Method and system for establishing a connection outside a mesh by including network connectivity information in router configuration messages

• US 8,619,730 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• 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: Quigley, Thomas, MacInnis, Alexander G., Behzad, Arya, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Walley, John, Buer, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alexander, Jenee
• Application Number:
  US11/968,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,190 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A Wireless mobile communication (WMC) device may maintain user preference information, which is unique to the WMC device capabilities and the device user. WMC devices located in near proximity of each other may be enabled to form an ad hoc wireless network wherein each WMC device within the network may function as a router for other devices. Utilizing such routing capability within an ad hoc wireless network may allow WMC devices that are out of their wireless coverage area to use other WMC devices within such ad hoc wireless network to route any impending communication through such other WMC devices wherein these devices may have wireless connectivity to their coverage networks. WMC devices that are may have external connectivity may be enable to be selective in routing information and/or data from other WMC devices in the ad hoc network.

Claims

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

establishing a mesh network between or among a plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices when said devices are in proximity of each other; and

sharing routing scheduling data between or among said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices in said mesh network to enable forwarding of information between or among said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices,

wherein said shared routing scheduling data enables external network communication for said mesh network when one or more of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices is communicatively coupled to an external network,

wherein a peer-client wireless mobile communication device that is currently capable of connecting with the external network broadcasts the routing scheduling data that indicates that the peer-client wireless mobile communication device has external connectivity,

wherein in response to receiving data from another peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network targeted towards a destination peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network, the peer-client wireless mobile communication device forwards the data through the mesh network to the destination peer-client wireless mobile communication device,

wherein in response to receiving data targeted towards a remote destination device in the external network from another peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network, the peer-client wireless mobile communication device discards the data unless the data is determined to have sufficient priority for accessing the external network and is therefore forwarded to the external network.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising updating said routing scheduling data whenever there is a change that impacts routing for one or more of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising updating said routing scheduling data whenever there is a change in connectivity to said external network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said external network comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN).

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating routing paths in each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices based on said shared routing scheduling data.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices comprises capability to resolve access competition during said forwarding of information.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising resolving said access competition based on priority.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said priority is based on corresponding peer-client wireless mobile communication device identity that sent said forwarded information.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said priority comprises traffic priority based on type of said forwarded information.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices comprises capability to store forwarded information when none of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices is communicatively coupled to the external network.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium 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 computer for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:

establishing a mesh network between or among a plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices when said devices are in proximity of each other; and

sharing routing scheduling data between or among said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices in said mesh network to enable forwarding of information between or among said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices,

wherein said shared routing scheduling data enables external network communication for said mesh network when one or more of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices is communicatively couple to an external network, wherein a peer-client wireless mobile communication device that is currently capable of connecting with the external network broadcasts the routing scheduling data that indicates that the peer-client wireless mobile communication device has external connectivity,

wherein in response to receiving data from another peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network targeted towards a destination peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network, the peer-client wireless mobile communication device forwards the data through the mesh network to the destination peer-client wireless mobile communication device,

wherein in response to receiving data targeted towards a remote destination device in the external network from another peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network, the peer-client wireless mobile communication device discards the data unless the data is determined to have sufficient priority for accessing the external network and is therefore forwarded to the external network.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, comprising updating said routing scheduling data whenever there is a change that impacts routing for one or more of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, comprising updating said routing scheduling data whenever there is a change in connectivity to said external network.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said external network comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN).

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, comprising generating routing paths in each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices based on said shared routing scheduling data.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices comprises capability to resolve access competition during said forwarding of information.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16, comprising resolving said access competition based on priority.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein said priority is based on corresponding peer-client wireless mobile communication device identity that sent said forwarded information.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein said priority comprises traffic priority based on type of said forwarded information.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices comprises capability to store forwarded information when none of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices is communicatively coupled to the external network.

21. A system for handling data in wireless devices, the system comprising:

one or more processors that enables establishing a mesh network between or among a plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication (WMC) devices when said devices are in proximity of each other; and

said one or more processors enable sharing of routing scheduling data between or among said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices in said mesh network to enable forwarding of information between or among said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices,

wherein said shared routing scheduling data enables external network communication for said mesh network when one or more of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices is communicatively couple to an external network, wherein a peer-client wireless mobile communication device that is currently capable of connecting with the external network broadcasts the routing scheduling data that indicates that the peer-client wireless mobile communication device has external connectivity,

wherein in response to receiving data from another peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network targeted towards a destination peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network, the peer-client wireless mobile communication device forwards the data through the mesh network to the destination peer-client wireless mobile communication device,

wherein in response to receiving data targeted towards a remote destination device in the external network from another peer-client wireless mobile communication device in the mesh network, the peer-client wireless mobile communication device discards the data unless the data is determined to have sufficient priority for accessing the external network and is therefore forwarded to the external network.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors updates said routing scheduling data whenever there is a change that impacts routing for one or more of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors updates said routing scheduling data whenever there is a change in connectivity to said external network.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein said external network comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN).

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors generates routing paths in each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices based on said shared routing scheduling data.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices comprises capability to resolve access competition during said forwarding of information.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said one or more processors resolves said access competition based on priority.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said priority is based on corresponding peer-client wireless mobile communication device identity that sent said forwarded information.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said priority comprises traffic priority based on type of said forwarded information.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication devices comprises capability to store forwarded information when none of said plurality of peer-client wireless mobile communication is communicatively coupled to the external network.