System and method for exchange of information amongst peers in a peer to peer wireless network
A method and system for exchanging information amongst a plurality of peers. A first peer collects environment data related to an environment proximate to the first peer, which may for example be associated with a traffic or weather condition proximate to the first peer. The first peer transmits the environment data into a first region associated with the first peer, and a second peer receives the environment data transmitted by the first peer. The second peer then processes the received environment data. This process would likely occur in an iterative manner; i.e. the second peer retransmits the information to other peers in its operating range, and may add its own collected environment data as well.
1 . A method for exchanging information amongst a plurality of peers comprising the steps of:
a first peer collecting environment data related to an environment proximate to the first peer;
the first peer transmitting said environment data into a first region associated with the first peer;
a second peer receiving the environment data transmitted by the first peer; and
the second peer processing the received environment data.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
the second peer transmitting a request for environment data;
the first peer receiving the request for environment data transmitted by the second peer; and
the first peer transmitting said environment data into the first region associated with the first peer in response to the request for environment data received by the first peer.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first peer collects environment data from at least one sensor.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first peer collects environment data from a user input device.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first peer collects environment data from a remotely located data source.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first peer collects environment data from another peer.
7 . The method of claim 3 wherein the environment data collected by the first peer is associated with a weather condition proximate to the first peer.
8 . The method of claim 3 wherein the environment data collected by the first peer is associated with a traffic condition proximate to the first peer.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the environment data collected by the first peer comprises peer location data.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the peer location data comprises GPS coordinate information of the first peer obtained from an associated GPS receiver.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the peer location data comprises GPS coordinate information of at least one other peer obtained from a wireless transmission from another peer.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the GPS coordinate information of at least one other peer comprises GPS coordinate information of a plurality of peers, and wherein the second peer processes the GPS coordinate information to determine if a congested traffic condition exists in proximity to the plurality of peers.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the second peer makes a change in an intended route based on the determination if a congested traffic condition exists in proximity to the plurality of peers.
14 . A wireless peer to peer information exchange system comprising a plurality of peer computing devices, each of said peer computing devices comprising:
means for collecting environment data related to an environment proximate to the peer computing device;
means for transmitting said environment data into a region associated with the peer computing device;
means for receiving environment data transmitted by another peer computing device; and
means for processing the environment data.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the means for collecting environment data comprises an environmental sensor.
16 . The system of claim 14 wherein a peer computing device further comprises a memory for storing environment data.
17 . The system of claim 14 wherein a peer computing device further comprises means for determining the location of the peer computing device.
18 . The system of claim 14 wherein the means for determining the location of the peer computing device comprises a GPS receiver.
19 . The system of claim 14 wherein a peer computing device further comprises a user interface.
20 . The system of claim 14 wherein a peer computing device further comprises a wireless network connection.