Wireless communication system and method for facilitating wireless communication

Abstract

In a system and method for facilitating wireless communication between agents in a wireless network, each agent is equipped with an agent's device using a main wireless infrastructure and a separate auxiliary wireless infrastructure. Initial contact between any first agent's device and any other agent's device is made within the auxiliary wireless infrastructure, whereas, once this initial contact has been established, all ensuing communications between the first agent's device and the other agent's device take place within the main wireless infrastructure.

1 . A method for facilitating wireless communication between agents in a wireless network, wherein each agent is equipped with an agent's device using a main wireless infrastructure and a separate auxiliary wireless infrastructure which is distinct from the main wireless infrastructure, and wherein initial contact between any first agent's device and any other agent's device is made within the auxiliary wireless infrastructure said initial contact made on the auxiliary wireless infrastructure comprising negotiating configuration settings for communicating within the main wireless infrastructure, whereas, once this initial contact has been established, all ensuing communications between said first agent's device and said any other agent's device take place within the main wireless infrastructure. 
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the main wireless infrastructure does not pre-exist before said initial contact and said initial contact made on the auxiliary wireless infrastructure includes the step of exchanging information to set up an ad-hoc wireless network between said first agent's device and said other agent's device. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the main wireless infrastructure is pre-existent to said initial contact and said other agent's device has already been recognized by said main wireless infrastructure before said initial contact. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said auxiliary wireless infrastructure uses a short-range device, said initial contact is established between said first agent's device and said at least one access point device and, once said first agent's device has been localized by said at least one access point device, communication is established between said first agent's device and other agent's devices over the main wireless infrastructure which comprises a pervasive wireless local area network (WLAN). 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said auxiliary wireless infrastructure uses a line-of-sight transmission for exchanging basic identification information between a first agent's device and another agent's device during said initial contact, and further communication between said first agent's device and said other agent's device is achieved over a main wireless infrastructure comprising a wireless local area ad-hoc network. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein said configuration settings configured during the initial contact comprises at least Service Set Identifier (SSID), channel and Internet Protocol (IP) address. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein said configuration settings further comprise a wired equivalent privacy (WEP) key. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said first agent's device having been put into communication with a first other agent's device within the main wireless infrastructure is allowed to hierarchically discover, in cascading series of discoveries, other agent's devices based on acquaintances already known to said first other agent's device after said initial contact. 
   
   
       9 . A wireless communication system comprising a main wireless infrastructure and a separate auxiliary wireless infrastructure using a plurality of agent's devices each being equipped with detection means for establishing contact with at least another agent's device within said separate auxiliary wireless infrastructure and communication means for communicating with other agent's devices within said main wireless infrastructure, wherein said detection means are adapted to provide initial contact between any first agent's device and any other agent's device within the auxiliary wireless infrastructure to establish configuration settings for the main wireless infrastructure, whereas said communication means are adapted to ensure all ensuing communications between said first agent's device and said other agent's device within the main wireless infrastructure once the initial contact has been established by said detection means. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said main wireless infrastructure is an ad-hoc wireless network set up by agent's devices once the initial contact has been established by the detection means of said agent's devices within an auxiliary wireless infrastructure. 
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said auxiliary wireless infrastructure uses a short-range wireless connection and includes at least one access point device and said main wireless infrastructure comprises a pervasive wireless local area network (WLAN). 
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said detection means comprise means for transmitting and receiving an infrared-beam for exchanging basic identification information between a first agent's device and another agent's device during the initial contact. 
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein said main wireless infrastructure comprises a high frequency wireless local area ad-hoc network. 
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein each agent's device includes means for storing a local database of acquaintances which keeps a history of previous interactions with other agent's devices with the names of the other agents and the levels of acquaintances. 
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein agent's devices comprise terminals such as mobile phones, computers, personal digital assistants. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein each agent's device includes a local database of acquaintances which keeps a history of previous interactions with other agent's devices with the names of the other agents and the levels of acquaintances.