Conjoined class-based networking

1. A wireless two-way RF data communication device, comprising:

(a) a memory having stored therein common designations of the wireless two-way RF data communication device;

(b) a receiver configured to receive radio frequency transmissions;

(c) a transmitter configured to make radio frequency transmissions; and

(d) electronic components arranged and configured,

(i) such that the wireless two-way RF data communication device receives and processes communications as a function of at least one of the common designations of the wireless two-way RF data communication device being in the communication, and

(ii) such that each message that is received in a communication associated with a particular common designation of the RF data communication device, and for which the wireless two-way RF data communication device is not the destination recipient but, instead, is an intermediate recipient, is communicated,

(A) to another wireless two-way RF data communication device that has the same particular common designation, if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device is available, and

(B) if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device is unavailable, to another wireless two-way RF data communication device that has a common designation that is the same as a common designation stored in the memory, if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device is available;

(e) wherein the electronic components are arranged and configured such that the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively operates between at least a first state, in which the communications provided in (d)(ii)(B) are enabled, and in a second state, in which the communications provided in (d)(ii)(B) are disabled.

2. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1 , wherein the common designations stored in the memory are class designations for use in class-based networks.

3. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic components are arranged and configured such that the wireless two-way RF data communication device receives and processes only communications that include at least one of the common designations of the wireless two-way RF data communication device.

4. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic components are arranged and configured such that the communications provided in (d)(ii)(B) are performed only for predetermined common designations and not for all common designations.

5. A data communications network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless two-way radio frequency (RE) data communication devices, each wireless two-way RF data communication device forming a node of the data communications network and each wireless two-way RF data communication device including a memory having stored therein a common designation;

(b) wherein at least one of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices further includes a second common designation stored in the memory thereof and comprises,

(i) a receiver configured to receive radio frequency transmissions,

(ii) a transmitter configured to make radio frequency transmissions, and

(iii) electronic components arranged and configured,

(A) such that the wireless two-way RF data communication device receives and processes communications as a function of at least one of the common designations of the wireless two-way RF data communication device being in the communication, and

(B) such that each message that is received in a communication associated with a particular common designation of the RF data communication device, and for which the wireless two-way RF data communication device is not the destination recipient but, instead, is an intermediate recipient, is communicated,

(I) to another wireless two-way RF data communication device that has the same particular common designation, if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device is available, and

(II) if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device is unavailable, to another wireless two-way RF data communication device that has a common designation that is the same as a common designation stored in the memory, if such a wireless two-way RF data communication device is available;

(c) wherein the electronic components of the at least one of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices are arranged and configured such that the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively operates between at least a first state, in which the communications provided in (b)(iii)(B)(II) are enabled, and in a second state, in which the communications provided in (b)(iii)(B)(II) are disabled.

6. The data communications network of claim 5 , wherein the first and second common designations stored in the memory of the at least one of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices are class designations for use in class-based networking.

7. The data communications network of claim 5 , wherein the electronic components of the at least one of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices are arranged and configured such that the communications provided in (b)(iii)(B)(II) are performed only for predetermined common designations and not for all common designations.

8. The data communications network of claim 5 , wherein the information is wirelessly communicated in data packets in the data communications network.

9. The data communications network of claim 5 , wherein a plurality of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices are respectively attached to assets for monitoring and tracking of the asset.

10. The data communications network of claim 5 , wherein a plurality of the wireless two-way RF data communication devices are permanently affixed to a structure for monitoring and/or tracking assets that come within a proximity thereto.

11. In a data network comprising a plurality of wireless two-way radio frequency (RE) data communication devices, each wireless two-way RF data communication device forming a node of the data communications network, a method of communicating a message from an originating node to a destination node by way of intermediate nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining multiple class designations in memory of a particular one of the wireless two-way radio frequency (RE) data communication devices forming a node of the network; and

(b) for each message that is received by the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RE) data communication device in a communication associated with a common designation of the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RE) data communication device, and for which the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device is an intermediate node with respect to the message, forwarding the message,

(i) to another node of the network that has the same particular common designation associated with the message, if such another node is available, and

(ii) if such another node is unavailable, to another node that has a common designation that is the same as a common designation stored in the memory of the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication device, if such a node is available,

(c) wherein the method further comprises switching between at least two states of operation by the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device, wherein said step (b)(ii) is not performed in the second state.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication device receives and processes communications as a function of at least one of the common designations of the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device being in the communication.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second common designations stored in the memory of the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device are class designations for use in class-based networking, the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device conjoining at least two logically distinct class-based networks.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said step (b)(ii) is performed only for predetermined common designations and not for all common designations.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device switches between the first and second state in response to a command that is received by the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device in a wireless communication.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device switches between the first and second state in response to a sensed condition.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular wireless two-way RF data communication device switches between the first and second state at predetermined times.