U.S. patent application number 15/843991 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-24 for cost-effective mobile connectivity protocols.
The applicant listed for this patent is Elwha LLC. Invention is credited to Philip Lionel Barnes, Hon Wah Chin, Howard L. Davidson, Kimberly D.A. Hallman, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Brian Lee, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Craig J. Mundie, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Nicholas F. Pasch, Eric D. Rudder, Clarence T. Tegreene, Marc Tremblay, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, JR..
Application Number | 20180145947 15/843991 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51018975 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180145947 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barnes; Philip Lionel ; et
al. |
May 24, 2018 |
Cost-Effective Mobile Connectivity Protocols
Abstract
Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or
decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to
a network participant or other communication device (smartphone or
motor vehicle, e.g.).
Inventors: |
Barnes; Philip Lionel;
(Seattle, WA) ; Chin; Hon Wah; (Palo Alto, CA)
; Davidson; Howard L.; (San Mateo, CA) ; Hallman;
Kimberly D.A.; (Bellevue, WA) ; Hyde; Roderick
A.; (Redmond, WA) ; Ishikawa; Muriel Y.;
(Livermore, CA) ; Kare; Jordin T.; (San Jose,
CA) ; Lee; Brian; (Redmond, WA) ; Lord;
Richard T.; (Federal Way, WA) ; Lord; Robert W.;
(Seattle, WA) ; Mundie; Craig J.; (Seattle,
WA) ; Myhrvold; Nathan P.; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Pasch; Nicholas F.; (Redmond, WA) ; Rudder; Eric
D.; (Mercer Island, WA) ; Tegreene; Clarence T.;
(Mercer Island, WA) ; Tremblay; Marc; (Clyde Hill,
WA) ; Tuckerman; David B.; (Lafayette, CA) ;
Whitmer; Charles; (North Bend, WA) ; Wood, JR.;
Lowell L.; (Bellevue, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Elwha LLC |
Bellevue |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51018975 |
Appl. No.: |
15/843991 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13731982 |
Dec 31, 2012 |
9876762 |
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15843991 |
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13731930 |
Dec 31, 2012 |
9832628 |
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13731982 |
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13731907 |
Dec 31, 2012 |
9781664 |
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13731930 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 63/02 20130101;
H04W 12/08 20130101; H04W 12/06 20130101; H04W 12/00503
20190101 |
International
Class: |
H04L 29/06 20060101
H04L029/06; H04W 12/08 20060101 H04W012/08; H04W 12/06 20060101
H04W012/06 |
Claims
1.-119. (canceled)
120. A communication management system comprising: at least one
electronic device including at least: circuitry configured for
obtaining configuration data establishing at least one security
protocol; circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless
signals containing one or more access requests including at least
one data pattern from at least one wireless communication device;
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
based at least partly on the at least one data pattern and the
configuration data establishing the at least one security protocol;
circuitry configured for determining at least one firewall
configuration based at least partly on whether the one or more
access requests are compliant with the at least one security
protocol; and circuitry configured for implementing at least one
firewall between a first network communication path to a first
wireless communication device and a second network communication
signal path to a second communication device based at least partly
on the at least one firewall configuration.
121. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
at least one electronic device includes: at least one of at least
one integrated circuit chip or at least one motor vehicle.
122. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for obtaining configuration data establishing
at least one security protocol includes: at least one of: circuitry
configured for obtaining configuration data establishing at least
one of an access code, a password, a watermark, or a checksum;
circuitry configured for obtaining at least one data pattern
establishing the at least one security protocol; circuitry
configured for obtaining the configuration data establishing the at
least one security protocol from the at least one wireless
communication device; circuitry configured for obtaining the
configuration data establishing the at least one security protocol
from at least one network configuration unit; circuitry configured
for obtaining the configuration data establishing the at least one
security protocol from at least one server.
123. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
containing one or more access requests including at least one data
pattern from at least one wireless communication device includes:
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
containing one or more access requests including at least one data
pattern from at least one of a smartphone or a computer.
124. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
containing one or more access requests including at least one data
pattern from at least one wireless communication device includes:
circuitry configured for receiving user vocalization data including
one or more voice commands.
125. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
containing one or more access requests including at least one data
pattern from at least one wireless communication device includes:
at least one of: circuitry configured for receiving at least one
data pattern from the at least one wireless communication device
including a current password generated by a password generation
module; circuitry configured for receiving at least one data
pattern including a current password generated by a password
generation module; circuitry configured for receiving at least one
initial security protocol implementing data pattern; circuitry
configured for receiving at least one initial security protocol
implementing data pattern during manufacture; or circuitry
configured for receiving at least one wireless signal indicative of
entry of the at least one wireless communication device into a
wireless operating range of a network.
126. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
containing one or more access requests including at least one data
pattern from at least one wireless communication device includes:
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
generated responsive to a user input including at least one of: at
least one password input by at least one user from the wireless
communication device; or at least one user input initiating a
telephone call.
127. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for receiving one or more wireless signals
containing one or more access requests including at least one data
pattern from at least one wireless communication device includes:
circuitry configured for receiving at least one access request from
at least one user and determining whether the at least one user is
a particular speaker by speech recognition.
128. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
includes: circuitry configured for detecting one or more service
region departure events.
129. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
includes: circuitry configured for comparing a data block delivery
failure rate relating to at least one of two or more network
communication signal paths against a failure rate threshold.
130. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
includes: determining whether the at least one wireless
communication device is configured for enabling at least one user
to interact via speech of at least one user.
131. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
includes: circuitry configured for determining whether the one or
more access requests are compliant with the at least one security
protocol based at least partly on at least one of decisions,
manifestations, side effects, results, coding, expressions,
displayable images, data files, data associations, statistical
correlations, streaming signals, intensity levels, frequencies,
measurable attributes, or packets and the configuration data
establishing the at least one security protocol.
132. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
includes: circuitry configured for determining whether the one or
more access requests are compliant with the at least one security
protocol based at least partly on at least one of avatars,
identification of at least one person, identification of at least
one device known to at least one user, or status indications and
the configuration data establishing the at least one security
protocol.
133. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
includes: at least one of: circuitry configured for determining
whether the one or more access requests are compliant with the at
least one security protocol based at least partly on status data
including at least one of records, expressions of times,
expressions of positions, or shape-descriptive information relating
to one or more wireless service regions or devices and the
configuration data establishing the at least one security protocol;
circuitry configured for determining whether the one or more access
requests are compliant with the at least one security protocol
based at least partly on at least one identifier of a remote mobile
device 2870 or user listed at a computer and the configuration data
establishing the at least one security protocol; or circuitry
configured for determining whether the one or more access requests
are compliant with the at least one security protocol based at
least partly on at least one of clips generated by an audio capture
module or a video capture module, coordinates from at least one
positioning system module, textual expressions from a speech
recognition module, decrypted data blocks from a decryption module,
decoded data blocks from a decoding module, or maps and the
configuration data establishing the at least one security
protocol.
134. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for implementing at least one firewall between
a first network communication path to a first wireless
communication device and a second network communication signal path
to a second communication device includes: at least one of:
circuitry configured for signaling a decision whether to transmit
any user data via at least one of the two or more network
communication signal paths; or circuitry configured for signaling a
decision whether to adjust a latency threshold for user data
passing via at least one of the two or more network communication
signal paths in response to one or more channel performance metrics
relating to at least one communication channel; or circuitry
configured for signaling a result to a user via the at least one
wireless communication device indicating whether at least one of
the one or more access requests is compliant with the at least one
security protocol.
135. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for implementing at least one firewall between
a first network communication path to a first wireless
communication device and a second network communication signal path
to a second communication device includes: circuitry configured for
incrementally decreasing a dataflow through at least one of the two
or more network communication signal paths.
136. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for implementing at least one firewall between
a first network communication path to a first wireless
communication device and a second network communication signal path
to a second communication device includes: at least one of:
circuitry configured for providing access to the at least one
wireless communication device from one or more networks via two or
more network communication signal paths, wherein at least one
network communication signal path includes at least one linkage
through a vehicle operated by a user that has transmitted access
request data that satisfies at least one security protocol;
circuitry configured for providing access to the at least one
wireless communication device from one or more networks via two or
more network communication signal paths, wherein at least one
network communication signal path includes at least one linkage
through a handheld device operated by a user who has transmitted at
least one access request that satisfies the at least one security
protocol.
137. The communication management system of claim 120 wherein the
circuitry configured for implementing at least one firewall between
a first network communication path to a first wireless
communication device and a second network communication signal path
to a second communication device includes: providing access to the
at least one wireless communication device and at least one other
wireless communication device from one or more networks via two or
more network communication signal paths, wherein at least one
network communication signal path includes at least one linkage
through at least one other wireless communication device operable
as an intermediate device that includes at least one queue for
simultaneous processing of two or more channels.
138. A communication management method comprising: obtaining
configuration data establishing at least one security protocol;
receiving one or more wireless signals containing one or more
access requests including at least one data pattern from at least
one wireless communication device; determining whether the one or
more access requests are compliant with the at least one security
protocol based at least partly on the at least one data pattern and
the configuration data establishing the at least one security
protocol; determining at least one firewall configuration based at
least partly on whether the one or more access requests are
compliant with the at least one security protocol; and implementing
at least one firewall between a first network communication path to
a first wireless communication device and a second network
communication signal path to a second communication device based at
least partly on the at least one firewall configuration.
139. A communication management system comprising: at least one
processor; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one
processor, the at least one processor configured for: obtaining
configuration data establishing at least one security protocol;
receiving one or more wireless signals containing one or more
access requests including at least one data pattern from at least
one wireless communication device; determining whether the one or
more access requests are compliant with the at least one security
protocol based at least partly on the at least one data pattern and
the configuration data establishing the at least one security
protocol; determining at least one firewall configuration based at
least partly on whether the one or more access requests are
compliant with the at least one security protocol; and implementing
at least one firewall between a first network communication path to
a first wireless communication device and a second network
communication signal path to a second communication device based at
least partly on the at least one firewall configuration.
Description
[0001] If an Application Data Sheet (ADS) has been filed on the
filing date of this application, it is incorporated by reference
herein. Any applications claimed on the ADS for priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. .sctn. 119, 120, 121, or 365(c), and any and all
parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of such
applications, are also incorporated by reference, including any
priority claims made in those applications and any material
incorporated by reference, to the extent such subject matter is not
inconsistent herewith.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] The present application is related to and/or claims the
benefit of the earliest available effective filing date(s) from the
following listed application(s) (the "Priority Applications"), if
any, listed below (e.g., claims earliest available priority dates
for other than provisional patent applications or claims benefits
under 35 USC .sctn. 119(e) for provisional patent applications, for
any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.
applications of the Priority Application(s)). In addition, the
present application is related to the "Related Applications," if
any, listed below.
