Dynamic router functionality in cellular networks
First Claim
1. A wireless remote communication unit for communicating with a cellular network node and other wireless remote communication units, the wireless remote communication unit comprising:
- at least one receiver configured to receive first messages using a first technology from at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to receive second messages using a second technology from the cellular network node;
at least one transmitter configured to;
transmit first messages using the first technology to at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to transmit using the second technology to the cellular network node, andtransmit a voting message to each of the at least one other wireless remote communication unit that the wireless remote communication unit receives a first message from to thereby exchange information between the wireless remote communication unit and discovered wireless remote communication units, wherein the voting message comprises a parameter that enables the processor to perform an a priori empiric calculation to determine whether the wireless remote communication unit is geographically located in a better position to be configured as a router than the at least one other wireless remote communication unit; and
a processor coupled to the at least one receiver and the at least one transmitter and arranged to configure the wireless remote communication unit as a router between the first technology and the second technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unitwherein the parameter in the voting message comprises one or more from a group of;
the discovery identity of the transmitting wireless remote communication unit;
an indication of a number of unique other wireless remote communication units whose own discovery messages are consistently received by the wireless remote communication unit;
a quality metric for the cellular network;
a power level for the cellular network node;
a battery/power availability metric of the wireless remote communication unit.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless remote communication unit for communicating with a cellular network node and other wireless remote communication units is described. The wireless remote communication unit comprises: at least one receiver configured to receive first messages using a first technology from at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to receive second messages using a second technology from the cellular network node; at least one transmitter configured to transmit first messages using the first technology to at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to transmit using the second technology to the cellular network node; and a processor coupled to the at least one receiver and the at least one transmitter and arranged to configure the wireless remote communication unit as a router to support mesh network communications using the first technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unit.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A wireless remote communication unit for communicating with a cellular network node and other wireless remote communication units, the wireless remote communication unit comprising:
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at least one receiver configured to receive first messages using a first technology from at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to receive second messages using a second technology from the cellular network node; at least one transmitter configured to; transmit first messages using the first technology to at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to transmit using the second technology to the cellular network node, and transmit a voting message to each of the at least one other wireless remote communication unit that the wireless remote communication unit receives a first message from to thereby exchange information between the wireless remote communication unit and discovered wireless remote communication units, wherein the voting message comprises a parameter that enables the processor to perform an a priori empiric calculation to determine whether the wireless remote communication unit is geographically located in a better position to be configured as a router than the at least one other wireless remote communication unit; and a processor coupled to the at least one receiver and the at least one transmitter and arranged to configure the wireless remote communication unit as a router between the first technology and the second technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unit wherein the parameter in the voting message comprises one or more from a group of; the discovery identity of the transmitting wireless remote communication unit; an indication of a number of unique other wireless remote communication units whose own discovery messages are consistently received by the wireless remote communication unit; a quality metric for the cellular network; a power level for the cellular network node; a battery/power availability metric of the wireless remote communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An integrated circuit for a wireless remote communication unit for communicating with a cellular network node and other wireless remote communication units, the integrated circuit comprising:
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at least one receiver port configured to receive first messages using a first technology from at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to receive second messages using a second technology from the cellular network node; at least one transmitter port configured to transmit first messages using the first technology to at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to transmit using the second technology to the cellular network node, and transmit a voting message to each of the at least one other wireless remote communication unit that the wireless remote communication unit receives a first message from to thereby exchange information between the wireless remote communication unit and discovered wireless remote communication units, wherein the voting message comprises a parameter that enables the processor to perform an a priori empiric calculation to determine whether the wireless remote communication unit is geographically located in a better position to be configured as a router than the at least one other wireless remote communication unit; and a processor coupled to the at least one receiver port and the at least one transmitter port and arranged to configure the wireless remote communication unit as a router between the first technology and the second technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unit; wherein the parameter in the voting message comprises one or more from a group of; the discovery identity of the transmitting wireless remote communication unit; an indication of a number of unique other wireless remote communication units whose own discovery messages are consistently received by the wireless remote communication unit; a quality metric for the cellular network; a power level for the cellular network node; a battery/power availability metric of the wireless remote communication unit.
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13. A method of selecting a wireless remote communication unit for configuration as a router in a wireless communication system that comprises multiple wireless remote communication units, the method comprising, at the wireless remote communication unit:
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communicating with at least one other wireless remote communication unit using a first technology, communicating with a cellular network node using a second technology; transmitting a voting message to each of the at least one other wireless remote communication unit that the wireless remote communication unit receives a first message from to thereby exchange information between the wireless remote communication unit and discovered wireless remote communication units, wherein the voting message comprises a parameter that enables the processor to perform an a priori empiric calculation to determine whether the wireless remote communication unit is geographically located in a better position to be configured as a router than the at least one other wireless remote communication unit; processing received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unit; and configuring the wireless remote communication unit as a router between the first technology and the second technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the processed received first messages; wherein the parameter in the voting message comprises one or more from a group of; the discovery identity of the transmitting wireless remote communication unit; an indication of a number of unique other wireless remote communication units whose own discovery messages are consistently received by the wireless remote communication unit; a quality metric for the cellular network; a power level for the cellular network node; a battery/power availability metric of the wireless remote communication unit.
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14. A non-transitory tangible computer program product comprising executable code stored therein for selecting a wireless remote communication unit for configuration as a router in a wireless communication system that comprises multiple wireless remote communication units, wherein the code is operable for, when executed at a remote wireless communication unit:
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communicating with at least one other wireless remote communication unit using a first technology; communicating with a cellular network node using a second technology; transmitting a voting message to each of the at least one other wireless remote communication unit that the wireless remote communication unit receives a first message from to thereby exchange information between the wireless remote communication unit and discovered wireless remote communication units, wherein the voting message comprises a parameter that enables the processor to perform an a priori empiric calculation to determine whether the wireless remote communication unit is geographically located in a better position to be configured as a router than the at least one other wireless remote communication unit; processing received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unit; and configuring the wireless remote communication unit as a router between the first technology and the second technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the processed received first messages; wherein the parameter in the voting message comprises one or more from a group of; the discovery identity of the transmitting wireless remote communication unit; an indication of a number of unique other wireless remote communication units whose own discovery messages are consistently received by the wireless remote communication unit; a quality metric for the cellular network; a power level for the cellular network node; a battery/power availability metric of the wireless remote communication unit.
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15. A wireless communication system that comprises multiple wireless remote communication units, wherein at least one wireless remote communication unit comprises:
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at least one receiver configured to receive first messages using a first technology from at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to receive second messages using a second technology from the cellular network node; at least one transmitter configured to; transmit first messages using the first technology to at least one other wireless remote communication unit and configured to transmit using the second technology to the cellular network node, and transmit a voting message to each of the at least one other wireless remote communication unit that the wireless remote communication unit receives a first message from to thereby exchange information between the wireless remote communication unit and discovered wireless remote communication units, wherein the voting message comprises a parameter that enables the processor to perform an a priori empiric calculation to determine whether the wireless remote communication unit is geographically located in a better position to be configured as a router than the at least one other wireless remote communication unit; and a processor coupled to the at least one receiver and the at least one transmitter and arranged to configure the wireless remote communication unit as a router between the first technology and the second technology based on, at least in part, information obtained from the received first messages from at least one other wireless remote communication unit; wherein the parameter in the voting message comprises one or more from a group of; the discovery identity of the transmitting wireless remote communication unit; an indication of a number of unique other wireless remote communication units whose own discovery messages are consistently received by the wireless remote communication unit; a quality metric for the cellular network; a power level for the cellular network node; a battery/power availability metric of the wireless remote communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification