Granted Patent B2

US 7,313,399 · App. 10/860,935 · Granted Dec 25, 2007

Assignee: Millennial Net, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (97)

1. A method, performed by a first device, to join a wireless network, the wireless network comprising a mesh network in which communication links form a web-like configuration, the method comprising:

attempting, unsuccessfully, to locate an existing routing device in a predefined neighborhood of the wireless network;

identifying a data transmission from a second device in the predefined neighborhood;

confirming that the second device is connected to the wireless network based on the data transmission, the second device comprising an endpoint device in the wireless network;

requesting the second device to act as a routing device for the first device;

configuring the first device to act as an endpoint device to route data transmissions through the second device to the wireless network; and

entering a reduced-power mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after exiting

the reduced-power mode:

locating an existing routing device in the predefined neighborhood; and

designating a located existing routing device as a master routing device, the master routing device being a primary recipient of data from the first device;

wherein the master routing device meets at least one of plural predefined criteria.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plural predefined criteria comprise a distance from the located existing routing device to a base station on the wireless network, a quality of a communication link associated with the located existing routing device, and a battery capacity of the located existing routing device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, if the master routing device becomes unreliable or congested, the method further comprises searching the wireless network for a new master routine device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein searching comprises:

broadcasting a routine device election request;

receiving identities of other devices on the wireless network in response to the routing device election request; and

designating one of the other devices on the wireless network to be a new master routing device based on one or more predefined criteria.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device is configured to act as a routing device if the first device is a sole possible routing device for at least one other device on the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, if the first device does not receive a communication from another device on the wireless network within a predetermined time, the first device ceases operation as a routing device and operates as an endpoint device on the wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating the first device as a routing device; and

discontinuing operating the first device as a routing device if the first device is not a sole routing device for other devices on the network.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

configuring the first device to operate as an endpoint device after the first device discontinues operation as a routing device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation as an endpoint device includes entering the reduced-power mode multiple times.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined neighborhood comprises a radio frequency range of the first device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein attempting comprises:

sending a search packet; and

awaiting a reply to the search packet.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising designating the second device as master device for the first device if the second device agrees to act as a router for the first device.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after exiting the reduced-power mode, configuring the first device to act as a routing device on the wireless network.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising instructions to cause the first device to:

after exiting the reduced-power mode, configure the first device to act as a routing device on the wireless network.

16. A machine-readable medium containing instructions that are executable by a first device to join a wireless network, the wireless network comprising a mesh network in which communication links form a web-like configuration, the instructions causing the first device to:

attempt to locate an existing routing device in a predefined neighborhood of the wireless network;

identify a data transmission from a second device in the predefined neighborhood;

confirm that the second device is connected to the wireless network based on the data transmission, the second device comprising an endpoint device in the wireless network;

request the second device to act as a routing device for the first device;

configure the first device to act as an endpoint device to route data transmissions through the second device to the wireless network; and

enter a reduced-power mode.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions that cause the first device to, after exiting the reduced-power mode:

locate an existing routing device in the predefined neighborhood; and

designate a located existing routing device as a master routing device, the master routing device being a primary recipient of data from the first device;

wherein the master routing device meets at least one of plural predefined criteria.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the plural predefined criteria comprise a distance from the located existing routing device to a base station on the wireless network, a quality of a communication link associated with the located existing routing device, and a battery capacity of the located existing routing device.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions that cause the first device to search the wireless network for a new master routing device if the master routing device becomes unreliable or congested.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein searching comprises:

broadcasting a routing device election request;

receiving identities of other devices on the wireless network in response to the routing device election request; and

designating one of the other devices on the wireless network to be a new master routing device based on one or more predefined criteria.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first device is configured to operate as a routing device if the first device is a sole routing device for at least one other device on the wireless network.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising instructions that cause the first device to cease operation as a routing device and to operate as an endpoint device on the wireless network if the first device does not receive a communication from another device on the wireless network within a predetermined time.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions that cause the first device to:

operate the first device as a routing device; and

discontinue operating the first device as a routing device if the first device is not a sole routing device for the other devices on the network.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , further comprising instructions that cause the first device to operate as an endpoint device after the first device discontinues operation as a routing device.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein operation as an endpoint device includes entering the reduced-power mode multiple times during operation.

26. The machine-readable medium or claim 16 , wherein the predefined neighborhood comprises a radio frequency range of the first device.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein attempting comprises:

sending a search packet; and

awaiting a reply to the search packet.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions that cause the first device to designate the second device as a master device for the first device if the second device agrees to act as a router for the first device.

29. An apparatus comprising:

memory that stores instructions; and

one or more processing devices that execute the instructions to join a wireless network, the wireless network comprising a mesh network in which communication links form a web-like configuration, the instructions for causing the one or more processing devices to:

attempt to locate an existing routing device in a predefined neighborhood of the wireless network;

identify a data transmission from a second device in the predefined neighborhood;

confirm that the second device is connected to the wireless network based on the data transmission, the second device comprising an endpoint device in the wireless network;

request the second device to act as a routing device for the apparatus;

configure the apparatus to act as an endpoint device to route data transmissions through the second device to the wireless network; and

enter a reduce-power mode.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to, after exciting the reduced-power mode:

locate an existing routing device in the predefined neighborhood; and

designate a located existing routing device as a master device, the master routing device being a primary recipient of data from the apparatus;

wherein the master routing device meets at least one of plural predefined criteria.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the plural predefined criteria comprise a distance from the located existing routing device to a base station on the wireless network, a quality of a communication link associated with the located existing routing device, and a battery capacity of the existing routing device.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to search the wireless network for a new master routing device if the master routing device becomes unreliable or congested.

33. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein searching comprises:

broadcasting a routing device election request;

receiving identities of other devices on the wireless network in response to the routing device election request; and

designating one of the other devices on the wireless network to be a new master routing device based on one or more predefined criteria.

34. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to operate the apparatus as a routing device if the apparatus is a sole routing device for at least one other device on the network.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to cease operation of the apparatus as a routing device and operate the apparatus as an endpoint device on the wireless network if the apparatus does not receive a communication from another device on the wireless network within a predetermined time.

36. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to:

operate the apparatus as a routing device; and

discontinue operating the apparatus as a routing device if the target device is not a sole routing device for the other devices on the network.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to cause the apparatus to operate as an endpoint device after the apparatus discontinues operation as a routing device.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein operation as an endpoint device includes entering the reduced-power mode multiply times during operation.

39. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the predefined neighborhood comprises a radio frequency range of the apparatus.

40. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein attempting comprises:

sending a search packet; and

awaiting a reply to the search packet.

41. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the one or more processing devices execute instructions to designate the second device as a master device for apparatus if the second device agrees to act as a router for the apparatus.

42. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the one or more processing devices that execute instructions to:

after exiting the reduced-power mode, configure the apparatus to act as a routing device on the wireless network.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (2)