System and method for efficiently routing information

Abstract

A hierarchical communication system is described in which two wireless local area networks exhibiting substantially different characteristics are employed to link inherently portable or mobile computer devices. A series of radio base stations make up a infrastructure network. The infrastructure network and at least one portable computer device make up the first local area network. The communication on the first local area network is accomplished by spread spectrum frequency hopping communication A second local area network allows for radio communication between a portable computer device and peripheral devices with built-in transceivers utilized by the portable computer device. The communication in each local area network is controlled by a reservation access communication protocol. The communication protocol facilitates frequency hopping synchronization and supports adaptive data rate selection based upon the quality of communication on the communication channel. The communication protocol prevents interference between communication on the first local area network and communication on the second local area network. In a premises LAN, a series of radio base stations and a backbone LAN make up an infrastructure network. The infrastructure network and at least one mobile computing device make up a higher-power LAN, utilizing a frequency hopping protocol. A lower-power LAN allows for radio communication between a mobile computing device and peripheral devices, utilizing a single-frequency spread spectrum protocol. A vehicular LAN provides for short-range communication between a vehicle terminal and a portable terminal. When out of direct RF range of the premises LAN, the vehicle terminal maintains indirect communication when necessary with the premises LAN via one of several alternate RF channels. A microprocessor, located inside radio units which participate in multiple LAN's, selects the appropriate protocol, frequency band and power level for communicating through the network.

1 - 60 . (canceled) 
   
   
       61 . A communication system for distributing data comprising:
 an access device operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal accessing the communication system through said access device, said access device being associated with a routing table that subdivides routing information according to the type of data to be routed; and   said access device operative to form a wired network comprising a plurality of network devices and operative to be in communication with at least one of the plurality of network devices, wherein bandwidth on the wired network is allocated according to the type of data to be routed.   
   
   
       62 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein the data is voice data. 
   
   
       63 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to route voice data to a computer. 
   
   
       64 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to route voice data between a terminal and a computer. 
   
   
       65 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to route voice data between a portable computer terminal and a computer. 
   
   
       66 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein the data is video data. 
   
   
       67 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly. 
   
   
       68 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly through a cellular telecommunication link. 
   
   
       69 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly through a telecommunication link. 
   
   
       70 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to communicate data routing options for a particular type of data to the at least one terminal. 
   
   
       71 . The communication system of  claim 69 , wherein said access device is further operative to communicate data over a data routing option specified by the at least one terminal. 
   
   
       72 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to request a voice link with a computer. 
   
   
       73 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein dedicated bandwidth is allocated for real-time voice communication. 
   
   
       74 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link having particular characteristics. 
   
   
       75 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a real-time voice communication link. 
   
   
       76 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a priority level. 
   
   
       77 . The communication system of  claim 61 , wherein said access device is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a cost consideration. 
   
   
       78 . A communication system for distributing data comprising:
 a plurality of access devices, each access device operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal accessing the communication system through the access device, each access device is associated with a routing table that subdivides routing information according to the type of data to be routed; and   a plurality of computers, the access devices and computers forming a wired network, each computer in communication with at least one other computer, each access device in communication with at least one computer, wherein bandwidth on the wired network is allocated according to the type of data to be routed.   
   
   
       79 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein the data is voice data. 
   
   
       80 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to route voice data to at least one of said computers. 
   
   
       81 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to route voice data between the at least one terminal and at least one of said computers. 
   
   
       82 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to route voice data between a portable computer terminal and at least one of said computers. 
   
   
       83 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein the data is video data. 
   
   
       84 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly. 
   
   
       85 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly through a cellular telecommunication link. 
   
   
       86 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly through a telecommunication link. 
   
   
       87 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to communicate data routing options for a particular type of data to the at least one terminal. 
   
   
       88 . The communication system of  claim 87 , wherein the at least one of said access devices is further operative to communicate data over a data routing option specified by the at least one terminal. 
   
   
       89 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to request a voice link with a computer. 
   
   
       90 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein dedicated bandwidth is allocated for real-time voice communication. 
   
   
       91 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a real-time voice communication link. 
   
   
       92 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a priority level. 
   
   
       93 . The communication system of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of said access devices is operative to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a cost consideration. 
   
   
       94 . A communication system for distributing data comprising:
 an access device, wherein said access device comprises:
 a memory readable by a processor, wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access point to, at least:
 transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal accessing the communication system through said access device, said access device being associated with a routing table that subdivides routing information according to the type of data to be routed; and 
 form a wired network comprising a plurality of network devices and communicate with at least one of the plurality of network devices, wherein bandwidth on the wired network is allocated according to the type of data to be routed. 
 
   
   
   
       95 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein the data is voice data. 
   
   
       96 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to route voice data to a computer. 
   
   
       97 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to route voice data between a terminal and a computer. 
   
   
       98 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to route voice data between a portable computer terminal and a computer. 
   
   
       99 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein the data is video data. 
   
   
       100 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly. 
   
   
       101 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly through a cellular telecommunication link. 
   
   
       102 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to transmit data to and receive data from at least one terminal wirelessly through a telecommunication link. 
   
   
       103 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to communicate data routing options for a particular type of data to the at least one terminal. 
   
   
       104 . The communication system of  claim 103 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to communicate data over a data routing option specified by the at least one terminal. 
   
   
       105 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to request a voice link with a computer. 
   
   
       106 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein dedicated bandwidth is allocated for real-time voice communication. 
   
   
       107 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to receive and process a request for a communication link having particular characteristics. 
   
   
       108 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a real-time voice communication link. 
   
   
       109 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a priority level. 
   
   
       110 . The communication system of  claim 94 , wherein said memory comprises instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said access device to receive and process a request for a communication link specifying a cost consideration.