Wireless network system and method for providing same

• US 20060098576A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP Co., LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IP Co., LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Thomas W., Brownrigg, Edwin B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/238
• 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 45/20 Hop count for routing purposes, e.g. TTL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A wireless network, which includes a wireless router client operable to broadcast data packets to at least one wireless server and one additional wireless client. Each client and server includes programs for determining optimum routes between them. The client also includes a program for determining if a received data packet is not addressed to it and if the packet has been sent via a new optimal route unknown to the client, and for notifying the respective server of such a new optimal route.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. ) A wireless network system comprising:

a first node including a first node controller and a first node radio modem, said first node controller implementing a first node process that includes controlling said first node radio modem, said first node process including receiving and transmitting of data packets via said first node radio modem.

a plurality of second nodes each including a second node controller and a second node radio modem, said second node controller implementing a second node process that includes controlling of said second node radio modem, said second node process including receiving and transmitting data packets via said second node radio modem, wherein said second node process of each of said second nodes including initiating and selecting a radio transmission path to said first node that is one of a direct link to said first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one reminder of said plurality of second nodes; and

wherein said selected link to said first node is a link utilizing the least number of other second nodes,

whereby said transmission path from said second node to said first node is optimized.

38. ) A wireless network system comprising:

a first node including a first node controller and a first node radio modem, said first node controller implementing a first node process that includes controlling of said first node radio modem, said first node process including receiving and transmitting data packets via said first node radio modem; and

a plurality of second nodes each including a second node controller implementing a second node process that includes controlling of said second node radio modem, said second node process including receiving and transmitting data packets via said second node radio modem, wherein said second node process of each of said second nodes includes initiating and selecting a radio transmission path to said server that is one of a direct link to said first node through at least one the reminder of said plurality of second nodes,

wherein said first node process further includes steps maintaining a second node link tree having second node link entries.

39. ) A wireless network system as recited in claim 38, wherein said first node process further comprises:

steps comparing a selected link from said second node to said first node to a current second node link entry in said second node link tree; and

steps updating said second node link tree when said comparison meets predetermined conditions.

40. ) A wireless network system as recited in claim 39 wherein said first node process further comprises:

steps determining if said second node is authentic;

steps determining if said second node is already in said second node link tree if second node is determined to be authentic;

steps inserting said second node in said second node link tree if said second node is authentic.

41. ) A wireless network system comprising:

A node implementing a first node process including receiving data packets via a first node wireless radio or, sending data packets via said wireless radio, communicating with a network, and performing housekeeping functions;

a plurality of second nodes, each second node means providing a client process including sending and receiving data packets via a second node wireless communication, maintaining a send/receive data buffer in digital memory, and selecting a link to said first node that is one of a direct link to said first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one of the reminder of said plurality of second nodes; and

wherein said selected link to said first node is a link utilizing the least number of other second nodes,

whereby said transmission path from said second node to said first node is optimized.

42. ) A wireless system comprising:

a first node implementing a first node process including receiving data packets via a first node via a first node wireless radio, sending data packets via said wireless radio, communicating with a network, and performing housekeeping functions; and

a plurality of second nodes, each second node implementing a second node process including sending and receiving data packet via a second node wireless radio, maintaining a send/receive data buffer in digital memory, and selecting a link to said first node that is one of a direct link to said first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one of the remainder of said plurality of second nodes,

wherein said first node process further comprises a means for maintaining a second node link tree having second node link entries.

43. ) A wireless network system as recited in claim 42, wherein said server process further comprises:

comparing a selected link from said second node to said first node to a current second node link entry in said second node link tree; and

updating said second node link tree when said comparison meets predetermined conditions.

44. ) A wireless network system as recited in claim 43, wherein said server process further includes:

determining if said second node is authentic;

determining if said second node is already in said second node link tree if second node is determined to be authentic;

deleting said second node from said second node link tree if said second node is already in said second node link tree; and

inserting said second node in said second node link tree if said second node is authentic.

