Short range RF network configuration

A method of configuring an RF network, the network comprising a plurality of network nodes for communicating with other nodes, each having a controller unit and a data store, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) storing identifiers of all nodes on the network in a data store accessible to at least one node;
• b) paging from the at least one node other nodes;
• c) detecting other nodes within the coverage area of the at least one node by receiving responses of said detected nodes to paging;
• d) updating information regarding said detected nodes according to the received responses of said detected nodes to paging;
• e) associating said detected nodes with a first value of a dynamic variable, the value of the dynamic variable depending on the placement of each said detected node in the network;
• and
• f) propagating the updated information to said detected nodes in the network.

A self-configuring RF network, the network comprising:

• a plurality of nodes for communicating wirelessly with other nodes of the RF network, wherein at least one of the nodes is selected as a control node, each node including:
• a control logic;
• a data store connected to the control logic;
• at least one transceiver connected to the control logic and identified by a unique address for communicating wirelessly with other nodes of the network;
• a transceiver list database connected to the data store for storing updateable information of all transceivers of the RF network for network configuration;
• and
• a dynamic variable linked to the transceiver list database for indicating position of each node in the RF network relative to the control node.

A node for use in a self-configuring RF network, comprising:

• a backbone transceiver identified by a unique address and associated with a password, for communicating with other nodes of the network;
• and
• control logic configured to detect when the backbone transceiver receives a paging message directed to its unique address, and in response, to direct that:
• a password received in the paging message be verified as the password associated with the backbone transceiver;
• a node transceiver list received in the paging message, containing addresses and passwords of other nodes in the network, be received and stored;
• a value “n” of a dynamic variable received in the paging message be received and stored;
• and
• the node becomes unresponsive to further paging messages.

A self-configuring RF network, the network comprising:

• a plurality of nodes for communicating wirelessly with other nodes of the RF network, wherein at least one of the nodes is selected as a control node, each node including:
• a control logic;
• a data store connected to the control logic;
• at least one transceiver connected to the control logic identified by a unique address for communicating wirelessly with other nodes of the network either directly or through one or more relay nodes;
• and
• software means operative on the control logic for:
• maintaining in the data store a transceiver list database containing updateable information of all transceivers of the RF network for network configuration;
• indicating, with a dynamic variable linked to the transceiver list database, position of each node in the RF network in relation to the control node;
• periodically communicating wirelessly among the nodes of the RF network for exchanging updated configuration information and dynamic variable information;
• and
• updating current network configuration information and dynamic variable information within the data store.

A method of configuring an RF network, the method comprising the steps of:

• electronically maintaining, for network configuration, a transceiver list database containing updateable information regarding all transceivers of the RF network;
• indicating position of each node in RF network in relation to a control node with a dynamic variable linked to the transceiver list database;
• periodically communicating wirelessly between nodes of the RF network for exchanging updated configuration information and dynamic variable information;
• and
• updating current network configuration information and dynamic variable information within the transceiver list database.