Priority Applications
[0003] None.
Related Applications
[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. To Be Assigned, entitled
COST-EFFECTIVE MOBILE CONNECTIVITY PROTOCOLS, naming Philip Lionel
Barnes; Hon Wah Chin; Howard L. Davidson; Kimberly D. A. Hallman;
Roderick A. Hyde; Muriel Y. Ishikawa; Jordin T. Kare; Brian Lee;
Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Craig J. Mundie; Nathan P.
Myhrvold; Nicholas F. Pasch; Eric D. Rudder; Clarence T. Tegreene;
Marc Tremblay; David B. Tuckerman; Charles Whitmer; and Lowell L.
Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed on 31 Dec. 2012 with attorney docket
no. 1012-003-001-000000, is related to the present application.
[0005] U.S. patent application Ser. No. To Be Assigned, entitled
COST-EFFECTIVE MOBILE CONNECTIVITY PROTOCOLS, naming Philip Lionel
Barnes; Hon Wah Chin; Howard L. Davidson; Kimberly D. A. Hallman;
Roderick A. Hyde; Muriel Y. Ishikawa; Jordin T. Kare; Brian Lee;
Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Craig J. Mundie; Nathan P.
Myhrvold; Nicholas F. Pasch; Eric D. Rudder; Clarence T. Tegreene;
Marc Tremblay; David B. Tuckerman; Charles Whitmer; and Lowell L.
Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed on 31 Dec. 2012 with attorney docket
no. 1012-003-002-000000, is related to the present application.
[0006] U.S. patent application Ser. No. To Be Assigned, entitled
COST-EFFECTIVE MOBILE CONNECTIVITY PROTOCOLS, naming Philip Lionel
Barnes; Hon Wah Chin; Howard L. Davidson; Kimberly D. A. Hallman;
Roderick A. Hyde; Muriel Y. Ishikawa; Jordin T. Kare; Brian Lee;
Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Craig J. Mundie; Nathan P.
Myhrvold; Nicholas F. Pasch; Eric D. Rudder; Clarence T. Tegreene;
Marc Tremblay; David B. Tuckerman; Charles Whitmer; and Lowell L.
Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed on 31 Dec. 2012 with attorney docket
no. 1012-003-003-000000, is related to the present application.
[0007] U.S. patent application Ser. No. To Be Assigned, entitled
COST-EFFECTIVE MOBILE CONNECTIVITY PROTOCOLS, naming Philip Lionel
Barnes; Hon Wah Chin; Howard L. Davidson; Kimberly D. A. Hallman;
Roderick A. Hyde; Muriel Y. Ishikawa; Jordin T. Kare; Brian Lee;
Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Craig J. Mundie; Nathan P.
Myhrvold; Nicholas F. Pasch; Eric D. Rudder; Clarence T. Tegreene;
Marc Tremblay; David B. Tuckerman; Charles Whitmer; and Lowell L.
Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed on 31 Dec. 2012 with attorney docket
no. 1012-003-005-000000, is related to the present application.
[0008] The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a
notice to the effect that the USPTO's computer programs require
that patent applicants reference both a serial number and indicate
whether an application is a continuation, continuation-in-part, or
divisional of a parent application. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of
Prior-Filed Application, USPTO Official Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The
USPTO further has provided forms for the Application Data Sheet
which allow automatic loading of bibliographic data but which
require identification of each application as a continuation,
continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parent application. The
present Applicant Entity (hereinafter "Applicant") has provided
above a specific reference to the application(s)from which priority
is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understands that
the statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language and
does not require either a serial number or any characterization,
such as "continuation" or "continuation-in-part," for claiming
priority to U.S. patent applications. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Applicant understands that the USPTO's computer programs
have certain data entry requirements, and hence Applicant has
provided designation(s) of a relationship between the present
application and its parent application(s) as set forth above and in
any ADS filed in this application, but expressly points out that
such designation(s) are not to be construed in any way as any type
of commentary and/or admission as to whether or not the present
application contains any new matter in addition to the matter of
its parent application(s).
[0009] If the listings of applications provided above are
inconsistent with the listings provided via an ADS, it is the
intent of the Applicant to claim priority to each application that
appears in the Priority Applications section of the ADS and to each
application that appears in the Priority Applications section of
this application.
[0010] All subject matter of the Priority Applications and the
Related Applications and of any and all parent, grandparent,
great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Priority Applications
and the Related Applications, including any priority claims, is
incorporated herein by reference to the extent such subject matter
is not inconsistent herewith.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0011] This disclosure relates to facilitating connectivity in
wireless communications.
SUMMARY
[0012] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to establishing both a wireless
communication channel via a first device and from a second device
and a wireless communication channel from the second device and via
a third device and signaling a decision of how much user data to
transmit via the wireless communication channel from the second
device and via the third device responsive to an indication that a
data block delivery failure rate of the wireless communication
channel via the first device and from the second device exceeds a
failure rate threshold. In addition to the foregoing, other method
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0013] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0014] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for establishing
both a wireless communication channel via a first device and from a
second device and a wireless communication channel from the second
device and via a third device and circuitry for signaling a
decision of how much user data to transmit via the wireless
communication channel from the second device and via the third
device responsive to an indication that a data block delivery
failure rate of the wireless communication channel via the first
device and from the second device exceeds a failure rate threshold.
