interference of the mobile wireless user terminal in the ad hoc network, a security of the mobile wireless user terminal in the ad hoc network, a load capacity of the mobile wireless user terminal in the ad hoc network, and a community acceptance of the mobile wireless user terminal in the ad hoc network.

21. An apparatus for ad hoc networking, comprising:

a transceiver capable of receiving and transmitting signals including packetized signals;

a memory capable of storing routing information pertaining to nodes in the ad hoc network from information contained in the signals from the transceiver;

a controller for

controlling the transceiver and updating routing information;

probing nodes in the ad hoc network for communication capabilities;

selecting routes through nodes within the ad hoc network based on a quality of service and packet forwarding longevity in view of the probing; and

negotiating at least one incentive for the routes based on a topology, energy, and load of the network resources.