System and method for enabling a radio node to selectably function as a router in a wireless communications network
First Claim
1. An adhoc multi-hopping wireless communications network comprising:
- a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled within the adhoc wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is capable of operating in an operational state comprising one of;
an off state,an active and relay state, wherein in the active and relay state, a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits data packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node receives and transmits a relay of data packets addressed to at least one other node, andan active and non-relay state, wherein in the active and non-relay state a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node does not relay data packets address to any other node,wherein each of the plurality of nodes further operates to receive one or more economic credits for relaying one or more packets,wherein each of the plurality of nodes includes an associated current number of economic credits and an associated maximum number of economic credits, andfurther wherein the operational state of a node is set to an active and non-relay state when the associated current number of credits is at least equal to the maximum number of economic credits.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for enabling a mobile user terminal in an ad-hoc packet-switched wireless communications network to selectably operate as a router for other mobile user terminals in the network based on certain criteria. The user terminal comprises a transceiver and a controller. The transceiver is adapted to transmit wireless communications data, such as packetized data, addressed to a destination user terminal, to at least one other user terminal for routing by that other user terminal to the destination user terminal. The controller is adapted to prevent the transceiver from transmitting the wireless communications data to that particular other user terminal based on routing data pertaining to an ability of the other user terminal to route said wireless communications data to the destination user terminal. The user terminal further includes a memory for storing the routing data received from the other user terminal, for example, in the form of routing table information, or from the wireless communications network.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An adhoc multi-hopping wireless communications network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled within the adhoc wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is capable of operating in an operational state comprising one of; an off state, an active and relay state, wherein in the active and relay state, a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits data packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node receives and transmits a relay of data packets addressed to at least one other node, and an active and non-relay state, wherein in the active and non-relay state a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node does not relay data packets address to any other node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes further operates to receive one or more economic credits for relaying one or more packets, wherein each of the plurality of nodes includes an associated current number of economic credits and an associated maximum number of economic credits, and further wherein the operational state of a node is set to an active and non-relay state when the associated current number of credits is at least equal to the maximum number of economic credits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An adhoc multi-hopping wireless communications network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled within the adhoc wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is capable of operating in an operational state comprising one of; an off state, an active and relay state, wherein in the active and relay state, a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits data packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node receives and transmits a relay of data packets addressed to at least one other node, and an active and non-relay state, wherein in the active and non-relay state a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node does not relay data packets address to any other node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes further operates to receive one or more economic credits for relaying one or more packets, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes includes an associated current number of economic credits and an associated maximum number of economic credits, and further wherein the operational state of a node is set to an active and non-relay state when the associated current number of credits is at least equal to the maximum number of economic credits. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification