US 6,553,218 B1 · Distributed wireless online access system

Abstract

A distributed wireless online access system comprises a plurality of primary wireless units forming primary wireless communications network, and a plurality of secondary wireless units. Each primary wireless unit may comprise a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a programmed processor for routing data packets received by the primary wireless unit for re-transmission to another primary wireless unit or to a secondary wireless unit. Each secondary wireless unit may comprise a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a programmed processor for processing received data packets and for generating transmitted data packets. A portal unit may provide a connection or link between the primary wireless network and an external communications system (such as the Internet), thereby providing access to the external communications network to all primary and secondary wireless units. Data packets may be generated by an originating secondary wireless unit, transmitted to a primary wireless unit, routed and re-transmitted through a succession of other primary wireless units, and ultimately received by a destination unit (either a destination secondary wireless unit or a portal unit/external communications system). A data packet may follow one of several alternative network paths through the primary network connecting the originating point and the destination point, thereby enabling the system to route data packets around unavailable primary units, slower portions of the primary network, and so on. An wireless online access provider may collect access fees from subscribers having primary or secondary wireless units, and may pay provider revenue out to subscribers having primary wireless units to encourage growth of the wireless network. One or more primary wireless units may be mobile, resulting in a transient primary wireless network having a dynamically varying network topology.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A distributed wireless-online access system, comprising:

a plurality of primary wireless units;
a plurality of secondary wireless units;
and
a billing unit operated by an online access provider,
wherein:
each primary wireless unit comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for routing a received in-transit data packet for transmission to another of the plurality of primary wireless units;
at least one primary wireless unit further comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for routing a received in-transit data packet for transmission to one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
each secondary wireless unit comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for processing the data packet received by the secondary wireless unit and for generating the data packet transmitted by the secondary wireless unit;
and
the billing unit comprises a programmed processor for calculating at least one of i) an access fee amount to be charged, by the online access provider, to a respective primary subscriber for each of the plurality of primary wireless units, ii) an access fee amount to be charged, by the online access provider, to a respective secondary subscriber for each of the plurality of secondary wireless units, and iii) an access provider revenue amount to be credited, by the online access provider, to the respective primary subscriber for each of the plurality of primary wireless units.

16 more elements

A distribution wireless online access system, comprising:

a plurality of primary wireless units;
and
a plurality of secondary wireless units,
wherein:
each primary wireless unit comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for routing a received in-transit data packet for transmission to another of the plurality of primary wireless units;
at least one primary wireless unit further comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for routing a received in-transit data packet for transmission to one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
each secondary wireless unit comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for processing the data packet received by the secondary wireless unit and for generating the data packet transmitted by the secondary wireless unit;
at least one wireless unit among the plurality of primary wireless units and the plurality of secondary wireless units may be a mobile wireless unit;
each primary wireless unit lies within a maximum transmission range of at least one other primary wireless unit, and at least one other primary wireless unit lies within the maximum transmission range of each primary wireless unit, thereby enabling the plurality of primary wireless units to form a primary wireless network linking each primary wireless unit to each of the other primary wireless units;
each secondary wireless unit lies within the transmission range of at least one primary wireless unit, and at least one primary wireless unit lies within the transmission range of each secondary wireless unit, thereby linking each secondary wireless unit to the primary wireless network;
and
a mobile primary wireless unit may move beyond the maximum transmission range of a first other primary wireless unit and move into the maximum transmission range of a second other primary wireless unit, thereby changing a topology of links between primary wireless units of the primary wireless network.

18 more elements

A method for using a distributed wireless online access system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, through a wireless transmitter of one of a plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet to at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units;
transmitting, through a wireless transmitter of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet to at least one of a plurality of secondary wireless units;
receiving, through a wireless receiver of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet transmitted from at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units;
receiving, through a wireless receiver of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
receiving, through a wireless receiver of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units;
transmitting, though a wireless transmitter of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet to at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units;
routing, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a received in-transit data packet for transmission to another of the plurality of primary wireless units;
routing, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a received in-transit data packet for transmission to one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
processing, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet received by the secondary wireless unit;
generating, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet transmitted by the secondary wireless unit;
and
calculating, with a programmed processor of a billing unit, at least one of i) an access fee amount to be charged, by an online access provider, to a respective primary subscriber for each of the plurality of primary wireless units, ii) an access fee amount to be charged, by the online access provider, to a respective secondary subscriber for each of the plurality of secondary wireless units, and iii) an access provider revenue amount to be credited, by the online access provider, to the respective primary subscriber for each of the plurality of primary wireless units.

9 more elements

A method for using a distributed wireless online access system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, through a wireless transmitter of one of a plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet to at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units;
transmitting, through a wireless transmitter of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet to at least one of a plurality of secondary wireless units;
receiving, through a wireless receiver of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet transmitted from at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units;
receiving, through a wireless receiver of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
receiving, through a wireless receiver of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units;
transmitting, though a wireless transmitter of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet to at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units;
routing, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a received in-transit data packet for transmission to another of the plurality of primary wireless units;
routing, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of primary wireless units, a received in-transit data packet for transmission to one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
processing, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet received by the secondary wireless unit;
and
generating, with a programmed processing unit of one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, a data packet transmitted by the secondary wireless unit,
wherein:
at least one wireless unit among the plurality of primary wireless units and the plurality of secondary wireless units may be a mobile wireless unit;
each primary wireless unit lies within a maximum transmission range of at least one other primary wireless unit, and at least one other primary wireless unit lies within the maximum transmission range of each primary wireless unit, thereby enabling the plurality of primary wireless units to form a primary wireless network linking each primary wireless unit to each of the other primary wireless units;
each secondary wireless unit lies within the transmission range of at least one primary wireless unit, and at least one primary wireless unit lies within the transmission range of each secondary wireless unit, thereby linking each secondary wireless unit to the primary wireless network;
and
a mobile primary wireless unit may move beyond the maximum transmission range of a first other primary wireless unit and move into the maximum transmission range of a second other primary wireless unit, thereby changing a topology of links between primary wireless units of the primary wireless network.

14 more elements

A method for providing a distributed wireless online access system to a plurality of subscribers, comprising the steps of:

providing each of a plurality of primary subscribers with one of a plurality of primary wireless units;
providing each of a plurality of secondary subscribers with one of a plurality of secondary wireless units;
collecting from each primary subscriber a primary access fee;
collecting from each secondary subscriber a secondary access fee;
and
crediting to each primary subscriber an access provider revenue amount,
wherein:
each primary wireless unit comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one other of the plurality of primary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for routing a received in-transit data packet for transmission to another of the plurality of primary wireless units;
at least one primary wireless unit further comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one of the plurality of secondary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for routing a received in-transit data packet for transmission to one of the plurality of secondary wireless units;
each secondary wireless unit comprises
a wireless receiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units,
a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to at least one of the plurality of primary wireless units, and
a processing unit programmed for processing the data packet received by the secondary wireless unit and for generating the data packet transmitted by the secondary wireless unit.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Distributed wireless online access system

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Distributed wireless online access system

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Abstract

Claims40