Method and system for dynamically setting up and tearing down connections in mesh networks

• US 8,274,957 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Quigley, Thomas, MacInnis, Alexander G., Behzad, Arya, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Buer, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US11/864,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices located in near proximity of each other may be enabled to form a mesh (ad hoc wireless) network. WMC devices may form and/or tear down intra-mesh connection with other WMC devices in the same mesh network. WMC devices may utilize information related to other WMC devices in the mesh network in determining formation and tearing down of intra-mesh connections. This information may comprise relative speeds, locations, and directions of movement of the WMC devices forming/tearing intra-mesh connections. Other information including data bandwidth and/or power consumption may be utilized in such determination. This information may also comprise available services advertised by WMC devices in the mesh network.

Claims

1. A method for improving wireless devices, the method comprising:

in a mesh network established between or among a plurality of wireless mobile communication devices when said wireless mobile communication devices are in operating proximity of each other, performing by a first wireless mobile communication device from said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices;

establishing one or more direct connections between said first wireless mobile communication device and at least one other of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices based on at least one of a connectivity and a capability of at least one of said first wireless mobile communication device and said at least one other of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices; and

tearing down said established one or more direct connections based on changes in at least one of said connectivity and said capability based upon at least one of a relative speed of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices and a direction of movement of at least one of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more direction connections between said two of more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices utilize one or more of a plurality of wireless technologies.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of wireless technologies comprise Bluetooth®

, ZigBee, WLAN, and WiMAX.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said connectivity between said devices depends on location of at least one of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said capability comprises available services.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising advertising said available services, and/or cost for enabling use of said available services, by said one or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising forwarding data in said established mesh network based on said advertising.

8. The method according to claim 6, comprising buffering data in said established mesh network based on said advertising.

9. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for improving wireless devices, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

in a mesh network established between or among a plurality of wireless mobile communication devices when said wireless mobile communication devices are in operating proximity of each other, performing by a first wireless mobile communication device from said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices;

establishing one or more direct connections between said first wireless mobile communication device and at least one other of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices based on at least one of a connectivity a capability of at least one of said first wireless mobile communication device and said at least one other of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices; and

tearing down said established one or more direct connections based on changes in at least one of said connectivity and said capability based upon at least one of a relative speed of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices and a direction of movement of at least one of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

10. The machine-readable storage according to claim 9, wherein said one or more direct connections between said two of more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices utilize one or more of a plurality of wireless technologies.

11. The machine-readable storage according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of wireless technologies comprise Bluetooth®

, ZigBee, WLAN, and WiMAX.

12. The machine-readable storage according to claim 9, wherein said connectivity between said devices depends on location of at least one of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 9, wherein said capability comprises available services.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for advertising said available services, and/or cost for enabling use of said available services, by said one or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for forwarding data in said established mesh network based on said advertising.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for buffering data in said established mesh network based on said advertising.

17. A system for improving wireless devices, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a first wireless mobile communication device that is in a mesh network established between or among a plurality of wireless mobile communication devices comprising said wireless mobile communication device when said wireless mobile communication devices are in operating proximity of each other, said one or more circuits being operable to;

establish one or more direct connections between said first wireless mobile communication device and at least one other of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices based on at least one of a connectivity a capability of said first wireless mobile communication device said at least one other of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices; and

tear down said established one or more direct connections based on changes in at least one of said connectivity and said capability based upon at least one of a relative speed of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices and a direction of movement of at least one of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said connections between said two of more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices utilize one or more of a plurality of wireless technologies.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of wireless technologies comprise Bluetooth®

, ZigBee, WLAN, and WiMAX.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said connectivity between said devices depends on location of at least one of said two or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said capability comprises available services.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits enable advertising said available services, and/or cost for enabling use of said available services, by said one or more of said plurality of wireless mobile communication devices.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said one or more processors enable forwarding data in said established mesh network based on said advertising.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said one or more processors enable buffering data in said established mesh network based on said advertising.