초록

The present invention provides a multinode arrangement that utilizes a plurality of nodes that communicate with each other by RF transmissions and hardwire communications. The use of both hardwire and RF transmission provides the advantages obtained with both forms of transmission.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system comprising: a first node including at least one hardwire connection to at least a second node;wherein said first node is configured to broadcast a first signal both wirelessly and over said at least one hardwire connection;wherein said first node selectively transmits further communicati

1. A system comprising: a first node including at least one hardwire connection to at least a second node;wherein said first node is configured to broadcast a first signal both wirelessly and over said at least one hardwire connection;wherein said first node selectively transmits further communications to said second node either via said at least one hardwire connection or wirelessly, dependent on whether said second node responds to said first signal via said at least one hardwire connection or wirelessly, respectively; andwherein said first node broadcasts the first signal to establish communication, and said first node transmits further communications to said second node to maintain communication between said first and second nodes, andwherein said first node transmits the first signal at a first signal strength, and the further communications at a second signal strength, when the first signal and the further communications are transmitted wirelessly, andfurther wherein the first signal strength is based on an estimated distance between said first node and said second node. 2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first signal strength is greater than the second strength. 3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first node is configured to iteratively reduce the signal from the first signal strength until communication between said first node and said second node is broken at a third signal strength. 4. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first node is configured to increase the signal from the third signal strength to the second strength to reestablish and maintain communication between said first node and said second node. 5. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first node is configured to transmit the signal at the first signal strength to said second node to reestablish communication, and transmit the signal to said second node at the second signal strength to maintain the reestablished communication between said first and second nodes. 6. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first signal strength is greater than the second strength. 7. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first node is configured to iteratively reduce the signal from the first signal strength until the reestablished communication between said first node and said second node is broken at a third signal strength, and increase the signal from the third signal strength to reestablish and maintain the reestablished communication. 8. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first node is configured to refrain from communicating with said second node for a predetermined amount of time. 9. A system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a third node, and wherein said first node is configured to refrain from communicating with said second node while said second node communicates with a third node. 10. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first node adds a representation of said second node to a list of nodes, the list including whether said second node communicates via said at least one hardwire connection or wirelessly. 11. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first signal is transmitted both wirelessly and over said at least one hardwire connection. 12. A multinode arrangement for establishing a communication network for transmitting information between a first object and a second object, comprising: a plurality of nodes configured to communicate information from the first object to the second object, wherein said plurality of nodes communicate through RF and hardwire communication links,wherein said plurality of nodes are configured to transmit a signal to establish communication between said nodes, and transmit the signal to maintain communication between said nodes, and further wherein the nodes transmit the signal to establish communication between said nodes at a first signal strength, and the signal to maintain communication between said nodes at a second signal strength, when the signals are transmitted wirelessly; andwherein the signal to establish communication between said nodes is transmitted via both RF and the hardwire communication links, and the signal to maintain communication between said nodes is transmitted via one of RF and a hardwire communication link to a node, depending on whether that node responded to the signal to establish communication between said nodes via RF or hardwire communication link, respectively, andfurther wherein the first signal strength is based on an estimated distance between said first node and said second node. 13. A multinode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength. 14. A multinode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to iteratively reduce the signal from the first signal strength until communication between said nodes is broken at a third signal strength. 15. A multinode arrangement according to claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to increase the signal from the third signal strength to the second signal strength to reestablish and maintain communication between said nodes. 16. A multinode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to reestablish a communication link between at least two of the plurality of nodes when an original communication link between the two of the plurality of nodes is broken. 17. A multinode arrangement according to claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to transmit the signal at the first signal strength to reestablish communication between said nodes, and transmit the signal at the second signal strength to reestablish and maintain the reestablished communication between said nodes. 18. A multinode arrangement according to claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to iteratively reduce the signal from the first signal strength until the reestablished communication between said nodes is broken at a third signal strength, and increase the signal from the third signal strength to the second signal strength to maintain the reestablished communication. 19. A multinode arrangement according to claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to prevent the reestablished communication link from interfering with a communication link between at least two of the plurality of nodes. 20. A multimode arrangement according to claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is configured to prevent one of said nodes from communicating with another of said nodes for a predetermined amount of time. 21. A multinode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the nodes is configured to receive information from multiple nodes and transmit information to multiple nodes. 22. A method comprising: transmitting a first signal from a first node to a second node to establish communications between the first and second nodes; andtransmitting a second signal to the second node to maintain communication between the first and second nodes;wherein the first node transmits the first signal via both an RF and a hardwire communication link; andwherein said first node selectively transmits said second signal to said second node either via the hardwire communication link or wirelessly, dependent on whether said second node responds to said first signal via the hardwire communication link or wirelessly, respectively, andwherein the nodes transmit the first signal at a first signal strength, and the second signal at a second signal strength, when the signals are transmitted wirelessly, andfurther wherein the first signal strength is based on an estimated distance between said first node and said second node. 23. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength. 24. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising iteratively reducing the signal from the first signal strength until communication between the first and second nodes is broken at a third signal strength. 25. A method as set forth in claim 24, further comprising increasing the signal from the third signal strength to the second signal strength to reestablish and maintain communication between said first node and said second node. 26. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising: transmitting the signal at the first signal strength to the second node to reestablish communication; andtransmitting the signal to the second node at the second signal strength to maintain the reestablished communication between the first and second nodes. 27. A method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising: iteratively reducing the signal from the first signal strength until the reestablished communication between the first node and the second node is broken at a third signal strength; andincreasing the signal from the third signal strength to the second signal strength to reestablish and maintain the reestablished communication. 28. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising preventing communication between the first and second node for a predetermined amount of time while said second node communicates with a third node.