METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPLEMENTING CENTRALIZED HYBRID WIRELESS SELF-ORGANIZING NETWORKS

• US 20160006837A1
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OXIO Corporation
• Original Assignee: Trinity Mobile Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Reynolds, Tyler Beauchamp, Hall, Stephen Donald
• Granted Patent: US 10,142,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A telecommunications device, operable in a system comprising one or more servers, the device being a client device in the system. The device is constructed and adapted to: provide a client configuration state for the client device to the one or more servers; and obtain from the one or more servers a first sub-network configuration, comprising at least one path from the one or more servers to the client device, and being based on the client configuration state and on at least one other client configuration state of at least one other client device. The device can use a path specified in the first sub-network configuration to obtain at least one resource via the one or more servers.

Claims

1. A telecommunications device, operable in a system comprising one or more servers, said device being a client device in said system, said device constructed and adapted to:

provide a client configuration state for said client device to said one or more servers; and

obtain from said one or more servers a first sub-network configuration, said first sub-network configuration comprising at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device, said first sub-network configuration being based on said client configuration state and on at least one other client configuration state of at least one other client device,

wherein the device can use a path specified in said first sub-network configuration to obtain at least one resource via said one or more servers.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the client configuration state for the client device includes or is based on identification information about the client device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the client configuration state for the client device includes or is based on information about other devices with which the client can communicate in at least one direction.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device was determined based on one or more factors, including:

(a) a specific set of carriers;

(b) WiFi connections;

(c) a power status of client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(d) client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device that are connected to a power source;

(e) a cost of transmission on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(f) spectrum use on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(g) expected battery drain on clients on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(h) a number of hops/relays on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(i) expected reliability or error rate or quality of service for possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(j) expected transmission speed on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path comprises at least one gateway.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said first sub-network configuration for said device is also based on client configurations of multiple other client devices.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path comprises a hybrid path.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said hybrid path contains path segments using distinct communication interfaces.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path comprises one or more intermediate client devices.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the at least one path comprises at least two gateways.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the first sub-network configuration is based on a previous known successful network configuration.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein said client device obtains said at least one resource, at least in part, via a portion of said at least one path.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path comprises at least one first device distinct from said client device.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said at least one path comprises at least two gateways and wherein said client device obtains said at least one resource via said at least two gateways.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said at least two gateways include at least one gateway using a distinct protocol from at least one other gateway.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said client device obtains said at least one resource via said at least two gateways in a ratio determined by said one or more servers.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said ratio is based on one or more of:

(a) a specific set of carriers;

(b) WiFi connections;

(c) a power status of client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(d) client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device that are connected to a power source;

(e) a cost of transmission on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(f) spectrum use on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(g) expected battery drain on client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(h) a number of hops/relays on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(i) expected reliability or error rate or quality of service for possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device; and

(j) expected transmission speed on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device.

18. The device of any one of claim 16 wherein said device obtains said at least one resource via said at least two gateways in an interleaved manner.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one path specified in said first sub-network configuration comprises multiple sub-paths, including a first sub-path and a second sub-path distinct from said first sub-path, and wherein said client device obtains said at least one resource via said first sub-path and said second sub-path.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is further constructed and adapted to:

in response to an instruction from said one or more servers, provide an updated client configuration state for said client device to said one or more servers.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said updated client configuration state includes or is based on said information about other devices with which the client device can communicate in at least one direction.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said device is further constructed and adapted to:

determine information about other devices with which the client device can communicate.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein said device determines said information about other devices in response to an instruction from said one or more servers.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is further constructed and adapted to:

obtain from said one or more servers a modified sub-network configuration distinct from said first sub-network configuration.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein said modified sub-network configuration was determined based on client configuration information from at least one device on said at least one path of said first sub-network configuration.

26. The device of one of claim 25 wherein said modified sub-network configuration includes at least one new path not in said first sub-network configuration.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein said at least one new path is selected based on one or more of:

(a) a specific set of carriers;

(b) WiFi connections;

(c) a power status of client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(d) client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device that are connected to a power source;

(e) a cost of transmission on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(f) spectrum use on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(g) expected battery drain on clients on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(h) a number of hops/relays on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(i) expected reliability or error rate or quality of service for possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device; and

(j) expected transmission speed on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device.

28. The device of claim 1 wherein said client configuration state for said client device includes or is based on one or more of:

(i) the client device'"'"'s remaining battery power, (ii) whether the client device is powered externally, (iii) whether the client device has a stable Internet connection, (iv) the client device'"'"'s IP address, (v) the client device'"'"'s location, (vi) the client device'"'"'s orientation, (v) the client device'"'"'s state of motion, (vi) information about other devices with which the client device can communicate in at least one direction; and

(vii) a state of the client'"'"'s hardware.

29. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device comprises a pseudo-gateway.

30. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is or comprises a wireless telecommunications device.

31. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one path was selected to favor one or more of:

(a) a specific set of carriers;

(b) WiFi connections;

(c) a power status of client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(d) client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device that are connected to a power source;

(e) a cost of transmission on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(f) spectrum use on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(g) expected battery drain on client devices on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(h) a number of hops/relays on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device;

(i) expected reliability or error rate or quality of service for possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device; and

(j) expected transmission speed on possible paths from said one or more servers to said client device.

32. A computer-implemented method, operable on a telecommunications device in a system comprising one or more servers, wherein said device is a client device in said system, said method comprising:

providing a client configuration state for said client device to said one or more servers;

obtaining from said one or more servers a first sub-network configuration, said first sub-network configuration comprising at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device, said first sub-network configuration being based on said client configuration state and on at least one other client configuration state of at least one other client device,

wherein the client device can use a path specified in said first sub-network configuration to obtain at least one resource via said one or more servers.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said first sub-network configuration for said client is based on client configurations of multiple other client devices.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said at least one path comprises a hybrid path.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein said at least one path comprises one or more intermediate clients.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said at least one path comprises at least one pseudo gateway.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the first sub-network configuration is based on a previous known successful network configuration.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein said method further comprises:

in response to an instruction from said one or more servers, determine information about other devices with which the client can communicate, wherein said updated client configuration state includes or is based on said information about other devices with which the client can communicate in at least one direction.

39. A computer program product having computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory computer readable media, the computer readable instructions including instructions for implementing a computer-implemented method, said method operable on a wireless telecommunications device in a system comprising one or more servers,

the computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a client configuration state for said client device to said one or more servers;

obtaining from said one or more servers a first sub-network configuration, said first sub-network configuration comprising at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device, said first sub-network configuration being based on said client configuration state and on at least one other client configuration state of at least one other client device,

wherein the client device can use a path specified in said first sub-network configuration to obtain at least one resource via said one or more servers.

40. A computer-implemented method, operable in a system comprising one or more servers, said one or more servers comprising software in conjunction with hardware, said hardware including at least one processor and a memory, the method comprising:

obtaining a client configuration state for a client device, said client device being a telecommunications device registered with said system;

based on said client configuration state, determining a first sub-network configuration for said client, said first sub-network configuration comprising at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device; and

providing said first sub-network configuration to said client device.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said first sub-network for said client device is also based on client configurations of one or more other client devices.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein said at least one path comprises a hybrid path.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein said at least one path comprises one or more intermediate clients.

44. A system comprising one or more servers, said one or more servers constructed and adapted to:

register a wireless telecommunications device with said system as a client device;

obtain a client configuration state for client device;

based on said client configuration state, determine a first sub-network configuration for said client device, said first sub-network configuration comprising at least one path from said one or more servers to said client device; and

provide said first sub-network configuration to said client device.