Wake-up broadcast including network information in common designation ad hoc wireless networking

1. In the operation of an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a data communication device as a node of the network, the data communication device including both,

a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and

a second receiver,

wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device,

a method of providing information via the second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, via the second receiver of the data communications device, a wake-up broadcast including a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information; and

(b) determining, at the data communication device, that the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast does not correspond to the wake-up identifier of the data communication device and, thereby, not activating the two-way communications component from the dormant state based upon the received wake-up broadcast,

(i) processing, at the data communication device irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to the wake-up identifier of the data communication device and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, the received auxiliary information to ascertain networking information; and

(ii) storing, at the data communication device, data representing the ascertained networking information;

(iii) wherein the auxiliary information comprises a node identification from which the wake-up broadcast is transmitted;

(iv) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification from which the wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and

(v) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises an encryption key.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises application specific data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises an indication of the status of a sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second receiver draws substantially less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second receiver draws less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast, the difference in current draw being at least an order of magnitude (such as milliamps versus microamps).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second receiver utilizes a stepped wake-up sequence based on at least two criteria, and wherein the last criteria before awakening the two-way communications component comprises identifying a wake-up identifier of the data communication device in the wake-up broadcast.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second receiver is part of a wake-up transceiver, the wake-up transceiver further comprising a second transmitter of the data communication device that is configured to transmit a wake-up broadcast for receipt by another wake-up receiver of another data communication device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network.

12. In the operation of an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a data communication device as a node of the network, the data communication device including both,

a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and

a second receiver,

wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device,

a method of receiving information by the data communication device via the second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of two-way communications component, the method comprising:

receiving, via the second receiver of the data communications device, a wake-up broadcast, the wake-up broadcast including a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information; and

activating, in response to receipt of the wake-up broadcast, the two-way communications component from a dormant state if a wake-up identifier of the data communications device is found in the wake-up broadcast, and not activating, in response to receipt of the wake-up broadcast and irrespective of whether a wake-up identifier of the data communication device is found in the wake-up broadcast, the two-way communications component from a dormant state if a wake-up identifier of the data communications device is not found in the wake-up broadcast,

(i) processing, at the data communication device irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to the wake-up identifier of the data communication device and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, the received auxiliary information to ascertain networking information; and

(ii) recording, at the data communication device, data representing the ascertained networking information;

(iii) wherein the auxiliary information comprises a node identification from which the wake-up broadcast is transmitted;

(iv) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification from which the wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and

(v) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises an encryption key.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises application specific data.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises an indication of the status of a sensor.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second receiver draws substantially less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second receiver draws less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast, the difference in current draw being at least an order of magnitude (such as milliamps versus microamps).

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second receiver utilizes a stepped wake-up sequence based on at least two criteria, and wherein the last criteria before awakening the two-way communications component comprises identifying a wake-up identifier of the data communication device in the wake-up broadcast.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second receiver is part of a wake-up transceiver, the wake-up transceiver further comprising a second transmitter of the data communication device that is configured to transmit a wake-up broadcast for receipt by another wake-up receiver of another data communication device.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network.

23. The method of claim 12 , further comprising using the auxiliary information by the data communication device for facilitating network communications by the two-way communications component.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the auxiliary information comprises network information that is reviewed by the data communication device when determining network paths for communicating with a desired node, whereby network communications are facilitated.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the network information includes the identification of one or more nodes that are within direct communication range of the data communication device.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the network information includes the identification of a gateway node that is within direct communication range of the data communication device.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the network information includes the identification of one or more nodes from which wake-up broadcasts have been received, either directly or indirectly, by the second wake-up receiver.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the network information includes the identification of one or more common designations from which wake-up broadcasts have been received, either directly or indirectly, by the second wake-up receiver.

29. An ad hoc wireless network system, comprising:

(a) an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a plurality of data communication devices as nodes of the network;

(b) wherein each data communication device includes both,

(i) a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and

(ii) a second receiver, wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device, and wherein the second receiver does not activate the two-way communications component from the dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that does not include a wake-up identifier of the data communication device;

(iii) wherein information is provided via each second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component, by transmitting a wake-up broadcast, which the second receiver is capable of receiving, that includes a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information, the auxiliary information including a node identification from which the wake-up broadcast is transmitted;

(c) wherein each data communication device is configured to process auxiliary information of wake-up broadcasts received via its second receiver, irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to its wake-up identifier and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, to ascertain networking information, and to record data representing the ascertained networking information;

(d) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification, in received auxiliary information, of a node from which a wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and

(e) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of a received wake-up broadcast.

30. A data communication device for utilization as a node in an ad hoc wireless network, comprising:

(a) a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter; and

(b) a second receiver, wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device;

(c) wherein information is provided via the second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component, by transmitting a wake-up broadcast, which the second receiver is capable of receiving, that includes a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information, and does not activate the two-way communications component from the dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that does not include a wake-up identifier of the data communication device;

(d) wherein each data communication device is configured to process auxiliary information of wake-up broadcasts received via its second receiver, irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to its wake-up identifier and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, to ascertain networking information, and to record data representing the ascertained networking information;

(e) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification, in received auxiliary information, of a node from which a wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and

(f) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of a received wake-up broadcast.