Radio communicating method

• US 6,501,742 B1
• Filed: 04/20/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Redwood Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maeshima, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/294,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/401, 370/351, 370/310, 370/315, 455/518, 455/519
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Whether a communication is possible among nodes which transmit data in a wireless manner is discriminated and the nodes which can mutually communicate thereamong are set to the same group. In each node, if a node which can communicate with two or more groups exists, the node which can communicate among the groups is set to a bridge connecting the different groups. In case of communicating with the nodes among the different groups, a communication is performed via the node that has been set as a bridge.

Claims

1. A radio communicating method of performing a radio communication among three or more nodes, comprising the steps of:

discriminating whether a direct radio communication is possible among the nodes;

grouping the nodes that can communicate directly thereamong as a same group; and

setting a node which can directly communicate with all members of two or more groups to a bridge for relaying a data transfer between said two groups.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of nodes that can directly communicate with all members of said two or more groups, a predetermined one node is used as the bridge.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of nodes that can directly communicate with all members of said two or more groups, an optimum one of said plurality of nodes is selected and used as a bridge based on at least an intensity of signal strength from a node of each of the plurality of nodes that can communicate with all members of said two or more groups.