Method and apparatus for providing mobile inter-mesh communication points in a multi-level wireless mesh network

• US 8,248,968 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Stark, Ryan M., Handforth, Martin Ridgway, Kwong, Herman, Duxbury, Guy, Wyrzykowska, Aneta, Marcanti, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVENPORT, MON CHERI S
• Application Number:
  US10/678,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20050074019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,245 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/338, 370/406, 370/400, 370/447, 370/258, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A mobile backhaul inter-mesh communication point forms an interface between a wireless mesh network on a first level and a wireless mesh network on a second, higher bandwidth, level. The two wireless networks are differentiated, e.g., by causing the mesh networks to be formed using different spectra, protocols or coding, or antennae. The mobile intra-mesh communication point functions as an access point in the lower level mesh network and as a relay point in the upper level mesh network. Utilizing mobile inter-mesh communication points facilitates deployment of wireless network access points while enabling the location of access points to follow the concentration of network users. Mobile inter-mesh communication points may be deployed in personal vehicles such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles, public transportation vehicles such as busses, trains, and aircraft, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances, and many other types of vehicles.

Claims

1. A mobile inter-mesh communication point, comprising:

a wireless mesh access point configured to operate utilizing at least one IEEE 802.11x standard to serve as a destination point in a first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network for messages originating from subscriber devices in the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network prior to offloading said messages as backhaul traffic onto a wireless backhaul network, the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implemented using the at least one IEEE 802.11x standard; and

a wireless mesh relay point configured to operate utilizing at least one IEEE 802.16x standard to serve as a backhaul relay point in a second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implemented using the at least one IEEE 802.16x standard, the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network being different from the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network and being utilized to implement the wireless backhaul network, the wireless mesh relay point adapted to send at least some of the backhaul traffic onto the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network for transmission off the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network by another backhaul relay point, and to send other of the backhaul traffic directly off die second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network, the wireless backhaul network interconnecting the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network with higher bandwidth communication resources.

2. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, wherein the wireless mesh access point and the wireless mesh relay point are each part of separate network elements.

3. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 2, further comprising a communication link between the separate network elements.

4. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, wherein the wireless mesh access point and the wireless mesh relay point are part of one network element.

5. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, further comprising switching/routing circuitry configured to interconnect said wireless mesh access point with said wireless mesh relay point to enable data from the wireless backhaul network to be routed onto the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network and to enable data from the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network to be routed onto the wireless backhaul network.

6. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, further comprising an interface to a DC power supply.

7. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 6, wherein the interface to the DC power supply is configured to receive power from a vehicle power supply.

8. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 7, further comprising a vehicle.

9. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, further comprising a battery.

10. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, further comprising a fuel cell.

11. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, wherein the mobile inter-mesh communication point is configured to be disposed in a vehicle having a vehicle battery for use in operating the vehicle, said mobile inter-mesh communication point being connected to said vehicle battery and obtaining power from said vehicle battery, the mobile inter-mesh communication point further comprising a battery discharge controller configured to monitor a battery level of the vehicle battery and to turn off the mobile inter-mesh communication point when the battery level of the vehicle battery drops below a threshold value and the vehicle is turned off.

12. The mobile inter-mesh communication point of claim 1, wherein the mobile inter-mesh communication point is disposed in an emergency vehicle, and wherein the wireless mesh relay point is configured to prioritize emergency traffic for transmission over the wireless backhaul network.

13. A method of providing a dynamically adjusting mesh network topography, comprising:

enabling a first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level implemented using at least one IEEE 802.11x standard, the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking, level implementing an ad-hoc access wireless mesh network;

enabling a second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level implemented using at least one IEEE 802.16x standard, the second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level implementing an ad-hoc backhaul wireless mesh network;

