Method and Apparatus for Adaptive Searching of Distributed Datasets

Abstract

A first communication device comprising memory in which data is stored may receive a request packet from a second communication device, measure received signal strength for the request packet, and determine whether to perform the requested search of the data stored in the memory based on the received signal strength and the power at which the request packet was transmitted. The search request packet may comprise a request to search the data stored in the memory, and a transmit power field that indicates a power at which the request packet was transmitted. The determining may be based on a result of a comparison between the received signal strength and a threshold and/or based on a comparison of a relative power and a threshold. The relative power may be calculated utilizing the received signal strength and the power at which the packet was transmitted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 in a first communication device comprising memory in which data is stored:
 receiving a request packet from a second communication device, wherein said request packet comprises:
 a request to search said data stored in said memory; and 
 a transmit power field that indicates a power at which said request packet was transmitted; 
 
 measuring a received signal strength for said request packet; and 
 determining whether to perform said search of said data stored in said memory based on said received signal strength and said power at which said request packet was transmitted. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining is based on a result of a comparison between said received signal strength and a threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said determining is based on a comparison of a relative power and a threshold; and   said relative power is calculated utilizing said received signal strength and said power at which said packet was transmitted.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said relative power is calculated by subtracting said received signal strength from said power at which said packet was transmitted. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 in said first communication device:
 generating a response packet in response to said request packet wherein said response packet comprises a transmit power field that indicates a power at which said response packet is transmitted; and 
 transmitting said response packet. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said response packet comprises a return data field; and   the contents and/or format of said return data field is determined by a search specification field of said request packet.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 in said first communication device:
 performing said search by comparing a search token to said data stored in said memory; and 
 generating a search score that indicates the number of matches and/or partial matches of said search token found in said data stored in said memory; 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 in said first communication device:
 performing said search by comparing a search token to said data stored in said memory; and 
 generating a search score that indicates the location of matches and/or partial matches of said search token found in said data stored in said memory. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 in said first communication device:
 determining when to transmit a particular response packet based on a search score corresponding to that response packet. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 in said first communication device:
 determining a channel on which to transmit a particular response packet based on a search score corresponding to that response packet. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said data stored in said memory is organized into one or more strings of characters; and   a weighting factor is appended to each of said characters.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said weighting factor for a particular character is determined based on the position of said particular character in said one or more strings. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 in a first communication device:
 transmitting a first search request packet comprising a transmit power field, wherein said transmit power field indicates a power at which said search request packet is transmitted; 
 receiving a plurality of search response packets from a plurality of second communication devices; 
 transmitting a second search request packet comprising a batch acknowledgment field, wherein said batch acknowledgment field acknowledges receipt of said plurality of search response packets from said plurality of second communication devices. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , the method comprising:
 generating a graphical user interface via which a user of the first communication device can manually adjust said power at which said search request packet is transmitted.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first search request packet comprises a search specification field for instructing a data-bearing device on how to format a search response packet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first search request packet comprises a search specification field for instructing a data-bearing device on when to send a search response packet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first search request packet comprises a search specification field for instructing a data-bearing device on what channel to transmit a search response packet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 said search request packet communicates a minimum received power threshold; and   said minimum received power threshold communicates that, if the search request packet is received at a signal strength below the minimum power threshold, the search should not be responded to.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , the method comprising:
 in said first communication device:
 encoding characters of a search token such that a hamming distance between the encoding of any two characters is proportional to the physical distance between the corresponding two keys of a keypad of said first communication device. 
   
     
     
         20 . One or more circuits comprising a memory in which data is stored, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to:
 receive a request packet comprising a request to search said data stored in said memory, and a transmit power field that indicates a power at which said request packet was transmitted;   measure a received signal strength for said request packet; and   determine whether to perform said search of said data stored in said memory based on said received signal strength and said power at which said request packet was transmitted.