System and method for management of a dynamic network using wireless communication devices

• US 8,995,923 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP Investment Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobilitie, LLC (Bai Communications Pty Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jabara, Gary B., Karmis, Christos, Simon, David Brett, Linder, Lloyd Frederick, Gharibjanians, Gharib
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US13/093,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20110201275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A short-range wireless communication network may be established by direct communication between two or more wireless communication devices. A conventional cellular telephone includes an integrated short-range transceiver. The short-range transceivers of multiple wireless communication devices can be coupled together to form a short-range communication network without utilizing any wireless communication network supported by wireless service providers. The short-range communication network may be extended as additional devices come within range or consolidated as wireless communication devices leave the communication range. The short-range communication network is built upon the proximity of wireless communication devices with each other. Data is disseminated between the wireless communication devices using a data message synchronization process. Messages may also be carried from one wireless network to another as the communication devices are carried by individuals.

Claims

1. A method for network management of wireless communication devices using an application program interface (API) operating as part of the operating system of the respective wireless communication devices, comprising:

in a first wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages, monitoring a predetermined radio frequency channel with a receiver to detect a beacon signal, having a predetermined beacon identifier, from a second wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages;

if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is detected, the API using a transmitter and the receiver in the first wireless communication device to automatically establish a first communication link between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to thereby form a first wireless group;

upon formation of the first wireless group, transmitting the stored messages from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device and receiving the stored message data from the second wireless communication device such that the message storage areas of the first and second wireless communication devices are synchronized;

in a third wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages, monitoring the predetermined radio frequency channel with a receiver to detect the beacon signal having a predetermined beacon identifier from the second wireless communication device;

if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is detected, the API using a transmitter and the receiver in the third wireless communication device to automatically establish a second communication link between the third wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to thereby add the third wireless communication device to the first wireless group;

upon the addition of the third wireless communication device to the first wireless group, transmitting stored messages from the third wireless communication device to other wireless communication devices in the first wireless group and receiving message data from other wireless communication devices in the first wireless group such that the message storage areas of the first, second, and third wireless communication devices, respectively, are synchronized;

if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is not detected, using the transmitter in the first wireless communication device to transmit the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier;

using the receiver to receive a signal from a fourth wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages, that has detected the beacon signal transmitted from the first wireless communication device;

using the transmitter and receiver in the first wireless communication device to establish a third communication link between the first wireless communication device and the fourth wireless communication device to there by form a second wireless group; and

upon formation of the second wireless group, transmitting the stored messages from the first wireless communication device to the fourth wireless communication device and receiving the stored messages from the fourth wireless communication device such that the message storage areas of the first and fourth wireless communication devices are synchronized.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more messages include time data indicative of a transmission time of the message and location data indicative of a location from which the message originated.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the messages comprise a data file.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the data file comprises a data file having a data form selected from a plurality of data forms comprising audio data, video data, image data, and document data.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the data file has a PDF image data form.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the data file has a word processor document data form.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the data file has an audio document data form and transmitting audio data comprises providing a push-to-talk button on the first wireless communication device to permit a user to speak into an audio input device on the first wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the messages transmitted from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device comprises a message intended for a specified recipient.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the message is intended for a specified recipient other than the second wireless communication device, the method further comprising the second wireless communication device transmitting the message during synchronized with other wireless communication devices until the intended recipient receives the message.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the message data transmitted from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device comprises a message intended for any recipient.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device transmitting the beacon signal is designated as a group owner.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless communication device detecting the beacon signal is designated as a group client.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the group owner storing a list of group clients having wireless communication links with the group owner.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the second wireless communication device is a wireless access point.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless access point is designated as a group owner.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the group owner transmitting data indicative of a number of group clients coupled to the group owner via wireless communication links.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitter and receiver in the first wireless communication device operate in accordance with WiFi standards.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second wireless communication devices are cell phone devices having network transceivers for communication with a public land mobile network (PLMN) and wherein the transmitter and receiver in the first wireless communication device are non-network communication devices not used with the PLMN.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the first wireless communication device detected the beacon signal from the second wireless device, the method further comprising:

in the third wireless communication device, monitoring the predetermined radio frequency channel with a receiver to detect the beacon signal having a predetermined beacon identifier from the second wireless communication device;