In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0015] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to establishing both
a wireless communication channel via a first device and from a
second device and a wireless communication channel from the second
device and via a third device and signaling a decision of how much
user data to transmit via the wireless communication channel from
the second device and via the third device responsive to an
indication that a data block delivery failure rate of the wireless
communication channel via the first device and from the second
device exceeds a failure rate threshold. In addition to the
foregoing, other computer program product aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0016] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for establishing both a
wireless communication channel via a first device and from a second
device and a wireless communication channel from the second device
and via a third device and signaling a decision of how much user
data to transmit via the wireless communication channel from the
second device and via the third device responsive to an indication
that a data block delivery failure rate of the wireless
communication channel via the first device and from the second
device exceeds a failure rate threshold. In addition to the
foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0017] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining at a first device
an identifier of a second device and causing the first device to
display a Boolean indication whether or not the second device is
within a wireless local area network communication range of a third
device without a bidirectional interpersonal communication existing
between the first device and the second device. In addition to the
foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0018] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0019] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining at a
first device an identifier of a second device and circuitry for
causing the first device to display a Boolean indication whether or
not the second device is within a wireless local area network
communication range of a third device without a bidirectional
interpersonal communication existing between the first device and
the second device. In addition to the foregoing, other system
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0020] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining at a
first device an identifier of a second device and causing the first
device to display a Boolean indication whether or not the second
device is within a wireless local area network communication range
of a third device without a bidirectional interpersonal
communication existing between the first device and the second
device. In addition to the foregoing, other computer program
product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text
forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0021] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining at a first
device an identifier of a second device and causing the first
device to display a Boolean indication whether or not the second
device is within a wireless local area network communication range
of a third device without a bidirectional interpersonal
communication existing between the first device and the second
device. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0022] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining a Boolean
indication of whether or not a first device exceeded a wireless
service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time
interval, the recent time interval being less than an hour and
signaling an availability to participate in a bidirectional
interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on the
Boolean indication whether or not the first device exceeded the
wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the recent
time interval and partly based on a Boolean indication of the first
device being within a wireless communication range of a second
device. (In such contexts, an interval is "recent" if it began
yesterday or today.) In addition to the foregoing, other method
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0023] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0024] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining a
Boolean indication of whether or not a first device exceeded a
wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent
time interval, the recent time interval being less than an hour and
circuitry for signaling an availability to participate in a
bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly
based on the Boolean indication whether or not the first device
exceeded the wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold
within the recent time interval and partly based on a Boolean
indication of the first device being within a wireless
communication range of a second device. In addition to the
foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0025] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining a
Boolean indication of whether or not a first device exceeded a
wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent
time interval, the recent time interval being less than an hour and
signaling an availability to participate in a bidirectional
interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on the
Boolean indication whether or not the first device exceeded the
wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the recent
time interval and partly based on a Boolean indication of the first
device being within a wireless communication range of a second
device. In addition to the foregoing, other computer program
product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text
forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0026] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining a Boolean
indication of whether or not a first device exceeded a wireless
service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time
interval, the recent time interval being less than an hour and
signaling an availability to participate in a bidirectional
interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on the
Boolean indication whether or not the first device exceeded the
wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the recent
time interval and partly based on a Boolean indication of the first
device being within a wireless communication range of a second
device. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0027] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining via a first device
configuration data establishing a first security protocol;
obtaining via a second device a wireless signal containing access
request data; signaling a decision whether or not to provide a
first network access service via a third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data in the wireless signal
satisfies the first security protocol; and signaling a decision
whether or not to provide a second network access service via the
third device responsive to whether or not the access request data
satisfies a second security protocol, the third device implementing
a firewall between the first network access service and the second
network access service. In addition to the foregoing, other method
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0028] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0029] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining via a
first device configuration data establishing a first security
protocol; circuitry for obtaining via a second device a wireless
signal containing access request data; circuitry for signaling a
decision whether or not to provide a first network access service
via a third device responsive to whether or not the access request
data in the wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol;
and circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to provide a
second network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies a second security
protocol, the third device implementing a firewall between the
first network access service and the second network access service.
