SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PRODUCTS FOR POOLING OF WIRELESS COLLECTION BANDWIDTH

• US 20090046740A1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruckart, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer products for pooling of wireless collection bandwidth. Exemplary embodiments include a bandwidth management method, in a wireless device, the method, including querying for additional wireless devices within a communication range of the wireless device, the wireless device and additional wireless devices being in communication with a network having downloadable content, initiating communication between the wireless device and the additional wireless devices, establishing an ad-hoc network among the combination of the wireless device and the additional devices, establishing communication between the combined wireless device and additional devices as the ad-hoc network, and the network having the downloadable content and requesting the downloadable content from the network to the wireless device, wherein the downloadable content is transferred over a bandwidth collectively pooled among individual bandwidths of the wireless device and the additional wireless devices.

Claims

1. In a wireless device, a bandwidth management method, comprising:

querying for additional wireless devices within a communication range of the wireless device, the wireless device and additional wireless devices being in communication with a network having downloadable content;

initiating communication between the wireless device and the additional wireless devices;

establishing an ad-hoc network among the combination of the wireless device and the additional devices;

establishing communication between the combined wireless device and additional devices as the ad-hoc network, and the network having the downloadable content; and

requesting the downloadable content from the network to the wireless device, wherein the downloadable content is transferred over a bandwidth collectively pooled among individual bandwidths of the wireless device and the additional wireless devices.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising appropriating bandwidth to fulfill the download request.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the appropriated bandwidth is from the additional wireless devices.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein bandwidth from the wireless device is collectively pooled to the appropriated bandwidth of the additional wireless devices.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the additional wireless devices that provide appropriated bandwidth dynamically change in response to the additional devices coming into and out of a communication range with the wireless device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising balancing the downloadable content across the wireless device and the additional wireless devices in response to the need for additional bandwidth to fulfill the download request.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

appropriating necessary bandwidth from the additional wireless devices for collective use with bandwidth of the wireless device in response for a request for further bandwidth from the wireless device to complete the requested download; and

balancing the download across the wireless device and the additional wireless devices in response for needed bandwidth to complete the download request.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising providing a notification to the additional wireless devices that bandwidth is being collectively pooled with the wireless device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising aggregating the content to the wireless device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising aggregating the content to the additional wireless devices in response to a request from one or more of the additional wireless devices that the content is requested.

11. A system for managing bandwidth, the system comprising:

a wireless device; and

a collective bandwidth pooling application residing on the device, the collective bandwidth pooling application having instructions to monitor for additional wireless devices having bandwidth for bandwidth pooling with the wireless device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the collective bandwidth pooling application further comprises instructions to appropriate bandwidth from the additional wireless devices to fulfill a download request to the wireless device.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the collective bandwidth pooling application further comprises instructions to perform a download of the requested content to the wireless device via a had-hoc network including the wireless devices and the additional wireless devices that have a collective pooled bandwidth to support the download of the requested content.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the collective bandwidth pooling application further comprises instructions to balance the download across the wireless device and the additional wireless devices in response for needed bandwidth to complete the download request.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the collective bandwidth pooling application further comprises instructions to notify nodes that the wireless device is collectively pooling bandwidth to download content.

16. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the collective bandwidth pooling application further comprises instructions to aggregate the downloaded content to the wireless device.

17. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising means to dynamically change communication between the wireless device and the additional wireless devices in response to the availability and unavailability of the additional wireless devices.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a bandwidth management method comprising:

querying for additional wireless devices within a communication range of a wireless device, the wireless device and additional wireless devices being in communication with a network having downloadable content;

initiating communication between the wireless device and the additional wireless devices;

establishing an ad-hoc network among the combination of the wireless device and the additional devices;

establishing communication between the combined wireless device and additional devices as the ad-hoc network, and the network having the downloadable content; and

requesting the downloadable content from the network to the wireless device, wherein the downloadable content is transferred over a bandwidth collectively pooled among individual bandwidths of the wireless device and the additional wireless devices.

19. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

appropriating necessary bandwidth from the additional wireless devices for collective use with bandwidth of the wireless device in response for a request for further bandwidth from the wireless device to complete the requested download; and

balancing the download across the wireless device and the available nodes in response for needed bandwidth to complete the download request.

20. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein the method further comprises aggregating the content to the wireless device.