AD HOC SERVICE PROVIDER'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20090046591A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Suri, Atul, Krishnaswamy, Dilip
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• 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

Abstract

An ad hoc service provider for a wireless network, a method for providing service from a mobile node, and a machine-readable medium are disclosed. An ad hoc service provider includes a processing system configured to support first and second wireless access protocols and to alter the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability to provide service for a wireless network in response to a resource related event. A method includes sending a request that a mobile node be allowed to provide service as an ad hoc service provider, detecting a resource related event of the mobile node for a wireless network, and altering the mobile node'"'"'s ability to provide service for the wireless network. A machine-readable medium includes instructions for detecting a resource related event of a mobile node, and altering the mobile node'"'"'s ability to provide service as an ad hoc service provider for a wireless network based on the detection.

Claims

1. An ad hoc service provider for a wireless network, the ad hoc service provider comprising:

a processing system configured to support a first wireless access protocol, the processing system further configured to support a wireless access point for one or more mobile clients using a second wireless access protocol, the processing system further configured to alter the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability to provide service for a wireless network in response to a resource related event.

2. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein the resource related event is one or more of the following:

an indication that the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s energy level is below an energy threshold;

an indication that a loading on the processing system is above a loading threshold;

or an indication that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing the first wireless access protocol is below a first bandwidth threshold or that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing the wireless access point is below a second bandwidth threshold.

3. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein to alter the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability, the processing system is configured to disallow admission of any new mobile clients into the wireless network, in response to the resource related event.

4. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein to alter the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability, the processing system is configured to support a handoff of some or all of the one or more mobile clients to other one or more ad hoc service providers, if the one or more mobile clients are existing mobile clients, in response to the resource related event.

5. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein to alter the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability, the processing system is configured to terminate the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service being provided to some or all of the one or more mobile clients, in response to the resource related event.

6. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to alter one or more attributes of the service, in response to the resource related event.

7. The ad hoc service provider of claim 6, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of the following:

a data rate of the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service or duration of the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service.

8. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a server, and wherein to alter the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability, the processing system is configured to notify some or all of the server and the one or more mobile clients regarding an action in response to the resource related event.

9. The ad hoc service provider of claim 8, wherein the action is one or more of the following:

disallowing admission of any new mobile clients into the wireless network;

initiating a handoff of some or all of the one or more mobile clients to other one or more ad hoc service providers;

terminating the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service being provided to some or all of the one or more mobile clients;

or altering one or more attributes of the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service.

10. The ad hoc service provider of claim 9, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of the following:

a data rate of the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service or a duration of the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service.

11. The ad hoc service provider of claim 8, wherein the processing system is configured to notify an action that is different for each or some of the server and the one or more mobile clients.

12. The ad hoc service provider of claim 1, wherein the first wireless access protocol is different from the second wireless access protocol.

13. An ad hoc service provider for a wireless network, comprising:

means for supporting a first wireless access protocol;

means for supporting a wireless access point for one or more mobile clients using a second wireless access protocol; and

means for altering the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s ability to provide service for a wireless network in response to a resource related event.

14. The ad hoc service provider of claim 13, wherein the resource related event is one or more of the following:

an indication that the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s energy level is below an energy threshold;

an indication that a loading on a processing system of the ad hoc service provider is above a loading threshold;

or an indication that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing the first wireless access protocol is below a first bandwidth threshold or that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing the wireless access point is below a second bandwidth threshold.

15. The ad hoc service provider of claim 13, wherein the wireless network comprises a server, and wherein the means for altering is configured to perform one or more of the following:

disallowing admission of any new mobile clients into the wireless network, in response to the resource related event;

supporting a handoff of some or all of the one or more mobile clients to other one or more ad hoc service providers, if the one or more mobile clients are existing mobile clients, in response to the resource related event;

terminating the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service being provided to some or all of the one or more mobile clients, in response to the resource related event;

altering one or more attributes of the ad hoc service provider'"'"'s service, in response to the resource related event;

or notifying some or all of the one or more mobile clients and the server an action in response to the resource related event.

16. A method of providing service from a mobile node for a wireless network, comprising:

sending a request that a mobile node be allowed to provide service as an ad hoc service provider;

detecting a resource related event of the mobile node for a wireless network; and

altering the mobile node'"'"'s ability to provide service for the wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mobile node is configured to support a first wireless access protocol, and wherein the mobile node is further configured to support a wireless access point for one or more mobile clients using a second wireless access protocol.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of sending a request comprises sending a request that the mobile node be allowed to provide service as an ad hoc service provider for a wireless network within a geographic location.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

requesting registration of the mobile node with a server, the request including the mobile node'"'"'s desire to provide a wireless access point to one or more mobile clients,

wherein one or more mobile clients are registered with the server, and wherein the step of altering comprises altering the mobile node'"'"'s ability to provide service to some or all of the server and the one or more mobile clients.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless network comprises the mobile node, a server, and one or more mobile clients, and wherein the step of altering comprises one or more of the following steps:

not admitting any new mobile clients into the wireless network, in response to detecting the resource related event;

initiating a handoff of some or all of the one or more mobile clients of the mobile node to other one or more mobile nodes, in response to detecting the resource related event;

terminating the mobile node'"'"'s service being provided to some or all of the one or more mobile clients, in response to the resource related event;

altering one or more attributes of the mobile node'"'"'s service, in response to the resource related event;

or notifying some or all of the one or more mobile clients and the server an action in response to the resource related event.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the resource related event is one or more of the following:

an indication that the mobile node'"'"'s energy level is below an energy threshold;

an indication that a loading on a processing system of the mobile node is above a loading threshold;

or an indication that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing a first wireless access protocol is below a first bandwidth threshold or that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing a wireless access point is below a second bandwidth threshold.

22. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing system of a mobile node, the instructions comprising code for:

detecting a resource related event of a mobile node; and

altering the mobile node'"'"'s ability to provide service as an ad hoc service provider for a wireless network based on the detection.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions further comprise code for sending, prior to detecting the resource related event, a request that the mobile node be allowed to provide service as an ad hoc service provider for the wireless network.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the resource related event is one or more of the following:

an indication that the mobile node'"'"'s energy level is below an energy threshold;

an indication that a loading on a processing system of the mobile node is above a loading threshold;

or an indication that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing a first wireless access protocol is below a first bandwidth threshold or that an available bandwidth for communications utilizing a wireless access point for one or more mobile clients is below a second bandwidth threshold.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the wireless network comprises the mobile node, a server, and one or more mobile clients, and wherein the code for altering comprises one or more of the following:

code for not admitting any new mobile clients into the wireless network, in response to detecting the resource related event;

code for initiating a handoff of some or all of the one or more mobile clients of the mobile node to other one or more mobile nodes, in response to detecting the resource related event;

code for terminating the mobile node'"'"'s service being provided to some or all of the one or more mobile clients, in response to the resource related event;

code for altering one or more attributes of the mobile node'"'"'s service, in response to the resource related event;

or code for notifying some or all of the one or more mobile clients and the server an action in response to the resource related event.