45. ) A method for providing wireless network communication comprising:

providing a first node implementing a first node process including receiving data packets via R.F. transmission, sending data packets via R.F. transmission, communicating with a network, and performing housekeeping functions; and

providing a plurality of second nodes, each second node providing a second node process including sending and receiving data packet via R.F. transmission, maintaining a send/receive data buffer in digital memory, and selecting a transmission path to said first node via that is one of a direct link to said first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one of the reminder of said plurality of second nodes; and

wherein said selected link to said first node is a link utilizing the least number of other second nodes,

whereby said transmission path from said second node to said first node is optimized.

46. ) A method for providing wireless network communication comprising:

providing a first node implementing a first node process including receiving data packets via R.F. transmission, sending data packets via R.F. transmission, communicating with a network, and performing housekeeping functions; and

providing a plurality of second nodes, each second node providing a second node process including sending and receiving data packet via R.F. transmission, maintaining a send/receive data buffer in digital memory, and selecting a transmission path to said first node via that is one of a direct link to said first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one of the reminder of said plurality of second nodes; and

wherein said first node process further includes maintaining a second node link tree having second node link entries.

47. ) A method as recited in claim 46, wherein said first node process further includes:

comparing a selected link from said second node to said first node to a current second node link entry in said second node link tree; and

updating said second node link tree when said comparison meets predetermined conditions.

48. ) A method as recited in claim 47, wherein said first node process further includes:

determining if said second node is authentic;

deleting said second node from said second node link tree if said second node is already in said second node link tree; and

inserting said second node in said second node tree if said second node is authentic.

49. ) A method for providing wireless network communication comprising the steps of:

a first node process including a data packet reception step, a data packet transmission step, a network communication step, and a housekeeping step; and

a plurality of second nodes, each providing a second node process including a data sending and receiving step, a send and receive data buffer maintenance step, and a link selection step that is one of a direct link to a first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one of the reminder of said plurality of second nodes; and

wherein said selected link to said first node is a link utilizing the least number of other second nodes,

whereby said transmission path from said second node to said first node is optimized.

50. ) A method for providing wireless network communication comprising the steps of:

a first node process including a data packet reception step, a data packet transmission step, a network communication step, and a housekeeping step; and

a plurality of second nodes, each providing a second node process including a data sending and receiving step, a send and receive data buffer maintenance step, and a link selection step that is one of a direct link to a first node and an indirect link to said first node through at least one of the reminder of said plurality of second nodes; and

wherein said first node process further comprising the step of maintaining a second node link tree having a second node link entries.

51. ) A method as recited in claim 50, wherein said first node process further comprises the steps of:

comparing a selected link tree from said second node to said first node to a current second node link entry in said second node link tree; and

updating said second node link tree when said comparison meets predetermined conditions.

52. ) A method as recited in claim 51, wherein said first node further comprises steps of:

determining if said second node is authentic;

determining if said second node is already in said second node link tree if second node is determined to be authentic;

deleting said second node from said second node link tree if said second node is already in said second node link tree; and

inserting said second node in said second node tree if said second node is authentic.

53. ) A first node providing a gateway between two networks, where at least one of the two networks is a wireless network said first node comprising:

a radio modem capable of communicating with a first network that operates, at least in part, by wireless communication;

a network interface capable of communicating with a second network; and

a digital controller coupled to said radio modem and to said network interface, said digital controller communicating with said first network via said radio modem and communicating with said second network via said network interface, said digital controller passing data packets received from said first network that are destined for said second network to said second network, and passing data packets received from said second network that are destined for said first network to said first network, said digital controller maintaining a map of data packet transmission paths to a plurality of second nodes of said first network, where a transmission path of a second node of said first network to said first node can be through one or more of other second node of said first network;

wherein said digital controller changes the transmission paths of second nodes to optimize the transmission paths including changing the transmission path from the client to the gateway so that the path to the gateway is chosen from the group consisting essentially of the path to the gateway through the least possible number of additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the most robust additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the second nodes with the least amount of traffic, and the path to the gateway through the fastest second nodes.

54. ) A first node as recited in claim 53, wherein the digital controller translates data packets received from the second network and destined for the first network into a format used by the first network, and the digital controller converts data packets received from the first network and destined for the second network into a format used by the second network.

