(12) United States Patent
`Acampora
`
`USOO6751455B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,751,455 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Jun. 15, 2004
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(54) POWER-AND BANDWIDTH-ADAPTIVE IN-
`HOME WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
`SYSTEM WITH POWER-GRID-POWERED
`AGENTS AND BATTERY-POWERED
`CLIENTS
`
`(75) Inventor: Anthony Acampora, La Jolla, CA (US)
`(73) Assignee: The Regents of the University of
`California, Oakland, CA (US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 510 days.
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`WO
`
`sk -
`
`* 4/1999
`WO 99/17477
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`HomeRF Specification HomeRF, Jul. 1, 2002, Revision
`2.01.*
`cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner Dwayne Bost
`ASSistant Examiner Kamran Afshar
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fish & Richardson P.C.
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A radio link management SVStem for a home or office
`y
`9.
`Substantially (i) an ad hoc network of agents wirelessly
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/663,068
`communicating among themselves, while (iii) clients wire
`(22) Filed:
`Sep. 15, 2000
`lessly communicate with proximate agents. Control of the
`network may be centralized as network controller integrated
`Related U.S. Application Data
`"E" O y be distry upon t y t
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/154,615, filed on Sep. 17,
`agentS. Some agent or agentS, Wn1cn may Include an agen
`1997.
`that is also the network controller, typically Serves as a
`7
`gateWay device which connects to a worldwide communi
`(51) Int. Cl. ............................. H04Q 7/20; HO4O 7/24
`(52) U.S. Cl. ................... 455/414.1; ".is 375. cations network external to the home or office, normally by
`fiber or by wire.
`(58) Field of Search .......................... 455/41, 343, 122,
`Each agent is most commonly a Small radio transceiver plus
`455/126,522, 421, 422, 414, 567, 402,
`502, 11.1, 446, 556, 566, 53.1, 448; 370/349,
`logic and power Supply that mounts upon a wall and plugs
`351, 352, 338, 408, 350; 709/248, 203;
`directly into an AC power Socket. Agents wirelessly com
`340/825.31, 825.34; 379/56, 102, 96, 60,
`municate among themselves and with the controller—which
`59; 343/853, 824, 893, 751; 700/12, 20,
`may be centralized or distributed-in a bandwidth-efficient
`275
`mode Since prime power is not an issue. Each client, which
`is most commonly a battery-powered user device, wirelessly
`radio communicates with one or more proximately-located
`References Cited
`agents. Consistent with overall demand for the radio
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`resource, parameters for radio communication are allocated
`ad hoc in a manner which is (a) client-dependent, and which
`4,771,448 A * 9/1988 Koohgoli et al. ........... 455/450
`(b) uses the least power from the battery-powered client. The
`5,361.985. A 11/1994 Rein et al. ................. 236/49.3
`S.E. A : 19 E. al et al .. SE agents establish an ad-hoc network among themselves, with
`5.999,094. A * 12/1999 Nilssen .........
`E; routing among and between the agents being both multi-hop
`6,304,556 B1 * 10
`and “minimum hop” to conserve bandwidth. Accordingly
`2- Y
`-
`/2001 Haas ................
`... 370/254
`6,396.457 B1 * 5/2002 Gatherer et al. .....
`... 343/853
`both power and bandwidth are conserved, each as and where
`6,542,754 B1 * 4/2003 Sayers et al. ........
`455/502
`required and desired.
`2002/0027894 A1
`3/2002 Arrakoski et al. .......... 370/338
`2002/0047774 A1
`4/2002 Christensen et al. ....... 340/3.54
`
`(56)
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`2
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`aaZa C a
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`- - -
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`i
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`20 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
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`1.
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`O A3
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`O A6
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`O : Agent
`: Client
`Client Agent
`C4
`Radio Links
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`Agent Agent
`2.É.iii.
