Communication hub and repeaters

Abstract

A method and apparatus for receiving, by a processing device of a communication hub, communication data from a source device over a first channel of a plurality of wireless communication channels. The hub authorizes the source device in view of at least one of an indication that the source device is within a specified distance from the hub or an indication that the source device is predefined as an approved device. The hub determines whether to re-transmit the data to a destination device over a second channel. The data is not re-transmitted when the data includes a specified level of corrupted data or the source device is unauthorized. The hub transforms the data from a first format to a second format corresponding to the second channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing device of a communication hub, communication data from a source device over a first channel of a plurality of wireless communication channels;   authorizing, by the processing device, the source device in view of at least one of an indication that the source device is within a specified distance from the hub or an indication that the source device is predefined as an approved device;   determining, by the processing device, whether to re-transmit the communication data to a destination device over a second channel of the plurality of wireless communication channels, wherein the communication data is not re-transmitted when the communication data comprises a specified level of corrupted data or the source device is unauthorized;   transforming, by the processing device, a first format of the communication data to a second format, the first format corresponding to the first channel and the second format corresponding to the second channel; and   re-transmitting, by the processing device, the communication data in the second format to the destination device over the second channel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by the processing device, the communication data to determine a type of data;   calculating, by the processing device, a priority of the communication data based on the analyzing; and   delaying the re-transmission of the communication data, by the processing device, when the priority is below a specified threshold.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by the processing device, a data size of the communication data; and   delaying the re-transmission of the communication data, by the processing device, when the data size is greater than a specified threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by the processing device, the communication data to determine a type of data;   determining, by the processing device, whether the type of data is predefined to trigger the communication hub to transmit a response; and   transmitting, by the processing device, the response when the type of data is determined to trigger the response.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein authorizing the source device in view of the indication that the source device is within a specified distance from the hub comprises:
 analyzing the communication data to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), the communication data having been wirelessly transmitted by the source device;   comparing the RSSI to an RSSI threshold; and   determining the source device is authorized when the RSSI is greater than or equal to the RSSI threshold or unauthorized when the RSSI is less than the RSSI threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein authorizing the source device in view of the indication that the source device is predefined as an approved device comprises:
 analyzing the communication data to determine a source device identifier, the source device identifier associated with the source device having transmitted the communication data;   comparing the source device identifier with approved source device identifiers; and   determining the source device is authorized when the source device identifier matches the approved source device identifiers or unauthorized when the source device identifier does not match the approved source device identifiers.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to re-transmit the communication data to a destination device over a second channel of the plurality of wireless communication channels, wherein the communication data is not re-transmitted when the communication data comprises a specified level of corrupted data comprises:
 analyzing the communication data to determine a source device identifier and a parameter value;   identifying the source device in view of the source device identifier;   comparing the parameter value to a parameter set predefined for the source device; and   preventing the re-transmission of the communication data when the parameter value is outside the parameter set.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising authorizing, by the processing device, the source device in view a device density threshold associated with the communication hub. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transforming the first format of the communication data to a second format is transformed when the communication data is determined to be transmitted. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transforming the first format of the communication data to the second format comprises at least one of compressing the communication data, securing the communication data, changing a communication protocol of the communication data, removing data from the communication data, or adding data to the communication data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wireless communication channels comprises at least two of a channel compliant with a low energy wireless personal area network (PAN) standard, a wireless local area network (WLAN) standard, or a cellular standard. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein re-transmitting the communication data in the second format to the destination device over the second channel comprises transmitting, via a cellular network, the communication data to a server in a format compliant with a cellular standard. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hub further comprises a wired communication channel. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 an antenna for receiving and transmitting communication data;   a processing device operatively coupled to the antenna; and   a memory, coupled to the processing device and storing instructions, that when executed cause the processing device to:
 receive, by the processing device of a communication hub, communication data from a source device over a first channel of a plurality of wireless communication channels; 
 authorize the source device in view of at least one of an indication that the source device is within a specified distance from the hub or an indication that the source device is predefined as an approved device; 
 determine whether to re-transmit the communication data to a destination device over a second channel of the plurality of wireless communication channels, wherein the communication data is not re-transmitted when the communication data comprises a specified level of corrupted data or the source device is unauthorized; 
 transform a first format of the communication data to a second format, the first format corresponding to the first channel and the second format corresponding to the second channel; and 
 re-transmit the communication data in the second format to the destination device over the second channel. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , the processing device further to:
 analyze the communication data to determine a type of data;   calculate a priority of the communication data based on the analyzing; and   delay the re-transmission of the communication data when the priority is below a specified threshold.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , the processing device further to:
 analyze a data size of the communication data; and   delay the re-transmission of the communication data, by the processing device, when the data size is greater than a specified threshold.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , the processing device further to:
 analyze the communication data to determine a type of data;   determine whether the type of data is predefined to trigger the communication hub to transmit a response; and   transmit the response when the type of data is determined to trigger the response.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage including instruction that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:
 receive, by the processing device of a communication hub, communication data from a source device over a first channel of a plurality of wireless communication channels;   authorize the source device in view of at least one of an indication that the source device is within a specified distance from the hub or an indication that the source device is predefined as an approved device;   determine whether to re-transmit the communication data to a destination device over a second channel of the plurality of wireless communication channels, wherein the communication data is not re-transmitted when the communication data comprises a specified level of corrupted data or the source device is unauthorized;   transform a first format of the communication data to a second format, the first format corresponding to the first channel and the second format corresponding to the second channel; and   re-transmit the communication data in the second format to the destination device over the second channel.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage of  claim 18 , the processing device further to:
 analyze the communication data to determine a type of data;   calculate a priority of the communication data based on the analyzing; and   delay the re-transmission of the communication data when the priority is below a specified threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage of  claim 18 , the processing device further to:
 analyze a data size of the communication data;   delay the re-transmission of the communication data, by the processing device, when the data size is greater than a specified threshold;   analyze the communication data to determine a type of data;   determine whether the type of data is predefined to trigger the communication hub to transmit a response; and   transmit the response when the type of data is determined to trigger the response.