55. ) A first node providing a gateway between a wireless network and a second network comprising:

means for receiving a data packet from a second node of said wireless network, means for converting said data packet to a format used in said second network, and means for sending said data packet to a proper location on said second network; and

means for receiving a data packet from said second network, means for converting said data packet to a format used in said wireless network, and means for transmitting said data packet with said header to a second node of said wireless network; and

means for changing the transmission paths of clients to optimize the transmission paths includes changing the transmission path from the client to the gateway so that the path to the gateway is chosen from the group consisting essentially of the path to the gateway through the least possible number of additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the most robust additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the second nodes with the least amount of traffic, and the path to the gateway through the fastest second nodes.

56. ) A method providing a gateway between a wireless network and a second network comprising:

receiving a data packet from a second node of said wireless network, converting said data packet to a proper format for said second network, and sending said data packet to a said network; and

receiving a data packet from said second network, adding a header to said packet including a reverse link and a data packet type if said data packet is destined for a second node of said wireless network, said reverse link being one of a direct link to said second node and an indirect link to said second node through one or more other second nodes of said network, and transmitting said data packet with said header; and

changing the transmission path of second nodes to optimize the transmission path from the second nodes to the gateway so that the path to the gateway is chosen from the group consisting essentially of the path to the gateway through the least possible number of additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the second nodes with the least amount of traffic, and the path to the gateway through the fastest second nodes.

57. ) A gateway between at least two networks, where at least one of the two networks is a wireless network, the gateway comprising:

a first interface capable of communicating with a first network that operates, at lest in part, by wireless communication and includes at least one second node;

a second interface capable of communicating with a second network; and

a digital controller coupled to the first interface and the second interface, the digital controller capable of communicating with the first network via the first interface and communicating with the second network via the second interface, the digital controller maintaining a map of transmission paths of the first network, where the transmission path of a second node to the gateway can be directly from the second node to the gateway or indirectly to the gateway through one or more of other second nodes of the first network, the digital controller sending the map of transmission paths to any second node that requests the map, the digital controller dynamically updating the map of transmission paths, adding and removing second nodes and changing the transmission paths of second nodes to optimize the transmission paths;

wherein said digital controller changes the transmission paths of second nodes to optimize the transmission paths including changing the transmission path from the second node to the gateway through the least possible number of additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the most robust additional second nodes, the path to the gateway through the second nodes with the least amount of traffic and the path to the gateway through the fastest second nodes.

58. ) The gateway of claim 57:

wherein when the gateway receives information from the first network that is destined for the second network, the gateway converts the information received from the first network into a format used in the second network if necessary, and sends the information from the first network destined for the second network to the second network; and

wherein when the gateway receives information from the second network that is destined fro the first network, the gateway converts the information received from the second network into a format used in the first network if necessary, and sends the information from the second network destined for the first network to the first network.

59. ) The gateway of claim 58, wherein converting the information received from the second network into a format used in the first network includes adding a header that includes an address of a destination second node of the first network and the transmission path to the destination second node of the first network.

60. ). The gateway of claim 58, wherein the second network is a TCP/IP protocol network, and the information received from first network, the information sent to the first network, the information sent to the second network, and the information received from the second network are in the form of data packets.

61. ) The gateway of claim 57 wherein changing the transmission paths of second nodes to optimize the transmission paths includes adding a new second node of the first network to the map as the new second node becomes active, removing a second node of the first network from the map if the second node becomes inactive.

62. ) For use in a network including a server node having a server radio modem and a server controller which implements a server process that includes controlling the server node to receive and transmit data packets via said server node to other nodes in the network;

a client node comprising;

a client node radio modem;

a client node controller;

said client node controller implementing a process including receiving and transmitting data packets via said client modem; and

selecting a radio transmission path to said server node that is one of a direct link to said server node and an indirect link to said server node through at least one other client node and;

implementing a process updating said radio transmission path in response to transmission path data received from said server node.

63. ) The client node of claim 62, wherein said transmission path data is chosen from the group comprising data identifying;

a path to said server node through the minimum number of client nodes;

a path to the server node through the most robust additional client nodes;

a path to the server node through the client node with the least amount of traffic; and

a path to the server node through the fastest client nodes for updating said radio transmission path to said server node.