`Land Line
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`Ex. 1010 / Page 1 of 12
`ERICSSON v. UNILOC
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 15, 2004
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`US 6,751,455 B1
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`A3
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`A6
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`Agent-Agent
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`Land Line
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`FIG 2
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`FIG 3
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`Ex. 1010 / Page 2 of 12
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`US 6,751,455 B1
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`1
`POWER-AND BANDWDTH-ADAPTIVE IN
`HOME WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
`SYSTEM WITH POWER-GRID-POWERED
`AGENTS AND BATTERY-POWERED
`CLIENTS
`
`REFERENCE TO A RELATED PATENT
`APPLICATION
`The present patent application is descended from, and
`claims benefit of priority of, U.S. Provisional Patent Appli
`cation Serial No. 60/154,615 filed Sep. 17, 1999, for
`POWER AND BANDWIDTH ADAPTIVE IN-HOME
`WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS WITH
`POWER-GRID-POWERED AGENTS AND BATTERY
`POWERED CLIENTS to the same inventor as the present
`application.
`
`15
`
`2
`A few years ago, the telecommunications and computing
`industries recognized that a truly low-cost, low-power radio
`based cable replacement, or wireleSS link, was feasible. Such
`a ubiquitous link would provide the basis for small portable
`devices to communicate together in an ad-hoc fashion. A
`Study was performed, and a technology code named "Blue
`tooth” began to be defined. The goal was to provide effort
`leSS Service for mobile and busineSS users by means of a
`Small, short range radio-based technology Suitably inte
`grated into production line models of a range of different
`devices.
`Five companies-Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and
`Toshiba-teamed up in May, 1998, to address the rising tide
`of information currently received on mobile computers, cell
`phones and personal digital assistants. The result was the
`Bluetooth wireleSS communications initiative.
`As of October, 1998, some 200 companies including
`3Com, Compaq, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lucent, Motorola,
`NTT DoCoMo, Philips, Samsung, Siemens and Texas
`Instruments have joined the Bluetooth Special Interest
`Group (SIG).
`Bluetooth technology is intended to enable users to con
`nect their mobile computers, digital cellular phones, hand
`held devices, network access points and other mobile
`devices via wireleSS Short-range radio linkS unimpeded by
`line-of-Sight restrictions.
`Eliminating the need for proprietary cables to connect
`devices, Bluetooth technology will increase the ease and
`breadth of wireless connectivity. Users will be able to
`automatically receive e-mail on their notebook computers
`via the digital cellular phones in their pockets, or Synchro
`nize their primary PC with their hand-held computer without
`taking it out of their briefcase.
`The overwhelming interest in Bluetooth technology from
`a wide range of industries demonstrates the growing impor
`tance of wireleSS communication, Said Andrew M. Seybold,
`editor-in-chief, Andrew Seybolds Outlook and keynote
`speaker at the Bluetooth Developers Conference. Mr. Sey
`bold found the Bluetooth SIG to include the right balance of
`industry leaders who can make the vision a reality.
`The Bluetooth specification version 1.0 was publicly
`released on Jul. 26, 1999, and product announcements are
`imminent as of Fall, 1999. Early Bluetooth-enabled products
`are expected to include mobile computers, hand-held PCs,
`digital cellular phones and peripherals Such as printers,
`projectors, PC Cards and hands-free head-sets. Network
`access points will also be available to facilitate access to
`LANs and WANs.
`The core Bluetooth programmed wireleSS transmitter/
`receiver is expected to permit a free flow of data without
`bulky cables. The technology, which ultimately may cost as
`little as S5, is designed to work anywhere, even on airplanes.
`Low power consumption-drawing only 0.3 mA in
`Standby mode-enables maximum performance longevity
`for battery-powered devices. During data transfer the maxi
`mum current drain is 30 mA. However, during pauses, or at
`lower data rates, the drain will be lower.
`2.3 The HomeRF Working Group
`“HomeRF is also each of a consortium, a standard, and
`a (prospective) class of products. AS before, the present
`invention will be seen to be none of these, but only Suscep
`tible of implementation under the Home RF standard.
`Review of HomeRF is useful primarily so as to again show,
`as with Bluetooth, that the wireleSS communications links
`realized by the present invention are readily implemented,
`circa 2000.
