Method and Apparatus for Providing Mobile Inter-Mesh Communication Points in a Multi-Level Wireless Mesh Network

Abstract

A mobile backhaul inter-mesh communication point forms an interface between a wireless mesh network on a first level and a wireless mesh network on a second, higher bandwidth, level. The two wireless networks are differentiated, e.g., by causing the mesh networks to be formed using different spectra, protocols or coding, or antennae. The mobile intra-mesh communication point functions as an access point in the lower level mesh network and as a relay point in the upper level mesh network. Utilizing mobile inter-mesh communication points facilitates deployment of wireless network access points while enabling the location of access points to follow the concentration of network users. Mobile inter-mesh communication points may be deployed in personal vehicles such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles, public transportation vehicles such as busses, trains, and aircraft, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances, and many other types of vehicles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . An inter-mesh communication point, comprising:
 an access point comprising a first network interface to a first level wireless mesh network, wherein the access point is configured as a destination for traffic originating from a device in the first level wireless mesh network, wherein the first level wireless mesh network is implemented using a first wireless access technology; and   a relay point communicatively coupled to the access point and comprising a second network interface to a second level wireless mesh network, wherein the second level wireless mesh network is implemented using a second wireless access technology, and wherein the relay point is configured to:
 relay at least a portion of first level network traffic from the first level wireless mesh network to the second level wireless mesh network; and 
 relay at least a portion of second level network traffic, that is destined for a device on the first level wireless mesh network, from the second level wireless mesh network to the first level wireless mesh network. 
   
     
     
         30 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein to relay at least a portion of first level network traffic from the first level wireless mesh network to the second level wireless mesh network, the relay point is further configured to receive the portion of first level network traffic from the access point and transmit the portion of first level network traffic to the second level wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         31 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein to relay traffic from the second level wireless mesh network that are destined for devices on the first level wireless mesh network to the first level wireless mesh network, the relay point is further configured to receive the traffic from the second level wireless mesh network and send the traffic to the access point.   
     
     
         32 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the first level wireless mesh network comprises an ad-hoc wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         33 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the second level wireless mesh network comprises an ad-hoc wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         34 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the first wireless access technology is based on at least one 802.11 standard and the second wireless access technology is based on a different 802.11 standard.   
     
     
         35 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the access point is further configured to manage the first wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         36 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the relay point is further configured to manage the second wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         37 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the access point is further configured to:
 process traffic from the devices on the first level wireless mesh; and 
 transfer a subset of the traffic to the relay point for distribution on the second level wireless mesh network. 
   
     
     
         38 . The inter-mesh communication point of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the first wireless access technology is based on IEEE 802.15.1 standard.   
     
     
         39 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first network interface coupled to a first level wireless mesh network implemented using a first wireless access technology;   a second network interface coupled to a second level wireless mesh network implemented using a second wireless access technology; and   at least one processor coupled to the first and second network interfaces;   wherein the apparatus is configured as an access point for the first level wireless mesh network and a relay point for the second level wireless mesh network; and   wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 receive, via the first network interface, traffic originating from a device in the first level wireless mesh network; 
 relay, via the first and second network interfaces, traffic from the first level wireless mesh network to the second level wireless mesh network; and 
 relay, via the first and second network interfaces, traffic from the second level wireless mesh network to the first level wireless mesh network. 
   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 ,
 wherein the first level wireless mesh network comprises an ad-hoc wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 ,
 wherein the second level wireless mesh network comprises an ad-hoc wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 39 ,
 wherein the first wireless access technology is based on at least one 802.11 standard and the second wireless access technology is based on a different 802.11 standard.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 39 ,
 wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
 process traffic received via the first network interface from the devices on the first level wireless mesh network; and 
 transmit, via the second network interface, a subset of the processed traffic to devices in the second level wireless mess network. 
   
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 39 ,
 wherein the first wireless access technology is based on IEEE 802.15.1 standard.   
     
     
         45 . A non-transitory computer readable memory medium storing program instructions executable by a processor to:
 receive, via a first network interface, traffic originating from devices in a first level wireless mesh network, wherein the first level wireless mesh network is implemented using a first wireless access technology;   transmit, via a second network interface, a subset of the received traffic to devices in a second level wireless mesh network, wherein the second level wireless mesh network is implemented using a second wireless access technology;   relay traffic destined for the first level wireless mesh network and received via the second network interface to the first level wireless mesh network via the first network interface.   
     
     
         46 . The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 45 ,
 wherein the program instructions are further executable to manage the first wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         47 . The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 45 ,
 wherein the program instructions are further executable to manage the second wireless mesh network.   
     
     
         48 . The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 45 ,
 wherein the first wireless access technology is based on 802.15.1 standard and the second wireless access technology is based on at least one of 802.11 standard.