Peer-to-peer network and user information discovery and sharing for mobile users and devices
First Claim
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1. A method for mobile peer-to-peer information sharing, comprising:
- a) having a plurality of mobile devices each collect information regarding a plurality of networks that each of said mobile devices uses;
b) having each of said mobile devices maintain said information even after it leaves a network for which such information is collected;
c) transmitting a request for neighboring-network information regarding neighboring networks from a first of said plurality of mobile devices to a set of first contact peers of said plurality of mobile devices;
d) determining if said set of first contact peers is sufficient for obtaining said neighboring-network information regarding neighboring networks;
e) if a determination is that said set of first contact peers are insufficient, transmitting a request for neighboring-network information regarding neighboring networks from said first of said plurality of mobile devices to a set of extended peers of said plurality of mobile devices;
f) further including having said information regarding a plurality of networks in (a) includes information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks;
g) further including having said information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks including information regarding access points to said networks; and
h) further including having said information regarding access points to said networks include information needed to acquire a local IP address from and authenticate with the network, and wherein said access points to said networks include access points to I.E.E.E. 802 networks.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for mobile peer-to-peer information sharing are disclosed. With the preferred systems and methods, mobile users and devices collect information about networks that they visit, and carry that information as they move to new networks. Mobile users and/or devices then share such information directly with each other.
33 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for mobile peer-to-peer information sharing, comprising:
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a) having a plurality of mobile devices each collect information regarding a plurality of networks that each of said mobile devices uses; b) having each of said mobile devices maintain said information even after it leaves a network for which such information is collected; c) transmitting a request for neighboring-network information regarding neighboring networks from a first of said plurality of mobile devices to a set of first contact peers of said plurality of mobile devices; d) determining if said set of first contact peers is sufficient for obtaining said neighboring-network information regarding neighboring networks; e) if a determination is that said set of first contact peers are insufficient, transmitting a request for neighboring-network information regarding neighboring networks from said first of said plurality of mobile devices to a set of extended peers of said plurality of mobile devices; f) further including having said information regarding a plurality of networks in (a) includes information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks; g) further including having said information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks including information regarding access points to said networks; and h) further including having said information regarding access points to said networks include information needed to acquire a local IP address from and authenticate with the network, and wherein said access points to said networks include access points to I.E.E.E. 802 networks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of network neighborhood discovery of neighboring-network and location-based information using mobile peer-to-peer information sharing, comprising:
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a) having a plurality of mobiles each collect network and location-based information regarding a plurality of networks that each of said mobile devices uses; b) having each of said mobiles maintain said information for a finite lifetime even after it leaves a network for which said information is collected; c) having a first mobile of said plurality of mobiles transmit a request for neighboring-network information or location-based information to peer mobiles of said first mobile; and d) having at least one of said peer mobiles transmit at least some of said requested information to said first mobile based on said information collected by said at least one of said peer mobiles; e) further including having said information regarding a plurality of networks in (a) includes information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks; f) further including having said information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks including information regarding access points to said networks; g) further including having said information regarding access points to said networks include information needed to acquire a local IP address from and authenticate with the network, and wherein said access points to said networks include access points to I.E.E.E. 802 networks. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of network neighborhood discovery of neighboring-network and location-based information using mobile peer-to-peer information sharing, comprising:
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a) having a plurality of mobiles each collect network and location-based information regarding a plurality of networks that each of said mobile devices uses; b) having each of said mobiles maintain said information for a finite lifetime even after it leaves a network for which said information is collected; c) having a first mobile of said plurality of mobiles transmit a request for neighboring-network information or location-based information to peer mobiles of said first mobile; d) having at least one of said peer mobiles transmit at least some of said requested information to said first mobile based on said information collected by said at least one of said peer mobiles; e) further including having said information regarding a plurality of networks in (a) includes information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks; and f) further including having said information regarding points of attachment to said plurality of networks include a) type of network, b) addresses of access points, c) parameters needed to access access points and d) authentication information.
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Specification