`The HomeRF Working Group (HRFWG) was formed to
`provide the foundation for a broad range of inter-operable
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention generally concerns wireleSS
`communication, including in the home or office.
`The present invention particularly concerns power, and
`bandwidth, management in and for wireleSS communica
`tions Systems, most particularly as may be located in the
`home or office.
`The present invention Still more particularly concerns
`power and bandwidth management for wireleSS communi
`cations Systems, especially as are used in the home of office,
`that is adaptive, and tailored to communications conditions.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`2.1 Bluetooth and Home RF: Industry Efforts for Wireless
`Networking
`The present invention will be seen to concern power
`management in and for home and office wireleSS commu
`35
`nications Systems. Before specifically considering power
`management, it is useful to understand just what is the “State
`of the art” in home and office wireleSS communications,
`circa 1999. In this regard, Bluetooth and Home RF are the
`leading international efforts for wireleSS networking.
`Bluetooth (www.bluetooth.com) is an effort by a consor
`tium of companies to design a universal framework that
`offers a way to access information based on a diverse Set of
`devices (e.g. PDA, mobile PCs, phones, pagers) in a
`Seamless, user-friendly and efficient manner. Bluetooth
`envisages a functional and connectivity model based on a
`combination of wireleSS acceSS technologies—each matched
`to different device capabilities and requirements.
`Another group of companies has formed the Home RF
`Working Group or Home RF (www.homerf.org), which has
`created the Shared Wireless Access Protocol (or SWAP).
`The present invention will be seen to be a System and a
`method that can be implemented by use of the Bluetooth, or
`the HomeRF, Standard and protocol, among other Standards
`and protocols. Review of these wireleSS communications
`Standards is useful primarily So as to show that the wireleSS
`communications linkS realized by the present invention are
`neither new nor exotic; circa 2000.
`2.2 Bluetooth
`"Bluetooth' is each of a consortium, a Standard, and a
`(prospective) class of products. The present invention will
`be seen to be none of these: it is a System and a method that
`can be implemented by use of the Bluetooth standard and
`protocol, among other Standards and protocols. Review of
`Bluetooth is useful primarily so as to show that the wireless
`communications linkS realized by the present invention are
`readily implemented, circa 2000.
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`consumer devices by establishing an open industry Specifi
`cation for wireleSS digital communication. The Specification
`is directed to wireless digital communication between PCs
`and consumer electronic devices anywhere in and around the
`home. The HRFWG, which includes the leading companies
`from the personal computer, consumer electronics,
`peripherals, communications, Software, and Semiconductor
`industries, has developed a Specification for wireleSS com
`munications in the home called the Shared Wireless Access
`Protocol (SWAP).
`To date, the high cost and impracticality of adding new
`wires have inhibited the widespread adoption of home
`networking technologies. Wired technologies also do not
`permit users to roam about with portable devices. In
`addition, multiple, incompatible communication Standards
`have previously limited acceptance of wireleSS networks in
`15
`the home. The HRFWG believes that the open SWAP
`specification will break through these barriers by (1)
`enabling inter-operability between many different consumer
`electronic devices available from a large number of
`manufacturers, while (2) providing the flexibility and mobil
`ity of a wireless solution. This flexibility is important to the
`Success of creating a compelling and complete home net
`work Solution.
`Since the formation of the HEFWG was announced in
`March 1998, the total number of member companies has
`risen to more than 90, and continues to expand quickly. The
`inclusion of nearly all the leading consumer electronics
`companies in the working group ensures that consumers will
`benefit from a wide variety of innovative, inter-operable
`devices for use in and around the home.
`2.3.1 Shared Wireless Access Protocol
`The SWAP specification of the HomeRF Working Group
`(HRFWG) defines a new common interface that Supports
`wireleSS Voice and data networking in the home. Represen
`tation from the wide range of member companies, which
`span diverse industries, ensures that the final Specification is
`complete and robust, and that devices envisioned as part of
`the home network are inter-operable. The SWAP specifica
`tion is on target for release at the end of 1998.
