Communication network of moving things

• US 9,973,386 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veniam Inc.
• Original Assignee: Veniam Inc.
• Inventors: Barros, Joao, Ameixiera, Carlos, Lopes, Diogo, Cardote, Andre, Costa, Rui, Matos, Ricardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Clemence
• Application Number:
  US15/583,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20170237620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Communication network architectures, systems and methods for supporting a network of mobile nodes. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide communication network architectures, systems, and methods for supporting a dynamically configurable communication network comprising a complex array of both static and moving communication nodes (e.g., the Internet of moving things).

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a first node and a second node, each of the first node and the second node operable in a communication network comprising;

a first network comprising at least one of a backbone provider network and/or a local infrastructure network;

a second network comprising a fixed hotspot access network (FHAN) comprising a plurality of FHAN access points that are at fixed locations; and

a third network comprising a mobile hotspot access network (MHAN) comprising a plurality of MHAN access points that are mobile,

wherein the communication system is configurable to operate in a plurality of modes comprising;

a first mode in which the first node and the second node communicate through at least each of the first, second, and third networks; and

a second mode in which the first node and the second node communicate through at most two of the first, second, and third networks, and

wherein the communication system is operable to automatically, without direct user interaction, self-configure to operate in one of the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on communication latency and/or on priority of a communication.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication system is operable to automatically, without direct user interaction, self-configure to operate in one of the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on communication latency.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication system is operable to automatically, without direct user interaction, self-configure to operate in one of the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on priority of a communication.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the first node comprises a server and the second node comprises a user device, and the communication system further comprises a third node comprising a stationary sensor device independent of the user device, wherein:

in the first mode, the first node communicates with both the second node and the third node through at least each of the first, second, and third networks; and

in the second mode, the first node communicates with both the second node and the third node through at most two of the first, second, and third networks.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile hotspot access network (MHAN) comprises a first plurality of mobile access points corresponding to a first vehicle fleet and a second plurality of mobile access points corresponding to a second vehicle fleet distinct from the first vehicle fleet; and

the communication system is operable to identify a mode of the plurality of modes in which to operate based, at least in part, on which of the first and second pluralities of mobile access points comprises a mobile access point that is available for communicating.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein:

the fixed hotspot access network (FHAN) comprises a first plurality of private fixed access points that are not directly available to the public, and a second plurality of public fixed access points that are directly available to the public; and

the communication system is operable to identify a mode of the plurality of modes in which to operate based, at least in part, on which of the first and second pluralities of fixed access points comprises a fixed access point that is available for communicating.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the MHAN access points are operable to communicate directly with each other.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the MHAN access points are operable to communicate directly with each other and to communicate directly with the FHAN access points utilizing a same communication protocol.

9. A communication system comprising:

a first node, a second node, and a third node, wherein each of the first node, second node, and third node is operable in a communication network comprising;

a first network comprising at least one of a backbone provider network and/or a local infrastructure network; and

a second network comprising a mobile hotspot access network (MHAN) comprising a plurality of MHAN access points that are mobile,

wherein the communication network is configurable to operate in a plurality of modes comprising;

a first mode in which the communication system communicates data from the second node and the third node to the first node through at least each of the first and second networks; and

a second mode in which the communication system communicates data from the second node and the third node to the first node through at most one of the first and second networks, and

wherein;

the mobile hotspot access network (MHAN) comprises a first plurality of mobile access points corresponding to a first vehicle fleet and a second plurality of mobile access points corresponding to a second vehicle fleet distinct from the first vehicle fleet; and

the communication system is operable to identify a mode of the plurality of modes in which to operate based, at least in part, on which of the first and second pluralities of mobile access points comprises a mobile access point that is available for communicating.

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the communication system is operable to automatically, without direct user interaction, self-configure to operate in one of the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on communication latency.

11. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the communication system is operable to automatically, without direct user interaction, self-configure to operate in one of the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on priority of a communication.

12. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the first node comprises a server, the second node comprises a user device, and the third node comprises a stationary sensor device independent of the user device.

13. The communication system of claim 9, comprising a fixed hotspot access network (FHAN) comprising a plurality of FHAN access points that are at fixed locations, wherein:

the fixed hotspot access network comprises a first plurality of private fixed access points that are not directly available to the public, and a second plurality of public fixed access points that are directly available to the public; and

the communication system is operable to identify a mode of the plurality of modes in which to operate based, at least in part, on which of the first and second pluralities of fixed access points comprises a fixed access point that is available for communicating.

14. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the MHAN access points are operable to communicate directly with each other.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the MHAN access points are operable to communicate directly with each other and to communicate directly with FHAN access points utilizing a same communication protocol.

16. A communication system comprising:

a first node and a second node, each of the first node and the second node operable in a communication network comprising;

a first network comprising a backbone provider network;

a second network comprising a local infrastructure network;

a third network comprising a fixed hotspot access network (FHAN) comprising a plurality of FHAN access points that are at fixed locations; and

a fourth network comprising a mobile hotspot access network (MHAN) comprising a plurality of MHAN access points that are mobile,

wherein the communication system is configurable to operate in a plurality of modes comprising;

a first mode in which the first node and the second node communicate through at least each of the first, second, third, and fourth networks; and

a second mode in which the first node and the second node communicate through at most three of the first, second, third, and fourth networks, and

wherein the communication system is operable to automatically self-configure to operate in one of the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on communication latency and/or on priority of a communication.

17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein:

the fixed hotspot access network comprises a first plurality of private fixed access points that are not directly available to the public, and a second plurality of public fixed access points that are directly available to the public; and

the communication system is operable to identify a mode of the plurality of modes in which to operate based, at least in part, on which of the first and second pluralities of fixed access points comprises a fixed access point that is available for communicating.

18. The communication system of claim 16, wherein:

the mobile hotspot access network (MHAN) comprises a first plurality of mobile access points corresponding to a first vehicle fleet and a second plurality of mobile access points corresponding to a second vehicle fleet distinct from the first vehicle fleet; and

the communication system is operable to identify a mode of the plurality of modes in which to operate based, at least in part, on which of the first and second pluralities of mobile access points comprises a mobile access point that is available for communicating.

19. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the MHAN access points are operable to communicate directly with each other.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the MHAN access points are operable to communicate directly with each other and to communicate directly with the FHAN access points utilizing a same communication protocol.