Approach for transferring functions between participants in a communications arrangement

• US 7,310,661 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bandspeed, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bandspeed, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Skafidas, Efstratios, Gan, Hongbing, Treister, Bijan
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/939,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20020098841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A novel approach for transferring management functions between participants generally involves the use of an associate master participant that assumes responsibilities for functions assigned to the master participant if the master participant can no longer perform the functions. A participant in a communications arrangement is designated as the master participant and is responsible for performing one or more functions. Another participant from the communications arrangement is designated as an associate master participant. The associate master participant assumes the role of master participant, i.e., performs the functions previously assigned to master participant, if any of a set of handoff criteria are satisfied. The particular handoff criteria used may vary depending upon the requirements of a particular application and the invention is not limited to any particular handoff criteria. After associate master participant assumes the role of master participant, a new associate master participant may be designated. The approach reduces the amount of time required both to determine that the master participant can no longer perform the functions and to assign responsibility for performing the functions to another participant once that determination is made.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for assigning functions between participants in a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, the method comprising the 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 assigned to 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 directly 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;

the first participant performing the one or more functions; and

the second participant not performing the one or more functions;

in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied;

assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; and

the second participant performing the one or more functions instead of the first participant performing the one or more functions.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

unassigning the one or more functions from the first participant, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied; and

wherein the first participant communicating directly 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 further comprises the first participant communicating directly with the second participant via a single wireless connection between the first participant and 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.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

prior to a failure of the second participant that prevents the second participant from performing any of the one or more functions assigned to the second participant, designating a third participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; and

in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the third participant, and unassigning the one or more functions from the second participant.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the one or more functions include initiating and controlling communications between the plurality of participants; and

communications between the plurality of participants are made using a frequency hopping sequence according to a frequency hopping protocol.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps of designating the second participant, the first participant communicating directly with the second participant, the first participant performing the one or more functions, and the second participant not performing the one or more functions occur during a time period that begins with assigning the one or more functions to the first participant and ends with any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications arrangement is a wireless communications arrangement and at least one of the first participant and the second participant is a mobile device.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more handoff criteria include at least one criterion that is selected from the group consisting of a request from the first participant, the first participant not communicating within a specified amount of time, a failure of the first participant, the first participant being out of range of one or more other participants from the plurality of participants, and a power level of the first participant falling below a specified threshold.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first participant is a master participant,

the second participant is a slave participant prior to being assigned to perform the one or more functions, and

the second participant is an associate master participant after being designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second participant is designated by the first participant.

10. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second participant is designated by one or more participants from the plurality of participants other than the first participant.

11. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first participant communicating directly 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 further comprises the steps of:

the first participant sending a first packet directly to 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; and

the first participant receiving a second packet directly from the second participant to indicate that the second participant accepts being designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

12. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 11, wherein assigning the one or more functions to the second participant, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, further comprises the steps of:

the first participant sending a third packet directly to the second participant to indicate that the second participant is to perform the one or more functions; and

the first participant receiving a fourth packet directly from the second participant to indicate that the second participant accepts responsibility for performing the one or more functions.

13. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein

the one or more handoff criteria include expiration of a timer;

the second participant starts the timer in response to the first participant communicating directly with the second participant;

the second participant restarts the timer each time the first participant communicates with the second participant; and

the timer expires when the first participant does not communicate with the second participant for a specified amount of time.

14. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more functions are one or more management functions.

15. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for assigning functions between participants in a communications arrangement, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processor, cause the one or more processor to perform the step 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 assigned to the first participant;

designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any one or more handoff criteria are satisfied;

the first participant communicating directly 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;

the first participant performing the one or more functions; and

the second participant not performing the one or more functions;

in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied;

assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; and

the second participant performing the one or more functions instead of the first participant performing the one or more function.

16. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

one or more sequences of additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to unassign the one or more functions from the first participant, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied; and

wherein the instructions for the first participant communicating directly 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 further comprises one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of the first participant communicating directly with the second participant via a single wireless connection between the first participant and 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.

17. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising one or more sequences of additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to prior to a failure of the second participant that prevents the second participant from performing any of the one or more functions assigned to the second participant, designating a third participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied;

and

in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, assigning the one or more functions to the third participant, and unassigning the one or more functions from the second participant.

18. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the one or more functions include initiating and controlling communications between the plurality of participants; and

communications between the plurality of participants are made using a frequency hopping sequence according to a frequency hopping protocol.

19. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the steps of designating the second participant, the first participant communicating directly with the second participant, the first participant performing the one or more functions, and the second participant not performing the one or more functions occur during a time period that begins with assigning the one or more functions to the first participant and ends with any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied.

20. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the communications arrangement is a wireless communications arrangement and at least one of the first participant and the second participant is a mobile device.

21. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more handoff criteria include at least one criterion that is selected from the group consisting of a request from the first participant, the first participant not communicating within a specified amount of time, a failure of the first participant, the first participant being out of range of one or more other participants from the plurality of participants, and a power level of the first participant falling below a specified threshold.

22. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the first participant is a master participant, the second participant is a slave participant prior to being assigned to perform the one or more functions, and

the second participant is an associate master participant after being designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

23. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the second participant is designated by the first participant.

24. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the second participant is designated by one or more participants from the plurality of participants other than the first participant.

25. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for the first participant communicating directly 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 further comprises one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

the first participant sending a first packet directly to 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; and

the first participant receiving a second packet directly from the second participant to indicate that the second participant accepts being designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

26. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the instructions for assigning the one or more functions to the second participant, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, further comprising one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

the first participant sending a third packet directly to the second participant to indicate that the second participant is to perform the one or more functions; and

the first participant receiving a fourth packet directly from the second participant to indicate that the second participant accepts responsibility for performing the one or more functions.

27. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein

the one or more handoff criteria include expiration of a timer;

the second participant starts the timer in response to the first participant communicating directly with the second participant;

the second participant restarts the timer each time the first participant communicates with the second participant; and

the timer expires when the first participant does not communicate with the second participant for a specified amount of time.

28. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more functions are one or more management functions.

29. A communications device comprising:

an interface configured to receive data from a plurality of communications devices and to transmit data to the plurality of communications devices; and

a mechanism communicatively coupled to the interface and configured to;

perform one or more functions; and

prior to a failure of the communications device that prevents the communications device from performing any of the one or more functions;

designate a particular communications device from the plurality of communications devices to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; and

communicate directly with the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied;

perform the one or more functions; and

wherein the particular communications device does not perform the one or more functions;

wherein, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, the particular communications device performs the one or more functions instead of the communications device performing the one or more functions.

30. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein:

the one or more functions include initiating and controlling communications between the plurality of communications devices; and

communications between the plurality of communications devices are made using a frequency hopping sequence according to a frequency hopping protocol.

31. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the communications device is a wireless communications device and at least one of the communications device and the particular communications device is a mobile device.

32. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more handoff criteria include at least one criterion that is selected from the group consisting of a request from the communications device, the communications device not communicating within a specified amount of time, a failure of the communications device, the communications device being out of range of one or more other communications devices from the plurality of communications devices, and a power level of the communication device falling below a specified threshold.

33. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein:

the communications device is a master participant;

the particular communications device is a slave participant prior to performing the one or more functions; and

the particular communications device is an associate master participant after being designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

34. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein:

the mechanism is further configured to not perform the one or more functions, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied; and

the mechanism being configured to communicate directly with the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied further comprises the mechanism being configured to communicate directly with the particular communications device via a single wireless connection between the communications device and the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

35. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein:

prior to a failure of the particular communications device that prevents the particular communications device from performing any of the one or more functions assigned to the particular communications device, an additional communications device from the plurality of communications devices is designated to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied;

in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied,

the one or more functions are performed by the additional communications device, and

the one or more functions are no longer performed by the particular communications device.

36. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the mechanism is configured to designate the particular communications device, communicate directly with the particular communications device, perform the one or more functions, and the particular communications device does not perform the one or more functions during a time period that begins with the mechanism starting to perform the one or more functions and ends with any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied.

37. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the mechanism designating the particular communications device is based on the mechanism selecting the particular communications device.

38. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the mechanism designating the particular communications device is based on one or more communications devices from the plurality of communications devices, other than the communications device, selecting the particular communications device.

39. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the mechanism being configured to communicate directly with the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied further comprises the mechanism being configured to:

send a first packet directly to the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; and

receive a second packet directly from the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device accepts being designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied.

40. The communications device as recited in claim 39, wherein the particular communications device performing the one or more functions, in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied, further comprises the mechanism being configured to:

send a third packet directly to the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device is to perform the one or more functions; and

receive a fourth packet directly from the particular communications device to indicate that the particular communications device accepts responsibility for performing the one or more functions.

41. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more handoff criteria include expiration of a timer;

the particular communications device starts the timer in response to the communications device communicating directly with the particular communications device;

the particular communications device restarts the timer each time the communications device communicates with the particular communications device; and

the timer expires when the communications device does not communicate with the particular communications device for a specified amount of time.

42. The communications device as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more functions are one or more management functions.