In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0030] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining via a
first device configuration data establishing a first security
protocol; obtaining via a second device a wireless signal
containing access request data; signaling a decision whether or not
to provide a first network access service via a third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol; and
signaling a decision whether or not to provide a second network
access service via the third device responsive to whether or not
the access request data satisfies a second security protocol, the
third device implementing a firewall between the first network
access service and the second network access service. In addition
to the foregoing, other computer program product aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0031] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining via a first
device configuration data establishing a first security protocol;
obtaining via a second device a wireless signal containing access
request data; signaling a decision whether or not to provide a
first network access service via a third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data in the wireless signal
satisfies the first security protocol; and signaling a decision
whether or not to provide a second network access service via the
third device responsive to whether or not the access request data
satisfies a second security protocol, the third device implementing
a firewall between the first network access service and the second
network access service. In addition to the foregoing, other system
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0032] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining an indication of a
first wireless communication service having been provided within a
first service region by a first device at an earlier time and
signaling a decision whether or not to indicate the first wireless
communication service being operative within the first service
region as an automatic and conditional response to an indication
from a second device of the first wireless communication service
having been operative within the first service region or not at a
later time. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0033] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0034] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining an
indication of a first wireless communication service having been
provided within a first service region by a first device at an
earlier time and circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not
to indicate the first wireless communication service being
operative within the first service region as an automatic and
conditional response to an indication from a second device of the
first wireless communication service having been operative within
the first service region or not at a later time. In addition to the
foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0035] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining an
indication of a first wireless communication service having been
provided within a first service region by a first device at an
earlier time and signaling a decision whether or not to indicate
the first wireless communication service being operative within the
first service region as an automatic and conditional response to an
indication from a second device of the first wireless communication
service having been operative within the first service region or
not at a later time. In addition to the foregoing, other computer
program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and
text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0036] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining an indication
of a first wireless communication service having been provided
within a first service region by a first device at an earlier time
and signaling a decision whether or not to indicate the first
wireless communication service being operative within the first
service region as an automatic and conditional response to an
indication from a second device of the first wireless communication
service having been operative within the first service region or
not at a later time. In addition to the foregoing, other system
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0037] In addition to the foregoing, various other method and/or
system and/or program product aspects are set forth and described
in the teachings such as text (e.g., claims and/or detailed
description) and/or drawings of the present disclosure. The
foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications,
generalizations, inclusions, and/or omissions of detail;
consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
summary is illustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any way
limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices
and/or processes and/or other subject matter described herein will
become apparent in the teachings set forth below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0038] For a more complete understanding of embodiments, reference
now is made to the following descriptions taken in connection with
the accompanying drawings. The use of the same symbols in different
drawings typically indicates similar or identical items, unless
context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described
in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to
be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes
may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the
subject matter presented here.
[0039] FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented on a city street.
[0040] FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented between a primary device and a
secondary device.
[0041] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented among electrical nodes and
transistors of an integrated circuit.
[0042] FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented in a handheld device.
[0043] FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented in an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC).
[0044] FIG. 6 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented in control logic.
[0045] FIGS. 7-13 each depict another exemplary environment in
which one or more technologies may be implemented in circuitry or
other event-sequencing logic.
[0046] FIG. 14 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in a user interface.
[0047] FIG. 15 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in a stationary device, a
vehicle, or a handheld device.
[0048] FIG. 16 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in a supervisor unit.
[0049] FIG. 17 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in a communications
network.
[0050] FIG. 18 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in circuitry or other
event-sequencing logic.
[0051] FIG. 19 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in a device that
facilitates interpersonal communications.
[0052] FIGS. 20-23 each depict an exemplary environment in which
one or more technologies may be implemented in one or more
data-handling media.
[0053] FIG. 24 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in circuitry or other
event-sequencing logic.
[0054] FIG. 25 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in circuitry or other
event-sequencing logic.
[0055] FIG. 26 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in a detection unit.
[0056] FIG. 27 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented.
[0057] FIG. 32 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process (described with reference to FIG. 27, e.g.).
[0058] FIG. 28 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented.
[0059] FIG. 33 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process (described with reference to FIG. 28, e.g.).
[0060] FIG. 29 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented.
[0061] FIG. 34 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process (described with reference to FIG. 29, e.g.).
[0062] FIG. 30 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented.
[0063] FIG. 35 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process (described with reference to FIG. 30, e.g.).
[0064] FIG. 31 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented.
[0065] FIG. 36 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process (described with reference to FIG. 31, e.g.).
[0066] FIG. 37 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows
(in any of FIGS. 32-36).
[0067] FIG. 38 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows
(in any of FIGS. 32-37).
[0068] FIG. 39 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows
(in any of FIGS. 32-38).
[0069] FIG. 40 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows
(in any of FIGS. 32-39).
[0070] FIG. 41 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows
(in any of FIGS. 32-40).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0071] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the
drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar or identical
components or items, unless context dictates otherwise. The
illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description,
drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other
embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without
departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented
here.
[0072] The present application uses formal outline headings for
clarity of presentation. However, it is to be understood that the
outline headings are for presentation purposes, and that different
types of subject matter may be discussed throughout the application
(e.g., device(s)/structure(s) may be described under
process(es)/operations heading(s) and/or process(es)/operations may
be discussed under structure(s)/process(es) headings; and/or
descriptions of single topics may span two or more topic headings).
Hence, the use of the formal outline headings is not intended to be
in any way limiting.
[0073] Throughout this application, examples and lists are given,
with parentheses, the abbreviation "e.g.," or both. Unless
explicitly otherwise stated, these examples and lists are merely
exemplary and are non-exhaustive. In most cases, it would be
prohibitive to list every example and every combination. Thus,
smaller, illustrative lists and examples are used, with focus on
imparting understanding of the claim terms rather than limiting the
scope of such terms.
[0074] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or
singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate
from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the
plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The
various singular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth
herein for sake of clarity.
[0075] One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein
described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the
discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of
conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are
contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars
set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be
representative of their more general classes. In general, use of
any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its
class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g.,
operations), devices, and objects should not be taken limiting.
