Exchange of Information in a Communication Network

A method of transferring at least a first information entity from a first node to a second node, and a second information entity from the first node to a third node, and wherein the first node comprises the first and second information entities, the second node comprises the second information entity, and the third node comprises the first information entity, the method comprising:

• forming an ad hoc network including at least the first, second, and third nodes;
• receiving, at the first node, first identification data identifying one or more information entities stored in a memory associated with the second node, and second identification data identifying one or more information entities stored in a memory associated with the third node;
• using the first and second identification data to identify, at the first node, the first and second information entities;
• jointly encoding, at the first node, at least the first information entity and the second information entity to generate a composite information entity that can be decoded using at least one of the first information entity and the second information entity;
• and
• transmitting, from the first node, a composite message comprising the composite information entity.

A method of acquiring information in a node in an ad hoc network, wherein the node comprises a priori information including at least one information entity, the method comprising:

• transmitting identification data identifying information entities stored in a memory associated with the node;
• receiving a composite message comprising a composite information entity formed by jointly encoding at least two information entities and identity information identifying the information entities that were used to form the composite information entity;
• checking the identity information to determine whether at least one information entity stored in the memory associated with the node comprises information sufficient to decode the composite information entity;
• and
• if the at least one information entity comprises sufficient information, decoding the composite information entity using the a priori information.

A computer readable medium having program code stored thereon for controlling the transfer of information from a first node comprising first and second information entities, the program code configured to control a computing device executing the program code to:

• send and receive signaling messages associated with forming an ad hoc network including at least the first node, a second node, and third node;
• receive first identification data that identifies one or more information entities stored in a memory associated with the second node, and second identification data identifying one or more information entities stored in connection with the third node;
• use the first and second identification data in identifying the first and second information entities;
• jointly encode at least the first information entity and the second information entity into a composite information entity such that the composite information entity can be decoded using at least one of the first information entity and the second information entity;
• and
• transmit, from the first node, a composite message comprising the composite information entity.

A portable node capable of forming an ad hoc network with other nodes, the portable node comprising:

• a first memory configured to store information entities;
• an input configured to receive first identification data identifying one or more information entities stored in a memory associated with a second node and second identification data identifying information entities stored in a memory associated with a third node;
• a second memory configured to store internal identification data identifying information entities stored in the first memory;
• a comparator configured to compare the internal identification data with the first and second identification data to identify a first information entity associated with both the first and second node and stored in the first memory, and a second information entity associated with both the first and third node and stored in the first memory;
• an encoder configured to jointly encode at least the first information entity and the second information entity stored in the first memory to form a composite information entity that can be decoded using at least one of the first information entity and the second information entity;
• and
• an output, coupled to the encoder, configured to output a composite message including the composite information entity.