if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is not detected, using the transmitter in the third wireless communication device to transmit the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier;

breaking the first communication link;

in the first wireless communication device, monitoring the predetermined radio frequency channel with the receiver to detect the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier from the third wireless communication device;

if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier from the third wireless communication device is detected,

the API using the transmitter and receiver in the first wireless communication device to automatically establish a fourth communication link between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device to thereby form a third wireless group; and

upon formation of the third wireless group, transmitting the stored messages from the first wireless communication device to the third wireless communication device and receiving the stored messages from the third wireless communication device such that the message storage areas of the first and third wireless communication devices are synchronized.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein breaking the first wireless communication link comprises determining a signal quality indicator of the first communication link and breaking the first communication link if the signal quality indicator is less than a threshold value.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein breaking the first wireless communication link comprises periodically breaking the first wireless communication link.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

breaking the fourth communication link between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device;

re-establishing the first communication link between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to thereby rejoin the first wireless group; and

upon rejoining the first wireless group, transmitting the stored messages from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device and receiving the stored messages from the second wireless communication device, wherein the second wireless communication device thereby receives the messages received by the first wireless communication device from the third wireless communication device while the first wireless communication device was in the third wireless group such that the message storage areas of the first and second wireless communication devices are synchronized.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein breaking the first communication link, establishing the fourth wireless communication link between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device, transmitting message data from the first wireless communication device to the third wireless communication device and receiving message data from the third wireless communication device, breaking the fourth communication link, re-establishing the first communication link between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, transmitting message data from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device and receiving message data from the second wireless communication device is performed periodically and repeatedly whereby the first wireless communication device is a member of the first wireless group and the third wireless group.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising the fourth wireless communication device merging the message data received from the first wireless communication device with message data already stored in the fourth wireless communication device and transmitting the merged message data from the fourth wireless communication device, wherein receiving message data from the fourth wireless communication device comprises receiving the merged message data.

25. A system for network management of a plurality of wireless communication devices comprising:

the plurality of first wireless devices each having;

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a data storage area configured to store message data including one or more messages; and

a controller configured to control operation of the respective wireless device, the respective receivers being configured to detect a transmitted beacon signal having a selected beacon identifier, with the respective transmitters being configured to automatically establish respective communication links with one of the plurality of wireless devices whose beacon signal is detected by the respective receivers;

wherein at least two of the plurality of wireless communication devices detect the beacon signal and establish communication links with one of the plurality of wireless devices whose beacon signal is detected to thereby form a first wireless group containing at least three wireless communication devices; and

wherein the respective controllers of wireless communication devices in the first wireless group are further configured to synchronize message data in the data storage areas of all wireless communication devices in the first wireless group wherein the messages have a designated recipient selected from a group of recipients consisting of a designated individual, a designated user group, and a designated public message and wherein each of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group processes any designated public message for use by a user of each respective wireless communication device, and a wireless communication devices in the first wireless group will process any designated user group messages for use by the user of respective ones of the wireless communication devices only in the respsctive wireless communication device is a member of the designated user group for a particular message having a designated user group, and only a single selected wireless communication device identified as a recipient for a designated individual message will processes the message for a user of the single selected wireless communication device.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the message data comprises a data file.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the data file comprises a data file having a data form selected from a plurality of data forms comprising audio data, video data, image data, and document data.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein if no beacon signal is detected by the respective receivers, the controller of one of the plurality of wireless communications devices unable to detect the beacon signal is further configured to cause the transmitter of that wireless communication device to transmit the beacon signal having the selected beacon identifier.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the respective controllers of the wireless communication devices are further configured to merge message data received from others of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group with message data already stored in the respective wireless communication devices, and the synchronization comprises transmitting the merged message data from the respective wireless communication devices to others of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein each of the respective controllers of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group are further configured to receive and store messages received from others of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group during synchronization even if the messages are not intended for the respective wireless communication device.

31. The system of claim 25 wherein each of the respective controllers of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group are further configured to transmit stored messages stored in the data storage area of the respective wireless communication devices to others of the wireless communication devices in the first wireless group during synchronization even if the messages are not intended for the respective wireless communication devices to which the stored messages are transmitted.