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

• US 9,203,641 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Handforth, Martin Ridgway, Kwong, Herman, Duxbury, Guy, Wyrzykowska, Aneta, Marcanti, Larry, Stark, Ryan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVENPORT, MON CHERI S
• Application Number:
  US13/567,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20120294182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/252, 370/310, 370/311, 370/338, 370/400, 370/401, 370/406
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method, comprising:

a first mobile device performing,

detecting a power level of a power supply that provides power to the first mobile device;

selectively enabling communication of the first mobile device through a first wireless mesh network and a second wireless mesh network dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the second wireless mesh network supports higher bandwidth communication than the first wireless mesh network;

disabling communication of the first mobile device through the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network in response to the detection of a low power level; and

enabling the first mobile device to relay emergency communication traffic through at least one of the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network in response to the detection of the low power level; and

communicating a power resource indication of the first mobile device to a second mobile device dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the power resource indication includes information indicative of the power level of the power supply, and wherein the power resource indication is used by the second mobile device in a selection of a third mobile device to relay communication traffic.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling communication of the first mobile device through the second wireless mesh network in response to detecting an intermediate power level and determining that the detected intermediate power level is insufficient for the first mobile device to operate as a relay point on the second wireless mesh network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network contain one or more non-wireless links.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first mobile device performing communicating a second power resource indication of the first mobile device to the second mobile device dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the second power resource indication includes information indicative of the power level of the power supply, and wherein the second power resource indication is used by the second mobile device in the selection of the first mobile device to relay communication traffic.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first mobile device performing:

enabling of the first mobile device to serve as;

a destination point in the first wireless mesh network for communication traffic originating from mobile devices in the first wireless mesh network prior to relaying said communication traffic onto the second wireless mesh network; and

a wireless mesh relay point in the second wireless mesh network, wherein the wireless mesh relay point is configured to;

send a first portion of the communication traffic onto the second wireless mesh network for transmission off of the second wireless mesh network via another relay point; and

send a second portion of the communication traffic directly off the second wireless mesh network.

3. A first mobile device comprising:

one or more memories configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors configured to receive instructions from the one or more memories and execute the instructions to cause the first mobile device to perform operations comprising;

detecting a power level of a power supply that provides power to the first mobile device;

selectively enabling communication of the first mobile device through a first wireless mesh network and a second wireless mesh network dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the second wireless mesh network supports higher bandwidth communication than the first wireless mesh network;

disabling communication of the first mobile device through the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network in response to the detection of a low power level;

enabling the first mobile device to relay emergency communication traffic through at least one of the first wireless mesh network and the second mesh network in response to the detection of the low power level; and

communicating a power resource indication of the first mobile device to a second mobile device dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the power resource indication includes information indicative of the power level of the power supply, and wherein the power resource indication is used by a second mobile device in the selection of a third mobile device to relay communication traffic.

4. The first mobile device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise disabling communication of the first mobile device through the second wireless mesh network in response to detecting an intermediate power level and determining that the detected intermediate power level is insufficient for the first mobile device to operate as a relay point on the second wireless mesh network.

5. The first mobile device of claim 3, wherein the first mobile device is a cellular telephone.

6. The first mobile device of claim 3, wherein the first mobile device is incorporated into a passenger vehicle.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network contain one or more non-wireless links.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise communicating a second power resource indication of the first mobile device to the second mobile device dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the second power resource indication includes information indicative of the power level of the power supply, and wherein the second power resource indication is used by the second mobile device in the selection of the first mobile device to relay communication traffic.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise enabling of the first mobile device to serve as:

a destination point in the first wireless mesh network for communication traffic originating from mobile devices in the first wireless mesh network prior to relaying said communication traffic onto the second wireless mesh network; and

a wireless mesh relay point in the second wireless mesh network, wherein the wireless mesh relay point configured to;

send a first portion of the communication traffic onto the second wireless mesh network for transmission off of the second wireless mesh network via another relay point; and

send a second portion of the communication traffic directly off the second wireless mesh network.

7. A computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium having program instructions executable by a processor of a first mobile device to:

detect a power level of a power supply configured to provide power to the first mobile device;

selectively enable communication of the first mobile device through a first wireless mesh network and a second wireless mesh network;

disable communication of the first mobile device through the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network in response to the detection of a low power level, wherein the second wireless mesh network supports higher bandwidth communication than the first wireless mesh network;

enable the first mobile device to relay emergency communication traffic through at least one of the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network in response to the detection of the low power level; and

communicate a power resource indication of the first mobile device to a second mobile device dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the power resource indication includes information indicative of the power level of the power supply, and wherein the power resource indication is used by a second mobile device in the selection of a third mobile device to relay communication traffic.

8. The computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to disable communication of the first mobile device through the second wireless mesh network in response to detecting of an intermediate power level and determining that the detected intermediate power level is insufficient for the first mobile device to operate as a relay point on the second wireless mesh network.

9. The computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first mobile device comprises a cellular telephone.

10. The computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first mobile device is incorporated into a passenger vehicle.

17. The computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first wireless mesh network and the second wireless mesh network contain one or more non-wireless links.

18. The computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to communicate a second power resource indication of the first mobile device to the second mobile device dependent upon the detected power level, wherein the second power resource indication includes information indicative of the power level of the power supply, and wherein the second power resource indication is used by the second mobile device in the selection of the first mobile device to relay communication traffic.

19. The computer-accessible non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:

enable the first mobile device to serve as;

a destination point in the first wireless mesh network for communication traffic originating from mobile devices in the first wireless mesh network prior to relaying said communication traffic onto the second wireless mesh network; and

a wireless mesh relay point in the second wireless mesh network, wherein the wireless mesh relay point configured to;

send a first portion of the communication traffic onto the second wireless mesh network for transmission off of the second wireless mesh network via another relay point; and

send a second portion of the communication traffic directly off the second wireless mesh network.