[0076] Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state
of the art has progressed to the point where there is little
distinction left between hardware, software, and/or firmware
implementations of aspects of systems; the use of hardware,
software, and/or firmware is generally (but not always, in that in
certain contexts the choice between hardware and software can
become significant) a design choice representing cost vs.
efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciate
that there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems
and/or other technologies described herein can be effected (e.g.,
hardware, software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred
vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes and/or
systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example, if an
implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount, the
implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle;
alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt
for a mainly software implementation; or, yet again alternatively,
the implementer may opt for some combination of hardware, software,
and/or firmware in one or more machines, compositions of matter,
and articles of manufacture, limited to patentable subject matter
under 35 USC 101. Hence, there are several possible vehicles by
which the processes and/or devices and/or other technologies
described herein may be effected, none of which is inherently
superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is a
choice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be
deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or
predictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that optical aspects of
implementations will typically employ optically-oriented hardware,
software, and or firmware.
[0077] In some implementations described herein, logic and similar
implementations may include software or other control structures.
Electronic circuitry, for example, may have one or more paths of
electrical current constructed and arranged to implement various
functions as described herein. In some implementations, one or more
media may be configured to bear a device-detectable implementation
when such media hold or transmit device detectable instructions
operable to perform as described herein. In some variants, for
example, implementations may include an update or modification of
existing software or firmware, or of gate arrays or programmable
hardware, such as by performing a reception of or a transmission of
one or more instructions in relation to one or more operations
described herein. Alternatively or additionally, in some variants,
an implementation may include special-purpose hardware, software,
firmware components, and/or general-purpose components executing or
otherwise invoking special-purpose components. Specifications or
other implementations may be transmitted by one or more instances
of tangible transmission media as described herein, optionally by
packet transmission or otherwise by passing through distributed
media at various times.
[0078] Alternatively or additionally, implementations may include
executing a special-purpose instruction sequence or invoking
circuitry for enabling, triggering, coordinating, requesting, or
otherwise causing one or more occurrences of virtually any
functional operations described herein. In some variants,
operational or other logical descriptions herein may be expressed
as source code and compiled or otherwise invoked as an executable
instruction sequence. In some contexts, for example,
implementations may be provided, in whole or in part, by source
code, such as C++, or other code sequences. In other
implementations, source or other code implementation, using
commercially available and/or techniques in the art, may be
compiled//implemented/translated/converted into a high-level
descriptor language (e.g., initially implementing described
technologies in C or C++ programming language and thereafter
converting the programming language implementation into a
logic-synthesizable language implementation, a hardware description
language implementation, a hardware design simulation
implementation, and/or other such similar mode(s) of expression).
For example, some or all of a logical expression (e.g., computer
programming language implementation) may be manifested as a
Verilog-type hardware description (e.g., via Hardware Description
Language (HDL) and/or Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware
Descriptor Language (VHDL)) or other circuitry model which may then
be used to create a physical implementation having hardware (e.g.,
an Application Specific Integrated Circuit). Those skilled in the
art will recognize how to obtain, configure, and optimize suitable
transmission or computational elements, material supplies,
actuators, or other structures in light of these teachings.
[0079] The claims, description, and drawings of this application
may describe one or more of the instant technologies in
operational/functional language, for example as a set of operations
to be performed by a computer. Such operational/functional
description in most instances would be understood by one skilled
the art as specifically-configured hardware (e.g., because a
general purpose computer in effect becomes a special purpose
computer once it is programmed to perform particular functions
pursuant to instructions from program software).
[0080] Importantly, although the operational/functional
descriptions described herein are understandable by the human mind,
they are not abstract ideas of the operations/functions divorced
from computational implementation of those operations/functions.
Rather, the operations/functions represent a specification for
massively complex computational machines or other means. As
discussed in detail below, the operational/functional language must
be read in its proper technological context, i.e., as concrete
specifications for physical implementations.
[0081] The logical operations/functions described herein are a
distillation of machine specifications or other physical mechanisms
specified by the operations/functions such that the otherwise
inscrutable machine specifications may be comprehensible to a human
reader. The distillation also allows one of skill in the art to
adapt the operational/functional description of the technology
across many different specific vendors' hardware configurations or
platforms, without being limited to specific vendors' hardware
configurations or platforms.
[0082] Some of the present technical description (e.g., detailed
description, drawings, claims, etc.) may be set forth in terms of
logical operations/functions. As described in more detail herein,
these logical operations/functions are not representations of
abstract ideas, but rather are representative of static or
sequenced specifications of various hardware elements. Differently
stated, unless context dictates otherwise, the logical
operations/functions will be understood by those of skill in the
art to be representative of static or sequenced specifications of
various hardware elements. This is true because tools available to
one of skill in the art to implement technical disclosures set
forth in operational/functional formats--tools in the form of a
high-level programming language (e.g., C, java, visual basic),
etc.), or tools in the form of Very high speed Hardware Description
Language ("VHDL," which is a language that uses text to describe
logic circuits)--are generators of static or sequenced
specifications of various hardware configurations. This fact is
sometimes obscured by the broad term "software," but, as shown by
the following explanation, those skilled in the art understand that
what is termed "software" is a shorthand for a massively complex
interchaining/specification of ordered-matter elements. The term
"ordered-matter elements" may refer to physical components of
computation, such as assemblies of electronic logic gates,
molecular computing logic constituents, quantum computing
mechanisms, etc.
[0083] For example, a high-level programming language is a
programming language with strong abstraction, e.g., multiple levels
of abstraction, from the details of the sequential organizations,
states, inputs, outputs, etc., of the machines that a high-level
programming language actually specifies. See, e.g., Wikipedia,
High-level programming language,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-level_programming_language (as of
Jun. 5, 2012, 21:00 GMT). In order to facilitate human
comprehension, in many instances, high-level programming languages
resemble or even share symbols with natural languages. See, e.g.,
Wikipedia, Natural language,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_language (as of Jun. 5, 2012,
21:00 GMT).
