Device to device grouping of personal communication nodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11233848-B2
Application number	US-202016747817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2020
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

Systems, methods, software and apparatus enable device to device grouping of personal communication nodes include managing a communication node group having communication node members. Attribute information from the communication nodes is provided to a management system that defines communication group membership based on the received attribute information. The management system transmits group membership status notifications to the communication nodes. Membership status controls a node's participation in group communications. Attribute information can include changes (such as dynamic changes) in one or more communication node attributes, such as location, proximity to other communication nodes, speed, etc.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
operating a management system to control a plurality of communication node groups, each communication node group comprising a plurality of communication nodes, including:
collecting attribute information at the management system from the plurality of communication nodes, the attribute information indicating dynamic updates of an environmental status of individual ones of the plurality of communication nodes;
dynamically adjusting, via the management system, operations of at least some of the plurality of communication nodes based on the attribute information, including:
modifying the membership of specific communication nodes in selected communication node groups based on dynamic changes to the attribute information of the specific communication nodes; and
sending group membership status notifications to the specific communication nodes directing the specific communication nodes to dynamically adjust their operation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the specific communication nodes include a first node, a second node, and a third node;
dynamically adjusting the operations of the at least some of the plurality of communication nodes further includes:
evaluating attribute information from the specific communication nodes;
based on the attribute information, creating a first communication group including the first node and the second node, and not including the third node;
evaluating dynamic changes to the attribute information of the specific communication nodes;
based on the dynamic changes:
removing the second communication node from the first communication group; and
creating a second communication group including the second communication node and the third communication, and not including the first communication node.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
directing a group membership status notification to an intermediate device of at least one of the specific communication nodes, wherein the at least one of the specific communication nodes includes:
the intermediate device configured to communicate with the management system and an end user device; and
the end user device, configured to:
broadcast audio transmissions received via the intermediate device; and
receive audio information and transmit it, via the intermediate device, to other communication nodes sharing a group with the at least one of the specific communication nodes.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the attribute information includes location information;
dynamically adjusting the operations of at least some of the plurality of communication nodes includes:
muting speakers of selected communication nodes based on the location information indicating the selected communication nodes are in close proximity to each other; and
unmuting speakers of the selected communication nodes based on updated attribute information indicated the selected communication nodes are no longer in close proximity to each other.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the management system is executed by a selected one of the plurality of communication nodes; and
dynamically adjusting the operations of at least some of the plurality of communication nodes includes creating a selected communication group including the management system and a selected subset of the plurality of communication nodes based on the management system and the selected subset sharing a specific attribute set.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the attribute information comprises information collected by the plurality of communication nodes without user input.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the attribute information comprises details regarding a scheduled meeting.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the attribute information includes dynamic changes to a location of at least one of a first node and a second node in the plurality of communication nodes.

9. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors configured to perform a management system to control a plurality of communication node groups, each communication node group comprising a plurality of communication nodes, including the one or more processors configured to:
collect attribute information from the plurality of communication nodes, the attribute information indicating dynamic updates of an environmental status of individual ones of the plurality of communication nodes;
dynamically adjust operations of at least some of the plurality of communication nodes based on the attribute information, including:
modify the membership of specific communication nodes in selected communication node groups based on dynamic changes to the attribute information of the specific communication nodes; and
send group membership status notifications to the specific communication nodes directing the specific communication nodes to dynamically adjust their operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
the specific communication nodes include a first node, a second node, and a third node;
dynamically adjust the operations of the at least some of the plurality of communication nodes further includes:
evaluate attribute information from the specific communication nodes;
based on the attribute information, create a first communication group including the first node and the second node, and not including the third node;
evaluate dynamic changes to the attribute information of the specific communication nodes;
based on the dynamic changes:
remove the second communication node from the first communication group; and
create a second communication group including the second communication node and the third communication, and not including the first communication node.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
the attribute information includes location information;
dynamically adjust the operations of the at least some of the plurality of communication nodes further includes:
mute speakers of selected communication nodes based on the location information indicating the selected communication nodes are in close proximity to each other; and
unmute speakers of the selected communication nodes based on updated attribute information indicated the selected communication nodes are no longer in close proximity to each other.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
the management system is executed by a selected one of the plurality of communication nodes;
dynamically adjust the operations of at least some of the plurality of communication nodes includes:
create a selected communication group including the management system and a selected subset of the plurality of communication nodes based on the management system and the selected subset sharing a specific attribute set.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the attribute information comprises details regarding a scheduled meeting.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the attribute information includes dynamic changes to a location of at least one of a first node and a second node in the plurality of communication nodes.

15. A memory device storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
operating a management system to control a plurality of communication node groups, each communication node group comprising a plurality of communication nodes, including:
collecting attribute information at the management system from the plurality of communication nodes, the attribute information indicating dynamic updates of an environmental status of individual ones of

Assignees

• Orion Labs
• Orion Labs Inc

Inventors

• Robbins Jesse
• Albrecht Greg
• Juhlin Ellen
• Wood Roger
• Girling Neil

Classifications

• H04B1/385 Primary

  Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets · CPC title

• H04L67/566

  Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04N5/00

  Details of television systems (scanning details or combination thereof with generation of supply voltages H04N3/00) · CPC title

• H04L67/1044 Primary

  Group management mechanisms  (management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425) · CPC title