System and method for scalable geographic addressing framework

• US 9,973,344 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US15/497,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0433 Key management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A bridge device at a first tier receives a geographic addressing packet destined for a target region containing a plurality of devices. The bridge device applies a bridging function using the geographic address packet to determine whether to transmit the geographic addressing packet. The bridging function utilizes certain information based on the geographic addressing packet. The bridge device determines to transmit the geographic addressing packet to a second tier based on the bridging function indicating that the geographic addressing packet should be transmitted to the second tier.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first tier of a network, a geographic addressing packet destined for a target region, the target region comprising a plurality of devices;

determining, by a bridge device at the first tier, to send the geographic addressing packet to a second tier of the network based on a result of a bridging function determined using information associated with the geographic addressing packet;

determining whether the second tier is a geocast tier or a georouter tier;

in response to determining that the second tier is a geocast tier, transmitting the geographic addressing packet to the second tier, wherein after receipt of the geographic addressing packet at the second tier, the second tier distributes the geographic address packet to the plurality of devices; and

in response to determining that the second tier is a georouter tier, transmitting the geographic addressing packet to a georouter server, wherein the georouter server sends the geographic addressing packet to a bridge device at the second tier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic addressing packet comprises a common operating picture update to be distributed to the plurality of devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the geographic addressing packet comprises at least one of a geocast region, a tier footprint, an identification of the first tier, and a location of the bridge device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tier is a georouter tier comprising the bridge device, wherein the bridge device communicates via a mobile communications network and a wireless network, and the second tier is the geocast tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tier is a geocast tier comprising the bridge device, wherein the bridge device communicates via a mobile communications network, and the second tier is the georouter tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tier is a second geocast tier comprising the bridge device at the first tier, wherein the bridge device at the first tier communicates via a mobile communication network, and the second tier is the geocast tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tier is a second georouter tier comprising the bridge device of the first tier, wherein the bridge device of the first tier communicates via a mobile communication network, and the second tier is the georouter tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to send the geographic addressing packet to a second tier of the network comprises:

decrypting a header of the geographic addressing packet to determine to send the geographic addressing packet to the second tier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic addressing packet is secured by a shared session key encryption system administered by a field security administrator.

10. A bridge device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a first tier of a network, a geographic addressing packet destined for a target region, the target region comprising a plurality of devices;

determining, by a bridge device at the first tier, to send the geographic addressing packet to a second tier of the network based on a result of a bridging function determined using information associated with the geographic addressing packet;

determining whether the second tier is a geocast tier or a georouter tier;

in response to determining that the second tier is a geocast tier, transmitting the geographic addressing packet to the second tier, wherein after receipt of the geographic addressing packet at the second tier, the second tier distributes the geographic address packet to the plurality of devices; and

in response to determining that the second tier is a georouter tier, transmitting the geographic addressing packet to a georouter server, wherein the georouter server sends the geographic addressing packet to a bridge device at the second tier.

11. The bridge device of claim 10, wherein the geographic addressing packet comprises a common operating picture update to be distributed to the plurality of devices.

12. The bridge device of claim 10, wherein the information associated with the geographic addressing packet comprises at least one of a geocast region, a tier footprint, an identification of the first tier, and a location of the bridge device.

13. The bridge device of claim 10, wherein the first tier is a georouter tier comprising the bridge device, wherein the bridge device communicates via a mobile communications network and a wireless network, and the second tier is the geocast tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

14. The bridge device of claim 10, wherein the first tier is a geocast tier comprising the bridge device, wherein the bridge device communicates via a mobile communications network, and the second tier is the georouter tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

15. A computer readable storage device storing computer program instructions for transmitting geographic addressing data to devices in an area, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a first tier of a network, a geographic addressing packet destined for a target region, the target region comprising a plurality of devices;

determining, by a bridge device at the first tier, to send the geographic addressing packet to a second tier of the network based on a result of a bridging function determined using information associated with the geographic addressing packet;

determining whether the second tier is a geocast tier or a georouter tier;

in response to determining that the second tier is a geocast tier, transmitting the geographic addressing packet to the second tier, wherein after receipt of the geographic addressing packet at the second tier, the second tier distributes the geographic address packet to the plurality of devices; and

in response to determining that the second tier is a georouter tier, transmitting the geographic addressing packet to a georouter server, wherein the georouter server sends the geographic addressing packet to a bridge device at the second tier.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the geographic addressing packet comprises a common operating picture update to be distributed to the plurality of devices.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the first tier is a first second geocast tier comprising the bridge device at the first tier, wherein the bridge device at the first tier communicates via a mobile communication network, and the second tier is the geocast tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the first tier is a second georouter tier comprising the bridge device of the first tier, wherein the bridge device of the first tier communicates via a mobile communication network, and the second tier is the georouter tier comprising devices that communicate via a wireless network.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein determining to send the geographic addressing packet to a second tier of the network comprises:

decrypting a header of the geographic addressing packet to determine to send the geographic addressing packet to the second tier.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the geographic addressing packet is secured by a shared session key encryption system administered by a field security administrator.