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

• US 9,237,600 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• 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:
  US13/625,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20130077527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, comprising:

establishing a mesh network among a plurality of wireless mobile communication devices that are within an operating range of each other; and

establishing, by a first wireless mobile communication device of the established mesh network, an intra-mesh connection between the first wireless mobile communication device and a second wireless mobile communication device of the established mesh network utilizing one of a plurality of interfaces that is selected based at least in part upon an available service advertised by the first wireless mobile communication device and upon an intended use of the available service by the second wireless mobile communication device, the advertised available service being independent of each of the plurality of interfaces.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising tearing down, by the first wireless mobile communication device, the connection based at least in part upon a relative speed of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the one of the plurality of interfaces based at least in part upon a quality of service and bandwidth associated with the available service advertised by the first wireless mobile communication device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of interfaces comprises at least one of a wireless personal area network interface, a wireless local area network interface, or a device based interface, and the advertised available service comprises a service for forwarding data to an external network.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising tearing down, by the first wireless mobile communication device, the connection further based at least in part upon a direction of movement of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising tearing down, by the first wireless mobile communication device, the connection further based at least in part upon a location of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising advertising, by the first wireless mobile communication device, a cost for enabling a use of the available service by the second wireless mobile communication device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the available service further comprises forwarding of data in the established mesh network on behalf of the second wireless mobile communication device by the first wireless mobile communication device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the available service further comprises buffering of data in the established mesh network on behalf of the second wireless mobile communication device by the first wireless mobile communication device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the one of the plurality of interfaces based at least in part on a data rate at which the second wireless mobile communication device intends to utilize the available service advertised by the first wireless mobile communication device.

10. A system, comprising:

a plurality of interfaces;

one or more circuits for use in a first wireless mobile communication device, the one or more circuits configured to;

establish a mesh network among a plurality of wireless mobile communication devices that are within an operating range of each other; and

establish a connection between the first wireless mobile communication device and a second wireless mobile communication device of the mesh network utilizing one of the plurality of interfaces that is selected based at least in part upon an available service advertised by the first wireless mobile communication device and intended to be utilized by the second wireless mobile communication device, the advertised available service being performable over at least two of the plurality of interfaces.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to tear down the connection based at least in part upon a relative speed of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

select the one of the plurality of interfaces based at least in part on a quality of service or bandwidth requirement of the available service.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of interfaces comprise a wireless personal area network interface, a wireless local area network interface, or a device based interface.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to tear down the connection further based at least in part upon a direction of movement of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to tear down the connection further based at least in part upon a location of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to advertise a cost for enabling a use of the available service by the second wireless mobile communication device.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the available service further comprises forwarding of data in the established mesh network on behalf of the second wireless mobile communication device by the first wireless mobile communication device.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the available service further comprises buffering of data in the established mesh network on behalf of the second wireless mobile communication device by the first wireless mobile communication device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program executable in a first wireless mobile communication device, the program comprising code causing the first wireless mobile communication device to:

establish a mesh network among a plurality of wireless mobile communication devices that are within an operating range of each other; and

establish a connection between the first wireless mobile communication device and a second wireless mobile communication device utilizing one of a plurality of interfaces that is selected based at least in part upon an available service advertised by the first wireless mobile communication device and upon an intended use of the available service by the second wireless mobile communication device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program further comprises code causing the first wireless mobile communication device to:

tear down the connection based at least in part upon at least one of;

a relative speed of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device, a direction of movement of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device, and a location of the first wireless mobile communication device relative to the second wireless mobile communication device.