`Some examples of what users will be able to do with the
`availability of products that adhere to the SWAP specifica
`tion include:
`Setting up a wireless home network to share voice and
`data between PCs, peripherals, PC-enhanced cordless
`phones, and new devices Such as portable, remote
`display pads;
`accessing the Internet from anywhere in and around the
`home from portable display devices,
`sharing an ISP connection between PCs and other new
`devices,
`sharing files/modems/printers in multi-PC homes,
`intelligently forwarding incoming telephone calls to mul
`tiple cordless handsets, FAX machines and Voice mail
`boxes.
`reviewing incoming voice, FAX and e-mail messages
`from a small PC-enhanced cordless telephone handset;
`activating other home electronic Systems by Simply
`Speaking a command into a PC-enhanced cordless
`handset, and
`enabling multi-player games and/or toys based on PC or
`Internet resources.
`2.4 Issues of Power, and Bandwidth, Utilization Optimiza
`tion in the Home and Office Wireless Communications
`Environment
`The present invention deals with issues, and problems,
`regarding the utilization of both (i) power and (ii) bandwidth
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`in the wireleSS communications environment, particularly in
`the home and/or office. These issues and problems are
`reasonably Sophisticated, and Sometimes Subtle.
`It is, of course, immediately obvious that wireleSS
`communicating, normally radio-communicating, devices
`that are battery-powered should attempt to conserve power
`to (i) maximize the duration(s) of communication
`connectivity, and (ii) minimize the duration, frequency,
`inconvenience and expense of any necessary battery
`recharging and/or replacement. It is less obvious that there
`is a tradeoff between battery power and communications
`bandwidth. LeSS power may be used to realize a given
`Signal-to-noise ratio if more radio communications band
`width is used, and Vice versa.
`Each individual radio-communicating device may nor
`mally acceptably use relatively more radio bandwidth with
`out unduly interfering with other devices-which may also
`desire large communications bandwidths-if the radius of
`communication is relatively shorter. But how can a short
`communication radius invariably be assured? And, if Suffi
`cient power is normally provided for only but a short
`communication distance, how can it be assured that enough
`power will be available should communications need to
`transpire over a longer distance'? And how can it be assured
`that multiple broadband communicating devices will never
`be in conflict?
`Worse, power and/or bandwidth communications alloca
`tions requirements may change (i) over time and (ii) with the
`location(s) of communicating devices. A intrinsically low
`power device, or just a device running low on power, may
`Simply refuse to communicate at a high data rate, or in a
`high-power channel communications code. Such a low
`power device may need a lot of bandwidth to Successfully
`communicate at all. A wireless communications System must
`accommodate the requirements of communicating both to,
`and from, Such a low-power device.
`However, at another time, and/or in another location,
`another device, or even the same device, may have abundant
`power, and may reasonably have a requirement to commu
`nicate at a high rate and/or in channel communications mode
`that is of high overall power and/or a narrow bandwidth (i.e.,
`at a high power per unit bandwidth).
`The present invention will be seen to (i) present a com
`munications System framework that is intrinsically Superior
`for the home and office wireless communications
`environment, and then, this framework being established,
`(ii) show how wireless communications may be dynamically
`adapted and optimized-both in power and bandwidth-to
`the exigencies of the moment, communicating optimally for
`conditions.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention contemplates a new System
`organization, and method, for wirelessly communicating
`within the home or office, and certain new equipments
`needed to realize this new method.
`Major problems associated with wireleSS at-home net
`works include (i) the wide variety of devices and applica
`tions which must be Supported, (ii) cost, (iii) power
`constraints, and (iv) bandwidth constraints. The present
`invention deals with these problems in and by a dual
`Strategy: (i) a Superior home and office communications
`system “framework” is adopted, and then, this “framework”
`being Set in place, (ii) wireless communications upon the
`“framework” is dynamically adapted and optimized in both
`power and bandwidth.
