System for mobile broadband networking using dynamic quality of service provisioning

Abstract

A wireless networking system uses mobile and fixed transceivers to achieve a network with changing topology. A routing process includes quality-of-service considerations in the network to allow for features such as file or other data transfer, streaming audio and video, digital telephone communications, etc. The routing process adapts to transceiver units entering, leaving, or moving within, the network. Auxiliary networks such as the Internet, campus or corporate intranets, home networks, etc., can be accessed through the wireless network. Features, designs and user interfaces for the units are described. Security and access control of media content and other data is presented.

1 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . A wireless communication network comprising: 
 a plurality of mobile radio units (MRUs); and    a plurality of fixed radio units (FRUs) interconnected with one another by wireless communication, each FRU having an associated coverage area, wherein each FRU is capable of communicating with other FRUs located within its associated coverage area and each FRU is further capable of communicating with one or more MRUs located within its associated coverage area, and wherein each FRU is configured to collect routing information relating to other FRUs located within its associated coverage area;    wherein when a source MRU is directed to establish communication with a destination FRU and the source MRU is located outside of the coverage area associated with the destination FRU, a communication route is established using one or more intermediary units including one or more FRUs to allow the source MRU to communicate with the destination FRU through the one or more intermediary units.    
   
   
       32 . The wireless communication network of claim  22  further comprising: 
 an additional FRU that is to be interconnected to the plurality of FRUs, the additional FRU having an associated coverage area;    wherein in order to interconnect to the plurality of FRUs, the additional FRU collects routing information relating to other FRUs that are located in its associated coverage area, generates its own identification information and broadcasts the generated identification information to other FRUs that are located in its associated coverage area; and    wherein once interconnected, the additional FRU is available for use as one of the one or more intermediary units that are part of the communication route, if needed.    
   
   
       33 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein during a communication session between the source MRU and the destination FRU, one or more of the intermediary units that are part of the communication route are replaced in order to keep the communication route optimized.  
   
   
       34 . The wireless communication network of  claim 33  wherein one or more of the intermediary units are replaced based on one or more conditions.  
   
   
       35 . The wireless communication network of  claim 34  wherein the one or more conditions include level of traffic load.  
   
   
       36 . The wireless communication network of  claim 34  wherein the one or more conditions include transmission quality.  
   
   
       37 . The wireless communication network of  claim 34  wherein the one or more conditions include level or quality of service.  
   
   
       38 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein the one or more intermediary units include one or more MRUs.  
   
   
       39 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein the destination FRU includes closed domain information that is only accessible to the source MRU; and 
 wherein a secure token having security information stored thereon is used to authenticate the source MRU to the destination FRU in order to allow the source MRU to access the closed domain information.    
   
   
       40 . The wireless communication network of  claim 39  wherein the secure token includes one of a smartcard, a subscriber identity module card and an authentication device.  
   
   
       41 . The wireless communication network of  claim 39  wherein the authentication of the source MRU is location dependent.  
   
   
       42 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein the destination FRU includes one or more fixed connections each configured to allow the source MRU to communicate with an entity.  
   
   
       43 . The wireless communication network of  claim 42  wherein the entity includes one of a storage device, an application, a wireless network and a fixed network.  
   
   
       44 . The wireless communication network of  claim 43  wherein, the storage device includes one of a hard drive and a DVD drive.  
   
   
       45 . The wireless communication network of  claim 43  wherein the application includes one of a gaming application and an utility application.  
   
   
       46 . The wireless communication network of  claim 43  wherein the fixed network includes one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network and the Internet.  
   
   
       47 . The wireless communication network of  claim 43  wherein the wireless network includes one of a wireless local area network, a public land mobile network and a cellular network.  
   
   
       48 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein the communication route is optimized to include the lowest number of intermediary units or one or more intermediary units that are equal to or fewer than a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       49 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein one or more intermediary units use the routing information collected relating to other FRUs to determine how to forward traffic along the communication route.  
   
   
       50 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein the one or more intermediary units for the communication route are selected based on one or more conditions.  
   
   
       51 . The wireless communication network of  claim 50  wherein a first intermediary unit is included in the communication route based on a first condition; 
 wherein a second intermediary unit is included in the communication route based on a second condition; and    wherein the first condition is different from the second condition.    
   
   
       52 . The wireless communication network of  claim 50  wherein the one or more conditions include level of traffic load associated with one or more intermediary units.  
   
   
       53 . The wireless communication network of  claim 50  wherein the one or more conditions include transmission quality associated with one or more intermediary units.  
   
