Game theoretic prioritization scheme for mobile ad hoc networks permitting hierarchal deference

• US 7,590,589 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg
• Original Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): APPLE, KIRSTEN SACHWITZ
• Application Number:
  US11/005,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 705/38, 705 35- 45, 707/202
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0652 e-cash with decreasing value according to a parameter, e.g. time
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents while operating according to fair principles, comprising assigning a hierarchal rank to each agent; providing a synthetic economic value to a first set of agents at the a high level of the hierarchy; allocating portions of the synthetic economic value by the first set of agents to a second set of agents at respectively different hierarchal rank than the first set of agents; and conducting an auction amongst agents using the synthetic economic value as the currency.

Claims

1. A method for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents while operating according to fair principles, comprising:

(a) assigning a hierarchal rank to each agent;

(b) providing a synthetic economic value to a first set of agents at a first level of the hierarchy;

(c) redistributing portions of the synthetic economic value by at least one agent of the first set of agents to at least one agent of a second set of agents at a respectively different hierarchal rank than the at least one agent of the first set of agents; and

(d) automatically conducting an auction using a computing device, for allocation of the rights amongst agents using at least a portion of the redistributed synthetic economic value as the currency and outputting an auction result.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said auction allocates a communication resource.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said auction allocates a wireless communication resource.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said auction allocates communication bandwidth within a communication network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said auction allocates communication opportunity within a multihop ad hoc communication network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said auction operates according to a Vickrey-Clmk-Groves combinatorial auction framework.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said hierarchal rank comprises a predetermined assigned rank within a social, business, military or religious organization.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a cryptographically secure micropayment.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a cryptographically secure micropayment which has a time-dependent value.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a cryptographically secure micropayment which has a location-dependent value.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a micropayment which has a time-dependent value.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic economic value is generated by an agent based on a generation function inherited from a higher hierarchal level.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein an agent can transfer said synthetic economic value or a generation capacity therefore to another agent independent of said redistributing and said auction.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the auction provides compensation from an agent to other agents which deferred to that agent.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the auction compensates for both a consumption of resources consumed by exercise of the allocated rights and a deference to with the rights allocated by the auction by the agents not allocated the rights to an agent who is allocated the rights by the auction, in accordance with a published subjective valuation.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one agent of the second set of agents is hierarchically connected as an ancestor or descendant of the at least one agent of the first set of agents and the redistribution is not as a result of an auction.

17. A system for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents within a predetermined hierarchy while operating according to fair principles, comprising:

(a) a memory adapted to store information defining a hierarchal rank of a respective agent;

(b) a memory adapted to store a synthetic economic value available for use by the respective agent; and

(c) an automated processor adapted to redistribute portions of the synthetic economic value available for use between respective agents having a respectively different hierarchal rank, and engage in an auction amongst agents using at least a portion of the redistributed synthetic economic value as the currency by communicating at least one auction bid.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said auction allocates a communication resource.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said auction allocates a wireless communication resource.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said auction allocates communication bandwidth within a communication network.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said auction allocates communication opportunity within a multihop ad hoc communication network.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein said processor is adapted to conduct an auction according to a Vickrey-Clark-Groves combinatorial auction framework.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said hierarchal rank comprises a predetermined assigned rank within a social, business, military or religious organization.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a cryptographically secure micropayment.

25. The system according to claim 17, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a cryptographically secure micropayment which has a time- dependent value.

26. The system according to claim 17, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a cryptographically secure micropayment which has a location-dependent value.

27. The system according to claim 17, wherein said synthetic economic value comprises a micropayment which has a time-dependent value.

28. The system according to claim 17, wherein said synthetic economic value is generated by an agent based on a generation function inherited from an agent having a respectively higher hierarchal rank.

29. The system according to claim 17, wherein an automated agent is adapted to transfer said synthetic economic value or a generation capacity therefore to another agent independent of said auction.

30. The system according to claim 17, wherein the auction provides compensation from an agent receiving an allocation of rights in the auction to other agents which deferred to that agent as a result of that allocation of rights.

31. The system according to claim 17, wherein the auction compensates for both a consumption of resources in accordance with the allocation of rights by the auction and a deference by respectively lower ranked agents to the higher ranked agents in accordance with a published subjective valuation.

32. The system according to claim 17, wherein portions of the synthetic economic value available for use between respective the agents having a respectively different hierarchal rank are redistributed between agents which are hierarchically related as an ancestor or descendant of the respective agent and the redistribution is not as a result of an auction.

33. A system for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents within a predetermined hierarchy while operating according to fair principles, comprising:

(a) a communications interface adapted to communicate with a plurality of agents, each competing for an allocation of rights based on a respective bid from a respective agent representing a synthetic economic value available to the respective agent, wherein at least one bid from a respective agent comprises at least a portion of a synthetic economic value redistributed from another agent having a respectively different hierarchal rank;

(b) a memory adapted to store respective bids received from the plurality of agents; and

(c) an automated processor adapted to conduct an auction amongst agents based on the received bids and producing an auction result representing at least an allocation of rights.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the portion of the synthetic economic value is redistributed between agents which are hierarchically related as respective ancestor and descendant, and the redistribution is not a compensation payment.

35. A computer readable medium storing therein instructions for controlling an automated processor to perform a method for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents while operating according to fair principles, comprising:

(a) assigning a hierarchal rank to each agent;

(b) providing a synthetic economic value to a first set of agents at a first level of the hierarchy;

(c) redistributing portions of the synthetic economic value by at least one agent of the first set of agents to at least one agent of a second set of agents at a respectively different hierarchal rank than the at least one agent of the first set of agents; and

(d) automatically conducting an auction using a computing device, for allocation of the rights amongst agents using at least a portion of the redistributed synthetic economic value as the currency and outputting an auction result.