MATCHING QUERIES IN A NETWORK

• US 20090319503A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Original Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Inventors: Vikram, Srinivasan, Mehul, Motani
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of matching queries in a hybrid infrastructure/infrastructure-less network, the network comprising pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively, the method comprising placing a first query by a user on one of the first type devices and forwarding the query via infrastructure based communication to one of the second type devices; forwarding, depending on a category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more first type devices via infrastructure based communication; and relaying the first query from each of one or more first type devices to one or more neighbouring first type devices via infrastructure-less communication.

Claims

1-64. -64. (canceled)

65. A method of matching queries in a hybrid infrastructure/infrastructure-less communication network, the network comprising pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively, the method comprising:

placing a first query by a user on one of the first type devices and forwarding the query via infrastructure-based communication to one of the second type devices;

forwarding, depending on a category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more first type devices via infrastructure-based communication;

relaying the first query from each of said one or more first type devices to one or more neighbouring first type devices via infrastructure-less communication; and

wherein each first type device determines whether a second query matching the first query is available at said first type device.

66. The method as claimed in claim 65, further comprising dividing a geographical area covered by the network into a plurality of regions;

and wherein the one or more first type devices, to which the first query is forwarded by the second type device, are located in one of the regions.

67. The method as claimed in claims 65, further comprising forwarding, depending on the category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more other second type devices.

68. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein each first type device determines whether a second query matching the first query is available at said first type device.

69. The method as claimed in claim 68, wherein each first type device comprises a notification mechanism to notify users when a match has been determined at a first type device.

70. The method as claimed in any one of claims 65, wherein each first type device stores each query that arrives at said first type device.

71. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein each first type device decides which zero or more queries to delete when a new query arrives at said first type device based on a priority of each query.

72. The method as claimed in any one of claims 65, wherein each second type device determines to which one or more first type devices to forward the first query based on a statistical analysis of a matching time for queries and probability of match on the one hand, and resource utilisation on the other hand.

73. The method as claimed in claim 71, wherein the priority of each query depends one or more different priority factors.

74. The method as claimed in claim 69, wherein the notification mechanism comprises sending a notification message to the first type devices from which the respective matching queries originate.

75. The method as claimed in claim 74, wherein the notification message is sent by sms or email.

76. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein each first type device relays a query using only a peer-to-peer connection and not the infrastructure.

77. The method as claimed in claim 76, wherein the peer-to-peer connection comprises Bluetooth or Wi-Fi services.

78. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the placing the first query from a user to the one second type device comprises utilizing direct cellular services of the network.

79. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the forwarding of the first query to the one or more first type devices comprises utilizing direct cellular services of the network.

80. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the dividing of the geographical area into the regions is based on one or more of a group consisting of the category of the first query, a popularity of the category of the first query, a density of the first type devices in the network, and a mobility of the first type devices in the network.

81. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the first type devices are mobile stations of the network.

82. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the first type devices comprise one or more first sub-type devices capable of infrastructure-less communication, and not capable of infrastructure-based communication.

83. The method as claimed in claim 82, wherein said one or more first sub-type devices inform one or more of the first type devices if a match is determine on said first sub-type device, and said first type device notify users of the match determine at said first sub-type device.

84. The method as claimed in claim 66, wherein one or more of the geographical areas are dynamically defined and associated with one or more vessels in which a plurality of first type devices are located.

86. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the second type devices are base stations or access points of the network.

85. The method as claimed in 84, wherein the vessels comprise one or more of a group consisting of a train, a subway train, a plane, and a ship.

87. A hybrid infrastructure/infrastructure-less network comprising:

pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively,

wherein one of the first type devices forwards a first query from a user via infrastructure-based communication to one of the second type devices;

the one second type device forwards, depending on a category of the first query, the first query to one or more first type devices via infrastructure-based communication;

each of said one or more first type devices relays the first query to one or more neighbouring first type devices via infrastructure-less communication; and

wherein each first type device determines whether a second query matching the first query is available at said first type device.

88. The system as claimed in claim 87, further comprising a geographical area covered by the network and divided into a plurality of regions;

and wherein the one or more first type devices, to which the first query is forwarded by the second type device, are located in one of the regions.

89. The network as claimed in claims 87, wherein the one second type device forwards, depending on the category of the first query, the first query to one or more other second type devices.

90. A computer readable data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer to execute a method of matching queries in a hybrid infrastructure/infrastructure-less network, the network comprising pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively, the method comprising:

placing a first query by a user on one of the first type devices and forwarding the query via infrastructure based communication to one of the second type devices;

forwarding, depending on a category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more first type devices via infrastructure based communication;

relaying the first query from each of said one or more first type devices to one or more neighbouring first type devices via infrastructure-less communication; and

wherein each first type device determines whether a second query matching the first query is available at said first type device.

91. The data storage medium as claimed in claim 90, wherein the method further comprises dividing a geographical area covered by the network into a plurality of regions;

and wherein the one or more first type devices, to which the first query is forwarded by the one second type device, are located in one of the regions.

92. The data storage medium as claimed in claims 90, wherein the method further comprises forwarding, depending on the category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more other second type devices.

93. A method of matching queries in a network, the network comprising pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively, the method comprising:

dividing a geographical area covered by the network into a plurality of regions;

placing a first query by a user on one of the first type devices and forwarding the query to one of the second type devices;

forwarding, depending on a category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more first type devices in one of the regions; and

relaying the first query from each of the one or more first type devices in the one region to one or more neighbouring first type devices.

94. A network comprising:

pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively;

a geographical area covered by the network and divided into a plurality of regions;

wherein one of the first type devices forwards a first query placed by a user to one of the second type devices;

the one second type device forwards, depending on a category of the first query, the first query to one or more first type devices in one of the regions; and

each of the one or more first type devices in the one region relays the first query to one or more neighbouring first type devices.

95. A computer readable data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer to execute a method of matching queries in a network, the network comprising pluralities of first and second type communication devices respectively, the method comprising:

dividing a geographical area covered by the network into a plurality of regions;

placing a first query by a user on one of the first type devices and forwarding the query to one of the second type devices;

forwarding, depending on a category of the first query, the first query from the one second type device to one or more first type devices in one of the regions; and

relaying the first query from each of the one or more first type devices in the one region to one or more neighbouring first type devices.