System and method for management of a dynamic network using wireless communication devices

摘要

A short-range wireless communication network may be established by direct communication between two or more wireless communication devices. A conventional cellular telephone includes an integrated short-range transceiver. The short-range transceivers of multiple wireless communication devices can be coupled together to form a short-range communication network without utilizing any wireless communication network supported by wireless service providers. The short-range communication network may be extended as additional devices come within range or consolidated as wireless communication devices leave the communication range. The short-range communication network is built upon the proximity of wireless communication devices with each other. Data is disseminated between the wireless communication devices using a data message synchronization process. Messages may also be carried from one wireless network to another as the communication devices are carried by individuals.

主权项

1. A method for network management of wireless communication devices using an application program interface (API) operating as part of the operating system of the respective wireless communication devices, comprising:
in a first wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages, monitoring a predetermined radio frequency channel with a receiver to detect a beacon signal, having a predetermined beacon identifier, from a second wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages; if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is detected, the API using a transmitter and the receiver in the first wireless communication device to automatically establish a first communication link between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to thereby form a first wireless group; upon formation of the first wireless group, transmitting the stored messages from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device and receiving the stored message data from the second wireless communication device such that the message storage areas of the first and second wireless communication devices are synchronized; in a third wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages, monitoring the predetermined radio frequency channel with a receiver to detect the beacon signal having a predetermined beacon identifier from the second wireless communication device; if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is detected, the API using a transmitter and the receiver in the third wireless communication device to automatically establish a second communication link between the third wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to thereby add the third wireless communication device to the first wireless group; upon the addition of the third wireless communication device to the first wireless group, transmitting stored messages from the third wireless communication device to other wireless communication devices in the first wireless group and receiving message data from other wireless communication devices in the first wireless group such that the message storage areas of the first, second, and third wireless communication devices, respectively, are synchronized; if the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier is not detected, using the transmitter in the first wireless communication device to transmit the beacon signal having the predetermined beacon identifier; using the receiver to receive a signal from a fourth wireless communication device having a message storage area containing one or more stored messages, that has detected the beacon signal transmitted from the first wireless communication device; using the transmitter and receiver in the first wireless communication device to establish a third communication link between the first wireless communication device and the fourth wireless communication device to there by form a second wireless group; and upon formation of the second wireless group, transmitting the stored messages from the first wireless communication device to the fourth wireless communication device and receiving the stored messages from the fourth wireless communication device such that the message storage areas of the first and fourth wireless communication devices are synchronized.