Updating node presence based on communication pathway

Abstract

A data communications network, for which presence information is maintained for wireless data communication devices forming nodes of the network, includes: a presence server; and a plurality of nodes formed by the wireless data communication devices, each of the devices configured to send periodic check-in messages to the presence server. The presence server is configured to send an acknowledgment in response to a check-in message. Each of the wireless data communication devices is configured to reset a timer associated with the sending of the check-in messages by it upon (i) communicating, as an intermediate node, a check-in message originating at another node, and (ii) communicating, as an intermediate node, a corresponding acknowledgment originating at the presence server. The presence server is configured to update presence information of wireless data communication device from which a check-in message originates and each intermediate node.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A method of maintaining presence information associated with a wireless data communication device of a data communications network, comprising:
 communicating a message from a first node of the data communications network to a gateway device along a pathway, the pathway including the wireless data communication device as an intermediary node of the pathway;   including with the message the pathway by which the message is communicated in the wireless data communication device;   storing, in a computer readable medium at the gateway device, information representing the pathway;   updating, at the gateway device, presence information of the wireless data communication device;   communicating an acknowledgment of the message to the first node along the reverse pathway; and   upon communicating the acknowledgement of the message by the wireless data communication device, resetting a timer used by the wireless data communication device to trigger the sending of a presence indication of the wireless data communication device to the gateway device.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising the step of receiving, by the gateway device, an acknowledgement of the message from the application of the client device for communicating to the first node. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the wireless data communication device is configured to communicate a check-in message when the timer reaches a certain value. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the gateway device, the first node, and the wireless data communication device forming an intermediate node are part of a network utilizing class based networking 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the first node and the wireless data communication device forming an intermediary node utilize wake-up technology. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising, prior to communicating a message from a first node, registering with the gateway device by the wireless data communication device. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the gateway device, the first node, and the wireless data communication device forming an intermediary node are part of a mesh network. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said step of resetting a timer occurs contemporaneously with the step of communicating the acknowledgment. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the gateway device comprises a gateway server. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the wireless data communication device comprises a data packet radio component. 
     
     
         52 . A method of indicating presence by a wireless data communication device that forms a node in a data communications network, comprising:
 receiving, at the wireless data communication device, a message originating at a first node and addressed to a gateway device;   storing, in a computer readable medium of the wireless data communication device, information associated with the message;   communicating, by the wireless data communication device, for delivery to gateway device, the message to another node of the data communications network;   receiving, at the wireless data communication device, an acknowledgment of the message by the gateway device;   resetting a timer at the wireless data communication device; and   communicating, by the wireless data communication device, for delivery to the first node, the acknowledgment of the message by the gateway device;   wherein the wireless data communication device is configured to communicate a message to the gateway device indicating the presence of the wireless data communication device as a node in the data communications network at predetermined intervals based on the timer.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said step of communicating the message to the gateway device comprises communicating the message directly to the gateway device. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said step of communicating the message to the gateway device comprises communicating the message indirectly to the gateway device via one or more other nodes. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said step of communicating the acknowledgment of the message to the first node comprises communicating the message directly to the first node. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said step of communicating the acknowledgment of the message to the first node comprises communicating the message indirectly to the first node via one or more other nodes. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising the step of, prior to said step of receiving a message originating at a first node, registering, by the intermediary node, with the gateway device. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the gateway device, the first node, and the intermediary node are part of a mesh network. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the gateway device, the first node, and the intermediary node are part of a network utilizing class based networking.