Dynamically created and expanded wireless network

• US 8,358,638 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WEFI Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WeFi, Inc.
• Inventors: Scherzer, Tamir, Scherzer, Shimon
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye, Saba
• Application Number:
  US11/853,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20080293404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/329, 370/349, 370/310, 370/328, 455/512, 455/500, 455/517, 455/426.1, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

A system and method for the establishment and maintenance of wireless network, such as wireless network enabling access to the World Wide Web. The network can be created by its users as part of social network activity. The users are using automated resources discovery, verification and mapping as a comprehensive wireless resources search engine. Once few locations are mapped as wireless service “hot spots,” the service area can be expanded as users keep discovering and mapping more resources. These existing wireless Internet access resources could be mined by users to create spontaneous wireless network providing wide area high-speed data service.

Claims

1. A method for creating and maintaining a dynamically expendable and updatable wireless network, comprising:

distributing a plurality of clients to a plurality of users mobile devices;

installing a server and coupling the server to the Internet;

receiving at the server resource reports from the clients and using the reports to construct and update a network of Internet connectivity resources, wherein for each resource the reports comprise at least the resource geographical location, the signal strength, and connectivity quality;

transmitting to the plurality of clients updates, the updates comprising location, connection profile, and connectivity quality of resources in at least the geographical vicinity of each respective mobile device; and

operating each client to periodically perform neighboring resources verification wherein during the neighboring resources verification the client is operated to perform at least one of;

checking whether communication traffic is flowing between the mobile device and a default resource;

checking whether other resources are available at the current geographical location of the mobile device;

disconnecting from current resource, select a neighboring resource, and attempt to connect to the neighboring resource, and;

if connection is successful, execute Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) discovery and, if successful, storing neighboring resource identifier (ID), geographical location, and availability of Internet connection, then proceed to check whether counter passed a predetermined count threshold;

if connection is not successful, storing neighboring resource ID, geographical location, and indication of unsuccessful connection attempt;

checking whether counter passed a predetermined count threshold and, if not, go to sleep for a predetermined period;

otherwise transmit report to server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the neighboring resource connection is successful, the client sends a message to a target server and terminate the connection to the neighboring resource and reconnect to the default resource.

3. A method for performing neighboring resources verification in a current geographical location of a mobile device, comprising:

a. checking whether communication traffic is flowing between the mobile device and a current resource and, if so, sleep for a predetermined period;

otherwise

b. checking whether other resources are available at the current geographical location of the mobile device and, if not, sleep for a predetermined period;

otherwise

c. disconnect from the current resource, select a neighboring resource, and attempt to connect to the neighboring resource, and;

d. if connection is successful, send message to a target server, disconnect from the neighboring resource, reconnect to the current resource, and listen for a reply from the target server via the current resource.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of sending a message comprises appending to the message a return address pointing to the current resource.