[0084] It has been argued that because high-level programming
languages use strong abstraction (e.g., that they may resemble or
share symbols with natural languages), they are therefore a "purely
mental construct" (e.g., that "software"--a computer program or
computer programming--is somehow an ineffable mental construct,
because at a high level of abstraction, it can be conceived and
understood by a human reader). This argument has been used to
characterize technical description in the form of
functions/operations as somehow "abstract ideas." In fact, in
technological arts (e.g., the information and communication
technologies) this is not true.
[0085] The fact that high-level programming languages use strong
abstraction to facilitate human understanding should not be taken
as an indication that what is expressed is an abstract idea. In
fact, those skilled in the art understand that just the opposite is
true. If a high-level programming language is the tool used to
implement a technical disclosure in the form of
functions/operations, those skilled in the art will recognize that,
far from being abstract, imprecise, "fuzzy," or "mental" in any
significant semantic sense, such a tool is instead a near
incomprehensibly precise sequential specification of specific
computational machines--the parts of which are built up by
activating/selecting such parts from typically more general
computational machines over time (e.g., clocked time). This fact is
sometimes obscured by the superficial similarities between
high-level programming languages and natural languages. These
superficial similarities also may cause a glossing over of the fact
that high-level programming language implementations ultimately
perform valuable work by creating/controlling many different
computational machines.
[0086] The many different computational machines that a high-level
programming language specifies are almost unimaginably complex. At
base, the hardware used in the computational machines typically
consists of some type of ordered matter (e.g., traditional
electronic devices (e.g., transistors), deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA), quantum devices, mechanical switches, optics, fluidics,
pneumatics, optical devices (e.g., optical interference devices),
molecules, etc.) that are arranged to form logic gates. Logic gates
are typically physical devices that may be electrically,
mechanically, chemically, or otherwise driven to change physical
state in order to create a physical reality of logic, such as
Boolean logic.
[0087] Logic gates may be arranged to form logic circuits, which
are typically physical devices that may be electrically,
mechanically, chemically, or otherwise driven to create a physical
reality of certain logical functions. Types of logic circuits
include such devices as multiplexers, registers, arithmetic logic
units (ALUs), computer memory, etc., each type of which may be
combined to form yet other types of physical devices, such as a
central processing unit (CPU)--the best known of which is the
microprocessor. A modern microprocessor will often contain more
than one hundred million logic gates in its many logic circuits
(and often more than a billion transistors). See, e.g., Wikipedia,
Logic gates, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_gates (as of Jun.
5, 2012, 21:03 GMT).
[0088] The logic circuits forming the microprocessor are arranged
to provide a microarchitecture that will carry out the instructions
defined by that microprocessor's defined Instruction Set
Architecture. The Instruction Set Architecture is the part of the
microprocessor architecture related to programming, including the
native data types, instructions, registers, addressing modes,
memory architecture, interrupt and exception handling, and external
Input/Output. See, e.g., Wikipedia, Computer architecture,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_architecture (as of Jun. 5,
2012, 21:03 GMT).
[0089] The Instruction Set Architecture includes a specification of
the machine language that can be used by programmers to use/control
the microprocessor. Since the machine language instructions are
such that they may be executed directly by the microprocessor,
typically they consist of strings of binary digits, or bits. For
example, a typical machine language instruction might be many bits
long (e.g., 32, 64, or 128 bit strings are currently common). A
typical machine language instruction might take the form
"11110000101011110000111100111111" (a 32 bit instruction).
[0090] It is significant here that, although the machine language
instructions are written as sequences of binary digits, in
actuality those binary digits specify physical reality. For
example, if certain semiconductors are used to make the operations
of Boolean logic a physical reality, the apparently mathematical
bits "1" and "0" in a machine language instruction actually
constitute a shorthand that specifies the application of specific
voltages to specific wires. For example, in some semiconductor
technologies, the binary number "1" (e.g., logical "1") in a
machine language instruction specifies around +5 volts applied to a
specific "wire" (e.g., metallic traces on a printed circuit board)
and the binary number "0" (e.g., logical "0") in a machine language
instruction specifies around -5 volts applied to a specific "wire."
In addition to specifying voltages of the machines' configurations,
such machine language instructions also select out and activate
specific groupings of logic gates from the millions of logic gates
of the more general machine. Thus, far from abstract mathematical
expressions, machine language instruction programs, even though
written as a string of zeros and ones, specify many, many
constructed physical machines or physical machine states.
[0091] Machine language is typically incomprehensible by most
humans (e.g., the above example was just ONE instruction, and some
personal computers execute more than two billion instructions every
second). See, e.g., Wikipedia, Instructions per second,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second (as of Jun. 5,
2012, 21:04 GMT). Thus, programs written in machine language--which
may be tens of millions of machine language instructions long--are
incomprehensible to most humans. In view of this, early assembly
languages were developed that used mnemonic codes to refer to
machine language instructions, rather than using the machine
language instructions' numeric values directly (e.g., for
performing a multiplication operation, programmers coded the
abbreviation "mult," which represents the binary number "011000" in
MIPS machine code). While assembly languages were initially a great
aid to humans controlling the microprocessors to perform work, in
time the complexity of the work that needed to be done by the
humans outstripped the ability of humans to control the
microprocessors using merely assembly languages.
