Repeater emulation to increase network range

• US 9,350,439 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Kruglick, Ezekiel
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US14/812,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20150333816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/15, 455/550.1, 455/448, 455/449, 455/454, 370/310, 370/315
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/145 Passive relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for methods and systems configured to increase a range of a network. In an example, a method for increasing a range of a first network may include sending a request by a communication device to a network device while the communication device is in a range of the first network. The request may include a request for discovery data that identifies the first network. The method may further include receiving, by the communication device, the discovery data. The method may further include broadcasting, by the communication device, information based on the discovery data when the communication device is outside the range of the first network and when the communication device is configured to communicate over a second network. The second network may be different from the first network.

Claims

1. A method to communicate to a first network by a communication device in a second network, the method comprising:

sending a request, by the communication device, to a network device, when the communication device is in a range of the first network, wherein the network device is associated with the first network, and the request includes a request for discovery data related to the first network;

receiving, by the communication device, the discovery data; and

transmitting, by the communication device, information over the second network when the communication device is outside the range of the first network, wherein the second network is different from the first network, the transmission is based on the discovery data, and the information is effective to indicate that the communication device is configured to communicate with the network device associated with the first network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, a signal from an end device, wherein the signal includes a message, the signal is associated with the end device, and the end device is associated with the first network; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the message over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the signal from the end device comprises receiving, by the communication device, the signal from the end device over the second network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the end device includes a sensor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal indicates a status associated with an activity performed by the end device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, a signal from an end device, wherein the signal includes a message, the signal is associated with the end device, the end device is associated with the first network, and the end device is located outside the range of the first network; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the message over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, a signal from an end device, wherein the end device is associated with the first network, and the signal includes a signal associated with the end device;

receiving, by the communication device, beacon information associated with the first network, wherein the beacon information indicates a period; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the signal to the network device associated with the first network according to the period indicated by the beacon information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, data from the network device associated with the first network; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the data to an end device located outside the range of the first network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, a signal from a controller, wherein the signal includes a request to communicate with an end device located in the range of the first network; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the request over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to activate or deactivate the end device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to request data from the end device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, a signal from a controller, wherein the signal includes a request to communicate with an end device located in the range of the first network, and the controller is located outside the range of the first network; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the request over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is a wireless personal area network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery data includes a network identifier.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery data includes an address that identifies the network device associated with the first network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sending the request to the network device includes sending, by the communication device, the request over the first network, and

receiving the discovery data includes receiving, by the communication device, the discovery data over the first network.

17. A communications system comprising:

a communication device;

a network device associated with a first network, wherein the communication device is configured to be in communication with the network device when the communication device is in a range of the first network, the communication device being further configured to;

send a request to the network device when the communication device is in the range of the first network, wherein the request includes a request for discovery data related to the first network;

receive the discovery data from the network device when the communication device is in the range of the first network; and

transmit information over a second network different from the first network when the communication device is outside the range of the first network, wherein the transmission is based on the discovery data, and the information is effective to indicate that the communication device is configured to communicate with the network device associated with the first network.

18. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is further configured to:

receive a signal from an end device, wherein the signal includes a message, the signal is associated with the end device, and the end device is associated with the first network; and

transmit the message over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.

19. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is further configured to:

receive a signal from an end device, wherein the signal includes a message, the signal is associated with the end device, the end device is associated with the first network, and the end device is located outside the range of the first network; and

transmit the message over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.

20. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is further configured to:

receive data from the network device associated with the first network; and

transmit the data to an end device located outside the range of the first network.

21. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is further configured to:

receive a signal from a controller, wherein the signal includes a request to communicate with an end device located in the range of the first network; and

transmit the request to the network device associated with the first network.

22. The communications system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is further configured to:

receive a signal from a controller, wherein the signal includes a request to communicate with an end device located in the range of the first network, and the controller is located outside the range of the first network; and

transmit the request to the network device associated with the first network.

23. A non-transitory computer accessible medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions to perform a procedure to communicate to a first network by a communication device in a second network, the procedure comprising:

sending, by the communication device, a request to a network device, when the communication device is in a range of the first network, wherein the network device is associated with the first network, and the request includes a request for discovery data related to the first network;

receiving, by the communication device, the discovery data; and

transmitting, by the communication device, information over the second network when the communication device is outside the range of the first network, wherein the second network is different from the first network, the transmission is based on the discovery data, and the information is effective to indicate that the communication device is configured to communicate with the network device associated with the first network.

24. The non-transitory computer accessible medium of claim 23, wherein the procedure further comprises:

receiving, by the communication device, a signal from an end device over the second network, wherein the signal includes a message, the signal is associated with the end device, and the end device is associated with the first network; and

transmitting, by the communication device, the message over the second network to the network device associated with the first network.