`In the Simplest possible terms, the wireleSS communica
`tion System of (i) Superior design in accordance with the
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`present invention is preferably (ii) operated adaptively,
`realizing Superior wireleSS communication rates and reli
`ability.
`1. A Home and Office Wireless Communication System of
`New Design Uses “Agents”; The “Agents' Make the System
`Operate in Two Tiers, With Optimization of Communication
`The improvement accorded by the present invention to the
`existing “framework” of home and office wireless commu
`nication Systems is this: the present invention adds "agents'.
`In accordance with the present invention, much of the
`communications power requirement for local, home or office,
`wireless communication away from “clients” is moved from
`these “clients' onto a new class of radio-communicating
`networked devices which include intermediaries in the over
`all Scheme of wireleSS communications and are referred
`herein as "agents.” Examples for "clients include, among
`others, functional devices Such as telephones, computers,
`televisions, key pad controllers, burglar alarms, household
`appliances, and hybrids thereof. These abundant, low-cost,
`agents are essentially non-power-limited radio-frequency
`transceivers that plug inconspicuously into otherwise
`unused wall power outlets of the home or business. The
`agents may physically resemble Surge protectors.
`The agents are reasonably capable and “intelligent” to
`Self-organize into communications networks, as will be
`discussed. They are typically more capable than are the
`System clients, which are relegated to wireleSS communi
`cating only with agents along but a few wireleSS linkS.
`Although Some clients, notably including non-portable
`Species of computers and larger televisions, heavy
`appliances, and burglar alarms, are permanently connected
`to the power grid, other battery-powered clients, notably
`including telephones, portable computers and portable
`radioS and televisions, can immediately benefit from the
`present invention's re-partitionment of the “framework” of
`wireleSS communications. This is because the power
`requirements for these clients are sharply reduced: the
`clients need normally wirelessly communicate only to a very
`nearby agent a power-grid-powered wall-plugged radio fre
`quency transceiver that is normally within the same room.
`Certainly, Some clients that are permanently connected to the
`power grid may also be beneficially combined with agents.
`Next, the same re-partitionment simultaneously benefi
`cially conserves local radio frequency bandwidth. A client,
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`especially a battery-powered mobile client, wirelessly com
`municates only with that agent to which it is electrophysi
`cally closest, normally over a distance of but a few meters.
`Very little radio frequency power need be used and, in
`accordance with the present invention, is used. The com
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`munications of other clients with other agents elsewhere in
`the same home or business is non-interfering (by action of
`agent-network-controlled agent-client communication, as
`will be explained).
`The same re-partitionment also has a benevolent, or at
`Worst a neutral, effect on issueS of cost and diversity of
`devices Supported. Basically, the abundantly-produced and
`liberally-sited ubiquitous wall-powered agents (i) eliminate,
`or at least mitigate, Some of the requirements for (a) power,
`and/or for (b) Sophistication in power management, in
`wirelessly-communicating home and/or office client
`devices. Meanwhile, the agents (ii) Simultaneously lessen
`constraints, and/or any required Sophistication, in the use of
`RF bandwidth by these client devices. Therefore, and
`although the agents-the wall-powered RF transceiver
`modules-are reasonably Sophisticated (in accordance with
`existing communications protocols) in Self-organizing into a
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`wireleSS communications network, and are thus estimated to
`cost Some few dollars each, the agents potentially (i) dimin
`ish demands on other home/office wireleSS communications
`System components, while (ii) adding great value to home/
`office wireleSS communications System performance.
`The present invention is of good utility and effect just by
`addition of the agents, without more. However, once the
`agents are inserted into a home or office wireleSS commu
`nications System, the present invention contemplates Still
`further improvements.
`1.2 The Agents are Intelligent, Endowing the Wireless
`Communications Network Upon Which They are Distrib
`uted With “Adaptive Intelligence” as Permits Communica
`tion Optimization
`The agents are not merely radio repeaters. They also
`implement an expandable, open-ended, dynamic, distributed
`radio communications management System.
