Adaptive inter-ranging network

1. A network comprising:

a first local group of first node devices, each of the first node devices within a first geographic area comprising a first processor with programmed instructions to range to other of the first node devices;

a second local group of second node devices within a second geographic area, each of the second node devices comprising a second processor with programmed instructions to range to other of the second node devices; and

a new node device comprising a third processor with programmed instructions to:

make a first determination that a sum of the first local group of first node devices, the second local group of second node devices, and the new node device is greater than a plurality of timeslots associated with the network;

responsive to the first determination:

range to each of the first node devices;

collect ranging data from each of the first node devices;

calculate a plurality of distances based on the ranging data, each of the plurality of distances associated with one of the first node devices; and

send the plurality of distances to each of the second node devices.

2. The network of claim 1 , wherein the third processor has further programmed instructions to receive an indication that the network has changed from standard mode to adaptive mode in response to the first determination.

3. The network of claim 2 , wherein, in response to the network changing from the standard mode to the adaptive mode, the third processor has further programmed instructions to join the first local group, range to the first node devices, collect the ranging data from the first node devices, and send the plurality of distances to the second node devices.

4. The network of claim 1 , wherein the third processor has further programmed instructions to join the first local group responsive to:

the new node device being more proximate to an average of the first node devices than a pre-determined distance; and

the new node device moving at a non-zero velocity below a pre-determined velocity.

5. The network of claim 1 , wherein the third processor has further programmed instructions to determine a plurality of locations based on the plurality of distances, each of the plurality of locations corresponding to one of the first node devices.

6. The network of claim 5 , wherein the new node device has a fixed state indicating that the new node device is stationary or moving at a first velocity below a pre-determined velocity, wherein a dual node device of the first node devices has a mobile state indicating that the dual node device is moving at a second velocity above the pre-determined velocity, wherein a first location of the plurality of locations corresponds to the dual node device, and wherein the first location has a first confidence level associated therewith.

7. The network of claim 6 , wherein the second local group comprises the dual node device, wherein the dual node device comprises a fourth processor having programmed instructions to:

range to each of the second node devices;

collect second ranging data from each of the second node devices;

calculate a plurality of second distances based on the second ranging data, each of the plurality of second distances associated with one of the second node devices; and

determine a plurality of second locations based on the plurality of second distances, each of the plurality of second locations corresponding to one of the second node devices,

wherein each of the plurality of second locations have a second confidence level associated therewith, and wherein the second confidence level is lower than the first confidence level.

8. The network of claim 1 , wherein the first local group of first node devices, the second local group of second node devices, and the new node device are moving devices.

9. The network of claim 1 , wherein the first local group of first node devices includes a second tag node device, wherein the third processor has programmed instructions to range to each of the first node devices at a first timeslot in response to the new node device having a first velocity less than a predetermined velocity during the first timeslot, and wherein the second tag node device has a fourth processor with programmed instructions to range to each of the first node devices at a second timeslot responsive to the second tag node device having a second velocity less than the predetermined velocity during the second timeslot.

10. A method comprising:

making a first determination, by a new node device, that a sum of a first local group of first node devices within a first geographic area, a second local group of second node devices within a second geographic area, and the new node device is greater than a plurality of timeslots associated with a network;

responsive to the first determination:

ranging, by the new node device, to each of the first local group of first node devices within the first geographic area;

collecting, by the new node device, ranging data from each of the first node devices;

calculating, by the new node device, a plurality of distances based on the ranging data, each of the plurality of distances associated with one of the first node devices; and

sending, by the new node device, the plurality of distances to each of the second local group of second node devices within the second geographic area.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the new node device, an indication that the network has changed from standard mode to adaptive mode in response to the first determination.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein joining the first local group, ranging to the first node devices, collecting the ranging data from the first node devices, and sending the plurality of distances to the second node devices are performed in response to receiving the indication that the network changes from the standard mode to the adaptive mode.

13. The method of claim 10 , the method further comprising joining, by the new node device, the first local group responsive to:

the new node device being more proximate to an average of the first node devices than a pre-determined distance; and

the new node device moving at a non-zero velocity below a pre-determined velocity.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises determining, by the new node device, a plurality of locations based on the plurality of distances, each of the plurality of locations corresponding to one of the first node devices.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the new node device has a fixed state indicating that the new node device is stationary or moving at a first velocity below a pre-determined velocity, wherein a dual node device of the first node devices has a mobile state indicating that the dual node device is moving at a second velocity above the pre-determined velocity, wherein a first location of the plurality of locations corresponds to the dual node device, and wherein the first location has a first confidence level associated therewith.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second local group comprises the dual node device, wherein the method further comprises

ranging, by the dual node device, to each of the second node devices;

collecting, by the dual node device, second ranging data from each of the second node devices;

calculating, by the dual node device, a plurality of second distances based on the second ranging data, each of the plurality of second distances associated with one of the second node devices; and

determining, by the dual node device, a plurality of second locations based on the plurality of second distances, each of the plurality of second locations corresponding to one of the second node devices,

wherein each of the plurality of second locations have a second confidence level associated therewith, and wherein the second confidence level is lower than the first confidence level.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first local group of first node devices, the second local group of second node devices, and the new node device are moving devices.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

making a first determination that a sum of a first local group of first node devices within a first geographic area, a second local group of second node devices within a second geographic area, and a new node device is greater than a plurality of timeslots associated with a network;

responsive to the first determination:

ranging to each of the first local group of first node devices within the first geographic area;

collecting ranging data from each of the first node devices;

calculating a plurality of distances based on the ranging data, each of the plurality of distances associated with one of the first node devices; and

sending the plurality of distances to each of the second local group of second node within the second geographic area.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an indication that the network has changed from standard mode to adaptive mode in response to the first determination.

20. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first local group of first node devices, the second local group of second node devices, and the new node device are moving devices.