METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DATA PARCEL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20110252111A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gauvreau, Jean-Louis, Lynch, Kenneth F., Murray, Joseph M., Chitrapu, Prabhakar R., DiGirolamo, Rocco, DiFazio, Robert A., Hergenhan, Scott C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,462,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A device and method for registering devices on advanced networks as well as providing operative communications between a legacy device and a advanced network. The legacy device may contain data, such as sensor data, which is being collected on a network outside the communication range/abilities of the legacy device. An intermediary device may receive the data via a first communication scheme and send the device to a server collecting the data via a second communication scheme.

Claims

1. A method of collecting data from a previously unknown source and providing the data to an intended recipient, the method comprising:

discovering a remote device, wherein the remote device collects data, was previously undiscovered, and communicates data unilaterally;

determining identification information of the remote device;

identifying a server that collects the data based on the identification information;

receiving the data from the remote device; and

sending the data to the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a sensor, and the data is from the sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is incapable of communicating directly with the remote device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the data for a period of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the period of time depends, at least in part, on at least one of a cost, security, or bandwidth of sending the data to the server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identification information of the remote device is based on a handshake with the remote device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from the remote device via Bluetooth.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein sending the data to the server is unachievable when the data is received from the remote device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is sent to the server via a cellular data network or Short Messaging Service (SMS).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device is unaware that the data has been received from the remote device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying a user that the data has been received from the remote device; and

notifying the user that the data has been sent to the server.

12. A device for collecting data, the device comprising:

a transceiver for receiving data and control messages from a remote device via a first communication scheme, sending control messages to the remote device via the first communication scheme, and sending data to a server that stores data from the remote device via a second communication scheme, wherein the remote device was previously undiscovered and communicates data unilaterally; and

a processor for discovering the remote device, determining identification information of the remote device, and identifying the server based on the identification information.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the remote device includes a sensor and the data is sensor data.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first communication scheme and the second communication scheme are the same.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the server is incapable of communicating directly with the remote device.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a memory for storing the data for a period of time.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the period of time depends, at least in part, on at least one of a cost, security, or bandwidth of sending the second data parcel to the server.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor determines the identification information based on a handshake with the remote device.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the first communication scheme is Bluetooth.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein sending data to the server is unachievable when the data is received from the remote device.

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the second communication scheme is a cellular data scheme or Short Messaging Service (SMS).

22. The device of claim 12, wherein the remote device is unaware that the data has been received.

23. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a display for notifying a user that the data has been received from the remote device or that the data has been sent to the server.

24. A method of registering devices on a network, the method comprising:

identifying a remote device incapable of communicating with a central gateway, wherein the central gateway maintains a database of device registration information for devices accessible on a network;

receiving registration information from the remote device; and

sending the registration information of the remote device to the central gateway.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the registration information includes at least one of identification information of the remote device, capabilities of the remote device, or a content listing of the remote device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the central gateway is incapable of communicating directly with the remote device due to the central gateway being outside of a communication range of the remote device.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the central gateway is incapable of communicating directly with the remote device due to the remote device lacking a common wireless communications scheme with the central gateway.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving data from a device on the network that is registered with the central gateway; and

sending the data to the remote device.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving data from the remote device; and

sending the data to a device on the network that is registered with the central gateway.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the registration information is received via a first wireless communications scheme, and the registration information is sent via a second wireless communications scheme.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first wireless communications scheme is Bluetooth and the second wireless communications scheme is IEEE 802.11.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a content listing for a plurality of network devices from the central gateway.

33. A device for registering remote devices on a network, the system comprising:

a processor for identifying a remote device and identifying a central gateway that maintains a database of device registration information for devices contained on a network; and

a transceiver for receiving registration information from the remote device and sending the registration information to the central gateway, wherein the remote device is incapable of communicating directly with the central gateway.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the registration information includes at least one of identification information of the remote device, capabilities of the remote device, or a content listing of the remote device.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the central gateway is incapable of communicating directly with the remote device due to the central gateway being outside of a communication range of the remote device.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the central gateway is incapable of communicating directly with the remote device due to the central gateway lacking a common wireless communications scheme with the remote device.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein the transceiver receives data from a device on the network that is registered with the central gateway and sends the data to the remote device.

38. The device of claim 33, wherein the transceiver receives data from the remote device and sends the data to a device on the network that is registered with the central gateway.

39. The device of claim 33, wherein the transceiver receives the registration information via a first wireless communications scheme, and the transceiver sends the registration information via a second wireless communications scheme.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein the first wireless communications scheme is Bluetooth and the second wireless communications scheme is IEEE 802.11.

41. The device of claim 33, wherein the transceiver receives a content listing for a plurality of devices accessible on the network from the central gateway.