`The collective agents-the distributed radio communica
`tions management System-a) registers clients (either
`at-home or visiting), b) authenticates visitors, c) maintains a
`link to external networks (e.g., to the PSTN, or the Internet),
`d) Self-organizes a communications mesh e) implementing
`the MAC protocol, f) implements the LLC protocol, g)
`maintains link addresses for all clients and agents, and, most
`importantly, h) adapts the mesh, and the communications
`upon the mesh, to the numbers, powers and instantaneous
`communications requirements of the clients then connected
`on and by the communications mesh.
`Little of this functionality is earthshaking, being that it
`has, by and large, recently come to exist in cellular and other
`mesh communications networks. In the past, however, the
`digital “intelligence' associated with communications Sys
`tem management has been reserved for physically large,
`geographically extensive, communications Systems Such as
`might typically Serve a town or a city. The present invention
`has the “audacity” to bring the most powerful mesh com
`munications methods-developed over decades at immense
`cost but as are now increasingly implemented in application
`Specific integrated circuit chips-directly into the Smallest
`environment: the home or office. Exactly because this envi
`ronment is the “poorest' in every way-in power, in
`bandwidth, and in the confusingly high diversity of low
`Sophistication communicating equipments-it is the very
`environment that can most benefit from the application of
`State-of-the-art Sophisticated distributed communications
`control methodology. This is exactly the present invention
`teaches to do.
`1.3 A Two-Tier Wireless Communications Network
`The agents and clients of the present invention implement
`a “two-tier wireleSS communications System. The invention
`may thus be thought of as a “two-tier” wireless communi
`cations system, and/or to be embodied in a “two-tier”
`wireless communications system. The “two tiers' are tiers of
`a communications hierarchy: in a first communications tier
`the agents communicate with other agents, in a Second
`communications tier the local clients of each agent commu
`nicate with that agent.
`Communications in each of the two tiers may be, and
`preferably is, Separately conducted from communications in
`the other tier-but need not be so separated and divided. For
`example, in one embodiment of the “two-tier wireless
`communications System of the present invention communi
`cations between agents in one tier is at a different radio
`frequency than communication between an agent and its
`asSociated clients otherwise transpiring in the other tier. In
`another embodiment of the “two-tier' wireless communica
`tions System of the present invention communications
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`between agents in one tier transpires during a different time
`Slice than does communication between an agent and its
`asSociated clients otherwise transpiring in the other tier. In
`still yet another embodiment of the “two-tier wireless
`communications System of the present invention communi
`cations between agents in one tier transpires with and at
`different code divisions than does communication between
`an agent and its associated clients in the other tier.
`Although the communication in tiers is preferably So
`Separated and divided in any of frequency, time division or
`code division, the communication need not invariably be So
`divided. Instead, the unique address of each agent and client
`can be relied upon.
`Consider first the agents. When a group of agents is
`initially powered on, or a new agent is introduced to an
`existing group, all the agents will attempt to, and will-in a
`manner and procedure quite normal for wireless
`communications-form an ad hoc (wireless) communica
`tions network. Each agent attempts to communicate with
`every other. Some communications links are enabled; others
`fail. The agents Serve to create ad hoc what can ultimately
`be expressed in a conventional connectivity diagram where,
`by convention, a line is drawn an the diagram between two
`devices that are (radio) communicating. Where no commu
`nication is present, no line is drawn.
`The agents thus form of themselves, and without outside
`intervention or control, a (radio) communications mesh.
`This mesh, this ad hoc communications network, is the
`“backbone” of the two-tier wireless (radio) communications
`network of the present invention. Communication between
`agents may transpire under the IEEE 802.11 standard, or the
`Bluetooth Standard, or any Suitable network radio commu
`nications Standard.
`Consider now the clients. The numerous clients are desir
`ably simpler, and less expensive, than are the agents. The
`clients use less power than do the agents. Attendant upon a
`lack of both (i) Sophistication, and (ii) power, the preferred
`clients are typically not capable, as are the agents, of
`Self-organizing into a communications network. Instead, the
`clients may be and preferably are, by way of example,
`impressed with a Series of fixed addresses at the times when
`they, are built. Upon being powered on, the client will look
`to communicate with each of these fixed addresses in turn,
`and will ultimately end up addressing a local agent. From
`this point forward the client will communicate only with its
`asSociated agent. This communication also may transpire
`under the IEEE 802.11 standard, or the Bluetooth standard,
`or any Suitable network radio communications Standard.