enabling a first mobile inter-mesh communication point to participate in both the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level and the second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level, the first mobile inter-mesh communication point being mobile within each of the first and second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking levels, and including a wireless mesh access point that serves as a destination point in the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network for messages originating from subscriber devices in the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network prior to offloading said messages as backhaul traffic onto the ad-hoc backhaul wireless mesh network, and a wireless mesh relay point that serves as a backhaul relay point in the ad-hoc backhaul wireless mesh network, the wireless mesh relay point adapted to send at least some of the backhaul traffic onto the ad-hoc backhaul wireless mesh network for transmission off the ad-hoc backhaul wireless mesh network by another backhaul relay point, and to send other of the backhaul traffic directly off the ad-hoc backhaul wireless mesh network; and

permitting the first mobile inter-mesh communication point to transmit data between the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level and the second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mobile inter-mesh communication point is enabled to participate in the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level as a relay point to relay traffic within the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network between other users in the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mobile inter-mesh communication point is allowed to transmit onto the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level while moving.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising selecting a second mobile inter-mesh communication point when the first mobile inter-mesh communication point moves away from users in the second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising establishing policy on the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level;

and requesting the policy to be implemented by the first mobile inter-mesh communication point.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising not permitting the first mobile inter-mesh communication point to transmit onto the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level data if the first mobile inter-mesh communication point fails to implement the policy.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising enabling the first mobile inter-mesh communication point to transmit a limited amount of self-generated data onto the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising selectively activating and deactivating the first mobile inter-mesh communication point depending on where the first mobile inter-mesh communication point is located within the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network in relation to a traffic density on the ad-hoc access wireless mesh network.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising compensating an owner of a vehicle containing the first mobile inter-mesh communication point for permitting the first mobile inter-mesh communication point to transmit data between the first and second ad-hoc wireless mesh networking levels.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein compensating comprises at least one of:

providing free access to the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level;

providing reduced fee access to the first ad-hoc wireless mesh networking level;

paying based on an amount of traffic handled by the first mobile inter-mesh communication point; and

crediting an account associated with the first mobile inter-mesh communication point.

23. A vehicle, comprising:

a mechanical system including a motor and vehicle controls configured to selectively enable the vehicle to move;

an electrical system; and

an inter-mesh communication system connected to the electrical system and configured to be mobile in connection with movement of the vehicle, the inter-mesh communication system being further configured to communicate on two ad-hoc wireless mesh networks, the inter-mesh communication system comprising a wireless mesh access point configured to operate utilizing at least one IEEE 802.11x standard to participate on a first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implemented using the at least one 802.11x standard, the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implementing an access network, and a wireless mesh relay point configured to operate utilizing at least one IEEE 802.16x standard to participate on a second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implemented using the at least one 802.16x standard, wherein the wireless mesh relay point serves as a backhaul relay point that is adapted to send at least some backhaul traffic onto the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network for transmission off the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network by another backhaul relay point, and to send other of the backhaul traffic directly off the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network, the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implementing a wireless backhaul network to interconnect the access network to higher bandwidth communication resources;

wherein the inter-mesh communication system is active on both the first and second level ad-hoc wireless mesh networks at the same time and serves to route traffic between the first and second level ad-hoc wireless mesh networks.

24. A mobile inter-mesh communication point, comprising:

a wireless mesh access point configured to operate utilizing at least one IEEE 802.11x standard to serve as a destination point in a first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network for messages originating from subscriber devices in the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network prior to offloading said messages as backhaul traffic onto a wireless backhaul network, the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implemented using the at least one IEEE 802.11x standard; and

a wireless mesh relay point configured to operate utilizing at least one IEEE 802.16x standard to serve as a backhaul relay point in a second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network implemented using the at least one IEEE 802.16x standard, the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network being different from the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network and being utilized to implement the wireless backhaul network, the wireless mesh relay point adapted to send at least some of the backhaul traffic onto the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network for transmission off the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network by another backhaul relay point; and

to send other of the backhaul traffic directly off the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network, and adapted to receive additional backhaul traffic from a first other backhaul relay point operating on the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network, and to relay the additional backhaul traffic to a second other backhaul relay point operating on the second level ad-hoc wireless mesh network, the wireless backhaul network interconnecting the first level ad-hoc wireless mesh network with higher bandwidth communication resources.