Mobile WiFi network

• US 9,686,647 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, Michael J, Ong, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US13/351,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20130184000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 4554521, 455453, 4554141, 455406, 370406
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/55 involving three or more devices, e.g. group pairing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• 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 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

A method, computer-readable medium, and system are provided for managing a dynamic wireless network. An aspect of this invention is to identify the occurrence of an overlap of coverage areas provided by separate wireless access points, at least one of which is mobile.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, location information of a first transceiver from the first transceiver; and

in response to a determination that a first coverage area of the first transceiver overlaps with a second coverage area of a second transceiver, determining whether the first transceiver is available to move based at least on whether the first transceiver is providing service to any device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the first transceiver is underutilized or overutilized if the first coverage area of the first transceiver overlaps with the second coverage area of the second transceiver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the first transceiver is underutilized or overutilized comprises comparing a number of devices connected to the first transceiver with a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the first transceiver is underutilized or overutilized comprises comparing a number of devices connected to the first transceiver with an underutilized threshold or an overutilized threshold, respectively, wherein the underutilized threshold and the overutilized threshold are different.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether to use the second transceiver or a third transceiver if the first transceiver is underutilized; and

instructing the first transceiver to forward upstream data to the second transceiver or the third transceiver after determining to use the second transceiver or the third transceiver.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether a third transceiver is within range of the first transceiver and available to transfer an additional load, by searching a storage medium storing information indicating an availability of transceivers within range of the first transceiver; and

instructing the first transceiver to distribute its load between the first transceiver and the third transceiver upon determining that the third transceiver is within range of the first transceiver and available to transfer an additional load.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the determining whether the first transceiver is available to move based on at least whether the first transceiver is providing service to any device comprises determining whether the first transceiver is available to move based on at least whether the first transceiver is providing network access to any device, and

wherein the determining whether the first transceiver is available to move comprises searching a database that stores information indicating whether the first transceiver is available to move.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first transceiver is available to move is further based at least on information provided by an occupant or operator of a mobile unit attached to the first transceiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first transceiver is available to move is further based at least on a schedule indicating whether a mobile unit attached to the first transceiver is being loaned or will be loaned within a predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting whether there is an area in need of network coverage by searching a database that indicates locations of a plurality of transceivers.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an area in need of network coverage; and

directing the first transceiver to the detected area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising designating the first transceiver as temporarily unavailable after directing the first transceiver to the detected area.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein directing the first transceiver to the detected area comprises transmitting an offer to the first transceiver, the offer including location information of the detected area and compensation information providing an incentive to deliver the first transceiver to the detected area.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a plurality of areas in need of network coverage; and

transmitting a plurality of offers to move the first transceiver to a respective one of the plurality of areas in need of network coverage.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

upon detecting an area in need of network coverage, sending an offer to the first transceiver in a rental car, the offer including location information of or directions to the detected area and compensation information providing an incentive to drive the rental car to the location of the detected area;

determining whether the rental car is driven to the detected area; and

transmitting confirmation information to allow an operator or renter of the rental car to receive compensation corresponding to the compensation information of the offer, when the rental car is determined to have been driven to the detected area.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the location information of the first transceiver with location information of a plurality of transceivers, the location information of the first transceiver comprising coordinates of the first transceiver,

wherein the determining whether the first coverage area of the first transceiver overlaps with the second coverage area of the second transceiver comprises identifying whether the second transceiver is within a predetermined distance from the first transceiver.