Information dissemination in a multi-technology communication network

1. A method for information dissemination in a multi-technology communication network wherein network nodes are equipped with a first communication device for operating via a long range communication network and with a second communication device for performing short-range communication, the method comprising:

performing, by a central entity, the steps of:

determining coverage areas of the network nodes,

establishing dissimilarity relations between the network nodes with respect to the coverage areas of the network nodes such that a dissimilarity relation index value is larger for two network nodes covering less similar coverage areas, and

selecting, subject to configurable constraints, network nodes with a highest dissimilarity relation index value as mobile infrastructure nodes that are intended to act as relay and/or forwarder nodes for supporting optimal information penetration in a given destination dissemination area.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coverage areas of the network nodes are determined by the central entity processing information reported by the network nodes.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein network nodes selected as mobile infrastructure nodes that are intended to act as relay nodes propagate information through the use of cellular communication and/or short-range communication.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein network nodes selected as mobile infrastructure nodes that are intended to act as forwarder nodes further propagate information locally through the use of vehicle-to-vehicle short-range communication.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the central entity creates forwarding decisions and transmits them to the selected relay and/or forwarder nodes.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network nodes selected as mobile infrastructure nodes that are intended to act as relay and/or forwarder nodes execute forwarding decisions received from the central entity.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network nodes selected mobile infrastructure nodes that are intended to act as relay and/or forwarder nodes adapt forwarding decisions received from the central entity based on local and/or current network conditions.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the constraints are specified with respect to an application to which information to be disseminated relates, a current load and/or congestion situation, an available bandwidth, and/or mobility patterns of the network nodes.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the constraints are specified with respect to quality of service requirements to be fulfilled by the central entity, wherein the quality of service requirements include latency and/or packet loss.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein all existing constraints are aggregated at the central entity.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the central entity receives service requests for information dissemination from a service provider or from one of the network nodes.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the destination dissemination area is divided into a number of sub-areas.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the dividing is performed such that the number of reports from the network nodes in each sub-area surpasses a predefined statistical relevance level.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the determining coverage areas of the network nodes is performed independently for the sub-areas.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the establishing dissimilarity relations between the network nodes is performed based on coverage of the sub-areas.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein, subject to configurable constraints, a network node that covers a maximum number of sub-areas in either a single or in multiple iterations is selected as a mobile infrastructure node to act as a first relay node within the information dissemination process.

17. A system for multi-technology information dissemination in a communication network, the system comprising:

a number of network nodes being equipped with a first communication device for operating via a long range communication network and with a second communication device for performing short-range communication, and

a central entity being configured to:

determine coverage areas of the network nodes,

establish dissimilarity relations between the network nodes with respect to the coverage areas of the network nodes such that a dissimilarity relation index value is larger for two network nodes covering less similar coverage areas, and

select, subject to configurable constraints, nodes with a highest dissimilarity relation index value as mobile infrastructure nodes that are intended to act as relay and/or forwarder nodes for supporting optimal information penetration in a given destination dissemination area.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the short-range communication includes communication via wireless local area network (WLAN) channels using ITS-G5 technology.

19. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the central entity comprises at least one interface to service providers for receiving information dissemination service requests.

20. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the central entity is connected to infrastructure supporting the short-range communication and to base stations of the cellular network.