`2. Embodiments of the Present Invention
`Accordingly, the present invention may be considered to
`be embodied in each of (i) a local wireless communications
`System, (ii) a wireless communications System where power
`and/or bandwidth is allocated efficiently, (iii) a wireless
`communications System distributed among and between
`power-grid-powered intelligent "agents' communicatively
`Servicing battery-powered dumb clients, and (iv) a two-tier
`wireleSS communications System.
`2.1 A Local Wireless Communications System
`Therefore, in one of its aspects the present invention may
`be considered to be embodied in a local wireleSS commu
`nications System. A "local wireleSS communications System
`means a System for, most commonly, a home or a business,
`or even a farm or a mall or a School or a business park.
`However, a "local' wireleSS communications System is not
`a System for a neighborhood, nor for a community, nor for
`a city, nor for other, Still larger, areas.
`The system has number of clients, at least one of which
`is powered from a portable power Source. Each client locally
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`wirelessly communicates by radio. Each client performs an
`additional function with, and for, a human user other than
`just radio communication. Indeed, this is the meaning of a
`“client', which is Something that performs a function
`beyond just radio communication. Examples of “clients' are
`radio-communicating telephones, televisions, computers,
`keypad controllers, burglar alarms, and appliances.
`The System further includes a number of communication
`agents. Each agent is powered from a power grid. The agents
`first locally wirelessly radio-communicate between them
`Selves in a local wireleSS radio communications network.
`The agents Second locally wirelessly radio-communicating
`with the plurality of clients.
`An optional communications gateway device, also pow
`ered from the power grid, controls local wireleSS radio
`communication (i) between the agents upon the network and
`(ii) an external worldwide communications network (e.g.,
`the Internet).
`By this organization the agents are each powered from the
`power grid while at least one of the clients-and normally
`many, most or even all clients-is powered from a portable
`power Source. Nonetheless that an individual client may be
`powered by battery power Source, it can radio-communicate
`to at least dome agent. Meanwhile, the Several power-grid
`powered agents communicate via radio linkS among them
`Selves in a communications mesh network. Therefore, at the
`very onset, the System of the present invention Suffices to
`extend battery-powered radio-communication from a
`battery-powered radio-communicating agent to at least Some
`number of power-grid-powered communication agents.
`If the communications System includes the optional com
`munications gateway device, also powered from the power
`grid, that globally communicates to a worldwide communi
`cations network external to the local area of radio
`communication, then this gateway device may be function
`ally Separate from all the plurality of communications
`agents, in which case it locally wirelessly radio
`communicates with at least one agent. Alternatively, this
`communications device may be integrated with a commu
`nications agent, in which case it is powered from the power
`grid identically as is the communications agent.
`The gateway communications device may be of the order
`of a modem, globally communicating via a physical com
`munication channel of a wire or a fiber type. The commu
`nications device may be of the order of a long range radio
`or optical transceiver, globally communicating via an atmo
`Spheric communication channel of the radio of free-space
`optical types.
`In either case, it is clear that a communications path is
`extended all the way from the at least one client that may be,
`and most often is, battery-powered via one or more agents,
`and via the communications gateway device-all of which
`are power-grid-powered-all the way to a global commu
`nications network.
`Since only at least one client needs to be powered from a
`battery power Source, not all clients have to be So battery
`powered and, indeed, Some of the clients may be powered
`from the power grid. In this case-where at least Some
`clients are powered from the power grid-then at least Some
`of these power-grid-powered clients are physically housed
`with Some ones of the agents. The agents are, of course, all
`and always powered from the power grid. This is to Say no
`more than that clients and agents may be combined, with
`Some network-radio-communicating pow