   
       54 . The wireless communication network of  claim 50  wherein the one or more conditions include level or quality of service to be used for communication between the source MRU and the destination FRU.  
   
   
       55 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein traffic in the network is routed in a peer-to-peer decentralized fashion.  
   
   
       56 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein traffic in the network is routed in a secure end-to-end manner.  
   
   
       57 . The wireless communication network of  claim 31  wherein traffic routed by a first intermediary unit is encrypted and traffic routed by a second intermediary unit is unencrypted.  
   
   
       58 . A method for managing a wireless communication network having a plurality of mobile radio units (MRUs) and a plurality of fixed radio units (FRUs) interconnected with one another by wireless communication, each FRU having an associated coverage area, wherein each FRU is capable of communicating with other FRUs located within its associated coverage area and each FRU is further capable of communicating with one or more MRUs located within its associated coverage area, and wherein each FRU is configured to collect routing information relating to other FRUs located within its associated coverage area, the method comprising: 
 receiving an indication directing a source MRU to establish communication with a destination FRU, wherein the source MRU is located outside the coverage area associated with the destination FRU; and    establishing a communication route using one or more intermediary units including one or more FRUs to allow the source MRU to communicate with the destination FRU through the one or more intermediary units.    
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising: adding an additional FRU to be interconnected to the plurality of FRUs, the additional FRU having an associated coverage area.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59  wherein adding the additional FRU further comprises: 
 directing the additional FRU to collect routing information relating to other FRUs that are located in its associated coverage area.    
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein adding the additional FRU further comprises: 
 directing the additional FRU to generate its own identification information; and    broadcasting the generated identification information to other FRUs that are located in its associated coverage area;    wherein once interconnected, the additional FRU is available for use as one of the one or more intermediary units that are part of the communication route, if needed.    
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 during a communication session between the source MRU and the destination FRU, replacing one or more of the intermediary units that are part of the communication route in order to keep the communication route optimized.    
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62  wherein one or more of the intermediary units are replaced based on one or more conditions.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the one or more conditions include level of traffic load.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the one or more conditions include transmission quality.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the one or more conditions include level or quality of service.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the one or more intermediary units include one or more MRUs.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the destination FRU includes closed domain information that is only accessible to the source MRU; and 
 wherein a secure token having security information stored thereon is used to authenticate the source MRU to the destination FRU in order to allow the source MRU to access the closed domain information.    
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the secure token includes one of a smartcard, a subscriber identity module card and an authentication device.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the authentication of the source MRU is location dependent.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the destination FRU includes one or more fixed connections each configured to allow the source MRU to communicate with an entity.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the entity includes one of a storage device, an application, a wireless network and a fixed network.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 72  wherein the storage device includes one of a hard drive and a DVD drive.  
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the application includes one of a gaming application and an utility application.  
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the fixed network includes one of a public switched telephone network, an integrated services digital network and the Internet.  
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the wireless network includes one of a wireless local area network, a public land mobile network and a cellular network.  
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the communication route is optimized to include the lowest number of intermediary units or one or more intermediate units that are equal to or fewer than a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 58  wherein one or more intermediary units use the routing information collected relating to other FRUs to determine how to forward traffic along the communication route.  
   
   
       79 . The method of  claim 58  wherein one or more intermediary units use routing information collected relating to other MRUs to determine how to forward traffic along the communication route.  
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 58  wherein one or more intermediary units use the routing information collected relating to other FRUs and MRUs to determine how to forward traffic along the communication route.  
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the one or more intermediary units for the communication route are selected based on one or more conditions.  
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 81  wherein a first intermediary unit is selected based on a first condition; 
 wherein a second intermediary unit is selected based on a second condition; and    wherein the first condition is different from the second condition.    
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 81  wherein the one or more conditions include level of traffic load associated with one or more intermediary units.  
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 81  wherein the one or more conditions include transmission quality associated with one or more intermediary units.  
   
   
       85 . The method of  claim 81  wherein the one or more conditions include level or quality of service to be used for communication between the source MRU and the destination FRU.  
   
   
       86 . The method of  claim 58  wherein traffic is routed along the communication route in a peer-to-peer decentralized fashion.  
   
   
       87 . The method of  claim 58  wherein traffic is routed along the communication route in a secure end-to-end manner.  
   
   
       88 . The method of  claim 58  wherein traffic routed by a first intermediary unit is encrypted and traffic routed by a second intermediary unit is unencrypted.