Push-to talk over Ad-Hoc networks

• US 7,394,798 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IoT Innovations LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Naghian, Siamák
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US10/962,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20060002328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/360, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

The invention proposes a network system comprising a plurality of network nodes (10, 11), each of the network nodes comprising means (103, 113) for temporarily forming a group with at least one of the plurality of network nodes, sending means (101, 111) for sending information (which may include voice, text message, images etc.) to the group and receiving means (102, 112) for receiving information from the group, wherein the sending means and the receiving means are configured to provide a direct contact via a radio connection (12) between at least two network nodes of the group. The invention also proposes a corresponding method, a corresponding network node and network control nodes for assisting in forming temporary groups.

Claims

1. A network system comprising a plurality of network nodes, wherein:

a first plurality of network nodes comprises means for temporarily forming a first group with the first plurality of network nodes in communication with each other using sending means for sending information to the first group and receiving means for receiving information from the first group; and

a second plurality of network nodes comprises means for temporarily forming a second group with the second plurality of network nodes in communication with each other using sending means for sending information to the second group and receiving means for receiving information from the second group;

wherein a first network node is included in the first plurality of network nodes and the second plurality of network nodes and configured to provide communication between the first group and the second group;

wherein the sending means and the receiving means are configured to provide a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the first group and the second group.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the radio connection is a half-duplex radio connection.

3. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the sending means is configured to forward information received by the receiving means from the first group to the second group.

4. The network system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first plurality of network nodes comprises means for selecting a path between a source node and a destination node.

5. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the radio connection is realized using at least one of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard, a Bluetooth standard, and an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology.

6. The network system according to claim 1, wherein:

a third plurality of network nodes forming a third group; and

wherein a network node of the third plurality of network nodes is included in the second plurality of network nodes and the third plurality of network nodes and is configured to provide communication between the second group and the third group, and the second group is configured to forward information sent between the first and third groups.

7. The network system according to claim 1, wherein a connection between the two groups is provided via a mobile communication network.

8. The network system according to claim 7, wherein the mobile communication network comprises means for assisting in establishing the connection between the two groups.

9. The network system according to claim 7, wherein in each of the two groups one network node is connected to the mobile communication network and is configured to act as a gateway node for other network nodes of a corresponding group.

10. The network system according to claim 7, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

11. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a network control node comprising means for assisting the first plurality of network nodes in establishing the first group.

12. The network system according to claim 8, wherein the means for assisting comprises means for providing routing information, security information and group creation information.

13. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the group is identified by one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a group identifier, and an Internet Protocol address.

14. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the first group is an ad hoc network group, and the radio connection provides a push-to talk service.

15. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises one of voice, text message, and images.

16. A method for controlling network system comprising:

temporarily forming a first group including a first plurality of network nodes,

temporarily forming a second group including a second plurality of network nodes,

sending and receiving information between the first group and the second group, wherein a first network node included in the first plurality of network nodes and the second plurality of network nodes sends and receives the information between the first group and the second group;

wherein the information is sent and received using a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the first group and the second group.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein sending and receiving further comprises providing the direct contact via a half-duplex radio connection.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

selecting a path between source node and a destination node.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the radio connection is realized using at least one of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard, a Bluetooth standard and an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology.

20. The method according to claim 16 further comprising:

temporarily forming a third group including a third plurality of network nodes,

wherein a network node of the third plurality of network nodes is included in the second plurality of network nodes and the third plurality of network nodes and is configured to provide communication between the second group and the third group, and the second group is configured to forward information sent between the first and third groups of network nodes.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the connection between the two groups is provided via a mobile communication network.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

assisting in establishing the connection between the two groups by a network control node of the mobile communication network.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein in each of the two groups one network node is connected to the mobile communication network and acts as a gateway node for other network nodes of a corresponding group.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the mobile communication network is a packet network.

25. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

assisting the first plurality of network nodes in establishing the first group by a network control node.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising providing routing information, security information and group creation information by the network control node.

27. The method according to claim 16, wherein the group is identified by one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a group identifier, and an Internet Protocol address.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein temporarily forming the group further comprises temporarily forming an ad hoc network group including the first plurality of network nodes, wherein the radio connection provides a push-to-talk service.

29. The method according to claim 16, wherein the information comprises one of voice, text message and images.

30. A network control node, comprising:

means for establishing a connection between two groups of network nodes, wherein

each group of network nodes is formed temporarily and comprises at least two network nodes,

a connection between the network control node and at least one network node is established via a mobile communication network, and

the connection within each group is provided as a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group, wherein the radio connection is a half-duplex radio connection.

31. The network control node according to claim 30, wherein the establishing means comprises means for providing routing information, security information and group creation information.

32. The network control node according to claim 30, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

33. A network control node, comprising:

means for establishing a connection between two groups of network nodes, wherein

each group of network nodes is formed temporarily and comprises at least two network nodes,

a connection between the network control node and at least one network node is established via a mobile communication network, and

the connection within each group is provided as a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group, wherein the group is identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

34. The network control node according to claim 33, wherein the establishing means comprises means for providing routing information, security information, and group creation information.

35. The network control node according to claim 33, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

36. A network control node, comprising:

means for establishing a connection between two groups of network nodes, wherein

each group of network nodes is formed temporarily and comprises at least two network nodes,

a connection between the network control node and at least one network node is established via mobile communication network, and

the connection within each group is provided as a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group, wherein the group is an ad hoc network group, and the connection provides a push-to-talk service.