Multilayer telecommunications network
First Claim
1. A communications system comprising:
- a hierachical mesh network comprising at least a first mesh network tier and a second mesh network tier;
the first mesh network tier comprising a plurality of first mesh network tier subscriber units and a first mesh network tier sink node unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the first mesh network tier subscriber units; and
the second mesh network tier geographically at least partly overlapping the first mesh network tier and comprising a plurality of second mesh network tier subscriber units and a second mesh network tier sink node unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the second mesh network tier subscriber units over a fixed network, wherein at least one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units is not a member of the second mesh network tier, and wherein at least one of the second mesh network tier subscriber units is not a member of the first mesh network tier; and
a dedicated connection between the first mesh network tier sink node unit and a second mesh network tier unit configured to communicate in the second mesh network tier, whereby one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units is configured to be provided with a communication path via the first mesh network tier sink node unit to said second mesh network tier unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications system comprising: a first network comprising a plurality of first network subscriber units and a first network sink node unit capable of wireless communication with the first network subscriber units; and a second network geographically at least partly overlapping the first network and comprising a plurality of second network subscriber units and a second network sink node unit capable of wireless communication with the second network subscriber units; and a dedicated connection between the first network sink node unit and a second network unit capable of communication in the second network, whereby a first network subscriber unit may be provided with a communication path to another second network unit.
33 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A communications system comprising:
- a hierachical mesh network comprising at least a first mesh network tier and a second mesh network tier;
the first mesh network tier comprising a plurality of first mesh network tier subscriber units and a first mesh network tier sink node unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the first mesh network tier subscriber units; and the second mesh network tier geographically at least partly overlapping the first mesh network tier and comprising a plurality of second mesh network tier subscriber units and a second mesh network tier sink node unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the second mesh network tier subscriber units over a fixed network, wherein at least one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units is not a member of the second mesh network tier, and wherein at least one of the second mesh network tier subscriber units is not a member of the first mesh network tier; and a dedicated connection between the first mesh network tier sink node unit and a second mesh network tier unit configured to communicate in the second mesh network tier, whereby one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units is configured to be provided with a communication path via the first mesh network tier sink node unit to said second mesh network tier unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- a hierachical mesh network comprising at least a first mesh network tier and a second mesh network tier;
- 17. A communications unit comprising a first mesh network tier sink node unit comprising a first transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one of a plurality of first mesh network tier subscriber units in a first mesh network tier, and a second transceiver configured to communicate in a dedicated connection to a second mesh network tier subscriber unit configured to wirelessly communicate in a second mesh network tier, the second mesh network tier being a fixed network, wherein the second mesh network tier geographically overlaps the first mesh network tier wherein the communications unit is configured to provide a communications path between one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units and the second mesh network tier subscriber unit, wherein at least one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units is not a member of the second mesh network tier, and wherein the second mesh network tier comprises at least one second mesh network tier subscriber unit that is not a member of the first mesh network tier.
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18. A method comprising:
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providing a wireless communications path between a first mesh network tier sink node unit and at least one of a plurality of first mesh network tier subscriber units in a first mesh network tier; providing a dedicated communications path between the first mesh network tier sink node and a first second mesh network tier subscriber unit in a second mesh network tier, the second mesh network tier being a fixed network, wherein at least one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units is not a member of the second mesh network tier, and wherein the second mesh network tier comprises at least one second mesh network tier subscriber unit that is not a member of the first mesh network tier, wherein the second mesh network tier geographically overlaps the first mesh network tier; and providing the at least one of the first mesh network tier subscriber units with a communication path to the first second mesh network tier subscriber unit via the first mesh network tier sink node.
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19. An apparatus for operation in a communications system comprising at least a first mesh network tier and a second mesh network tier,
the second mesh network tier geographically at least partly overlapping the first mesh network tier and comprising a second sink node and a plurality of second communication terminals configured to wirelessly communicate with the second sink node, the apparatus comprising at least one transceiver, the apparatus configured with the assistance of the at least one transceiver to: -
operate as a first sink node configured to be in wireless communication with a plurality of first mesh network tier communication terminals; and operate as a second communication terminal for providing one of the first mesh network tier communication terminals with communications access to the second mesh network tier, and wherein one of the first mesh network tier or the second mesh network tier is a fixed network mesh tier, and wherein at least one of the first mesh network tier communication terminals is not a member of the second mesh network tier, and wherein the second mesh network tier comprises at least one second mesh network tier communication terminal that is not a member of the first mesh network tier. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification