Approach for managing communications channels based on performance and transferring functions between participants in a communications arrangement
First Claim
1. A method for managing a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- assigning, to a first participant from the plurality of participants, one or more functions to be performed by the first participant;
prior to a failure of the first participant that prevents the first participant from performing any of the one or more functions to be performed by the first participant,designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied;
the first participant communicating with the second participant to indicate that the second participant has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied;
in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; and
selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels and at least one performance criterion, a first communications channel from a plurality of communications channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel approach for selecting communications channels and participants with which to communicate based on channel performance and transferring management functions between participants in a communications arrangement is disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, a particular channel is selected based on channel performance and channel identification data is provided to a participant that sends a response on a channel selected based on the channel identification data. According to another aspect of the invention, a particular participant is selected from a group of participants based on the performance of a particular channel. According to yet another aspect, an associate master participant is selected to assume responsibilities for functions assigned to the master participant if any of a set of handoff criteria are satisfied. For example, the associate master participant may assume the role of the master participant if the master participant can no longer perform the functions.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for managing a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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assigning, to a first participant from the plurality of participants, one or more functions to be performed by the first participant; prior to a failure of the first participant that prevents the first participant from performing any of the one or more functions to be performed by the first participant, designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; the first participant communicating with the second participant to indicate that the second participant has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; and selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels and at least one performance criterion, a first communications channel from a plurality of communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for managing a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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assigning, to a first participant from the plurality of participants, one or more functions to be performed by the first participant; prior to a failure of the first participant that prevents the first participant from performing any of the one or more functions to be performed by the first participant, designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; the first participant communicating with the second participant to indicate that the second participant has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; and selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels and at least one performance criterion, a first communications channel from a plurality of communications channels. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A method for assigning functions between participants and selecting communications channels in a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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assigning, to a first participant from the plurality of participants, one or more functions to be performed by the first participant; prior to a failure of the first participant that prevents the first participant from performing any of the one or more functions to be performed by the first participant, designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more criteria are satisfied; the first participant communicating with the second participant to indicate that the second participant has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; in response to any of the one or more criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels and at least one specified criterion, a first communications channel from the plurality of communications channels; generating channel identification data that identifies the first communications channel; providing the channel identification data to one or more participants from the plurality of participants; receiving at least a first communication from the one or more participants over a second communications channel from the plurality of communications channels, wherein the second communications channel is determined based on the channel identification data that identifies the first communications channel; and wherein the plurality of communications channels correspond to a set of frequencies and the first communication received from the one or more participants is based on a hopping sequence among at least two communications channels of the plurality of communications channels, according to a frequency hopping protocol. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A first communications device comprising:
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an interface that is configured to receive data from a plurality of communications devices and to transmit data to the plurality of communications devices; and a mechanism that is communicatively coupled to the interface and configured to; perform one or more functions; prior to a failure of the communications device that prevents the communications device from performing any of the one or more functions, designate a second communications device from the plurality of communications devices to perform the one or more functions if any of a set of criteria are satisfied; communicate with the second communications device to indicate that the second communications device has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; select, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels, a first communications channel from the plurality of communications channels; generate first channel identification data that identifies the first communications channel; provide the first channel identification data to one or more communications devices from the plurality of communications devices; and receive at least a first communication from the one or more communications devices over a second communications channel from the plurality of communications channels, wherein the second communications channel is determined based on the first channel identification data that identifies the first communications channel; and wherein the plurality of communications channels correspond to a set of frequencies and the first communication received from the one or more communications devices is based on a hopping sequence among at least two communications channels of the plurality of communications channels, according to a frequency hopping protocol. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for assigning functions between participants and selecting communications channels in a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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assigning, to a first participant from the plurality of participants, one or more functions to be performed by the first participant; prior to a failure of the first participant that prevents the first participant from performing any of the one or more functions to be performed by the first participant, designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more criteria are satisfied; the first participant communicating with the second participant to indicate that the second participant has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; in response to any of the one or more criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; selecting, based upon performance of a plurality of communications channels and at least one specified criterion, a first communications channel from the plurality of communications channels; generating channel identification data that identifies the first communications channel; providing the channel identification data to a third participant from the plurality of participants; receiving a first communication from the third participant over a second communications channel from the plurality of communications channels, wherein the second communications channel is determined based on the channel identification data that identifies the first communications channel; and wherein the plurality of communications channels correspond to a set of frequencies and the first communication received from the one or more participants is based on a hopping sequence among at least two communications channels of the plurality of communications channels, according to a frequency hopping protocol. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification