Access point tracking for mobile wireless network node

Claim 2

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said node comprising wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received through said wireless network adapter means from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node, means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data, means for updating said table each time data is selected, and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion.

Claim 3

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said nod comprising: wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received through said wireless network adapter means from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data has last been selected within a predetermined period of time.

Claim 4

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said nod comprising: wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received through said wireless network adapter means from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data has last been selected within a predetermined period of time.

Claim 5

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said node comprising: wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received through said wireless network adapter means from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within an interval in which data regarding any other internetworking node has not been selected more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 6

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said node comprising: wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received through said wireless network adapter means from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within an interval in which data regarding any other internetworking node has not been selected more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 13

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track what internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node, means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data, means for updating said table each time data is selected, and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion.

Claim 14

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track what internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node, means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data, means for updating said table each time data is selected, and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion.

Claim 15

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track hat internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within a predetermined period of time.

Claim 16

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track hat internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within a predetermined period of time.

Claim 17

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track what internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node, means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data, means for updating said table each time data is selected, and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within an interval in which data regarding any other internetworking node has not been selected more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 18

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track what internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node, means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data, means for updating said table each time data is selected, and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within an interval in which data regarding any other internetworking node has not been selected more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 19

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking mechanism in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by said wireless node through from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; update said table each time data is selected; and delete from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion.

Claim 20

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking mechanism in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by said wireless node through from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; update said table each time data is selected; and delete from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion.

Claim 21

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking means in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by said wireless node through from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; update said table each time data is selected; and delete from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within a predetermined period of time.

Claim 22

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking means in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by said wireless node through from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; update said table each time data is selected; and delete from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within a predetermined period of time.

Claim 23

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking mechanism in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by said wireless node through from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; update said table each time data is selected; and delete from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within an interval in which data regarding any other internetworking code has not been selected more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 24

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking mechanism in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by said wireless node through from an internetworking node and containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; update said table each time data is selected; and delete from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data respecting said internetworking node has last been selected within an interval in which data regarding any other internetworking code has not been selected more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 25

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking mechanism in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by node through an internetworking node emitting a beacon containing information as to its address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; count the number of times the wireless node has received the beacon from each networking node in said table; update said table each time data is selected, and not delete from said table any internetworking node for which its beacon has last been counted in an interval in which the beacon from any other networking node has not be counted more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 26

A computer program product for use with a wireless node having a CPU, memory, and a wireless adapter card equipped with a wireless receiver/transmitter, said computer program product coacting with the CPU to provide a tracking mechanism in said wireless node, said computer program product comprising: a recording medium; computer readable code recorded on said recording medium for causing the CPU to select data received by node through an internetworking node emitting a beacon containing information as to its address of such internetworking node; maintain a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; count the number of times the wireless node has received the beacon from each networking node in said table; update said table each time data is selected, and not delete from said table any internetworking node for which its beacon has last been counted in an interval in which the beacon from any other networking node has not be counted more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 27

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said node comprising: wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received, through said wireless network adapter means, from an internetworking node emitting a beacon containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; means for counting the number of times the node has received a beacon from each internetworking node in said table; and means for not deleting from said table any internetworking node for which its beacon has last been counted in an interval in which the beacon from any other internetworking node has not been counted more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 28

A node for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes, said node comprising: wireless network adapter means to send data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and to receive data by wireless communication from other nodes in the network; recognition means to select data received, through said wireless network adapter means, from an internetworking node emitting a beacon containing information as to the address of such internetworking node; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; means for counting the number of times the node has received a beacon from each internetworking node in said table; and means for not deleting from said table any internetworking node for which its beacon has last been counted in an interval in which the beacon from any other internetworking node has not been counted more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 29

The method of claim 5 wherein the predetermined period of time includes 10 seconds.

Claim 30

The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined number of times include five.

Claim 33

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track what internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node emitting a beacon containing information as to the address of such internetworking node at regular intervals; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; means for counting the number of times the wireless node has received a beacon from each internetworking node in said table; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion and retaining in said table an internetworking node whose beacon has last been counted in an interval in which the beacon from any other internetworking node has not been counted more than a predetermined period of time.

Claim 34

A tracking means, for use in a network having a plurality of internetworking nodes to track what internetworking node are within data-exchanging range of a particular wireless node, said tracking means comprising: recognition means to select data received by said wireless node from an internetworking node emitting a beacon containing information as to the address of such internetworking node at regular intervals; means for maintaining a table of internetworking nodes using the selected data; means for updating said table each time data is selected; means for counting the number of times the wireless node has received a beacon from each internetworking node in said table; and means for deleting from said table any internetworking node for which the selected data does not meet a desired criterion and retaining in said table an internetworking node whose beacon has last been counted in an interval in which the beacon from any other internetworking node has not been counted more than a predetermined period of time.