[0092] At this point, it was noted that the same tasks needed to be
done over and over, and the machine language necessary to do those
repetitive tasks was the same. In view of this, compilers were
created. A compiler is a device that takes a statement that is more
comprehensible to a human than either machine or assembly language,
such as "add 2+2 and output the result," and translates that human
understandable statement into a complicated, tedious, and immense
machine language code (e.g., millions of 32, 64, or 128 bit length
strings). Compilers thus translate high-level programming language
into machine language.
[0093] This compiled machine language, as described above, is then
used as the technical specification which sequentially constructs
and causes the interoperation of many different computational
machines such that useful, tangible, and concrete work is done. For
example, as indicated above, such machine language--the compiled
version of the higher-level language--functions as a technical
specification which selects out hardware logic gates, specifies
voltage levels, voltage transition timings, etc., such that the
useful work is accomplished by the hardware.
[0094] Thus, a functional/operational technical description, when
viewed by one of skill in the art, is far from an abstract idea.
Rather, such a functional/operational technical description, when
understood through the tools available in the art such as those
just described, is instead understood to be a humanly
understandable representation of a hardware specification, the
complexity and specificity of which far exceeds the comprehension
of most any one human. With this in mind, those skilled in the art
will understand that any such operational/functional technical
descriptions--in view of the disclosures herein and the knowledge
of those skilled in the art--may be understood as operations made
into physical reality by (a) one or more interchained physical
machines, (b) interchained logic gates configured to create one or
more physical machine(s) representative of sequential/combinatorial
logic(s), (c) interchained ordered matter making up logic gates
(e.g., interchained electronic devices (e.g., transistors), DNA,
quantum devices, mechanical switches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics,
molecules, etc.) that create physical reality of logic(s), or (d)
virtually any combination of the foregoing. Indeed, any physical
object which has a stable, measurable, and changeable state may be
used to construct a machine based on the above technical
description. Charles Babbage, for example, constructed the first
mechanized computational apparatus out of wood, with the apparatus
powered by cranking a handle.
[0095] Thus, far from being understood as an abstract idea, those
skilled in the art will recognize a functional/operational
technical description as a humanly-understandable representation of
one or more almost unimaginably complex and time sequenced hardware
instantiations. The fact that functional/operational technical
descriptions might lend themselves readily to high-level computing
languages (or high-level block diagrams for that matter) that share
some words, structures, phrases, etc. with natural language should
not be taken as an indication that such functional/operational
technical descriptions are abstract ideas, or mere expressions of
abstract ideas. In fact, as outlined herein, in the technological
arts this is simply not true. When viewed through the tools
available to those of skill in the art, such functional/operational
technical descriptions are seen as specifying hardware
configurations of almost unimaginable complexity.
[0096] As outlined above, the reason for the use of
functional/operational technical descriptions is at least twofold.
First, the use of functional/operational technical descriptions
allows near-infinitely complex machines and machine operations
arising from interchained hardware elements to be described in a
manner that the human mind can process (e.g., by mimicking natural
language and logical narrative flow). Second, the use of
functional/operational technical descriptions assists the person of
skill in the art in understanding the described subject matter by
providing a description that is more or less independent of any
specific vendor's piece(s) of hardware.
[0097] The use of functional/operational technical descriptions
assists the person of skill in the art in understanding the
described subject matter since, as is evident from the above
discussion, one could easily, although not quickly, transcribe the
technical descriptions set forth in this document as trillions of
ones and zeroes, billions of single lines of assembly-level machine
code, millions of logic gates, thousands of gate arrays, or any
number of intermediate levels of abstractions. However, if any such
low-level technical descriptions were to replace the present
technical description, a person of skill in the art could encounter
undue difficulty in implementing the disclosure, because such a
low-level technical description would likely add complexity without
a corresponding benefit (e.g., by describing the subject matter
utilizing the conventions of one or more vendor-specific pieces of
hardware). Thus, the use of functional/operational technical
descriptions assists those of skill in the art by separating the
technical descriptions from the conventions of any vendor-specific
piece of hardware.
[0098] In view of the foregoing, the logical operations/functions
set forth in the present technical description are representative
of static or sequenced specifications of various ordered-matter
elements, in order that such specifications may be comprehensible
to the human mind and adaptable to create many various hardware
configurations. The logical operations/functions disclosed herein
should be treated as such, and should not be disparagingly
characterized as abstract ideas merely because the specifications
they represent are presented in a manner that one of skill in the
art can readily understand and apply in a manner independent of a
specific vendor's hardware implementation.
[0099] Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common
within the art to implement devices and/or processes and/or
systems, and thereafter use engineering and/or other practices to
integrate such implemented devices and/or processes and/or systems
into more comprehensive devices and/or processes and/or systems.
That is, at least a portion of the devices and/or processes and/or
systems described herein can be integrated into other devices
and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount of
experimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize that
examples of such other devices and/or processes and/or systems
might include--as appropriate to context and application--all or
part of devices and/or processes and/or systems of (a) an air
conveyance (e.g., an airplane, rocket, helicopter, etc.) , (b) a
ground conveyance (e.g., a car, truck, locomotive, tank, armored
personnel carrier, etc.), (c) a building (e.g., a home, warehouse,
office, etc.), (d) an appliance (e.g., a refrigerator, a washing
machine, a dryer, etc.), (e) a communications system (e.g., a
networked system, a telephone system, a Voice over IP system,
etc.), (f) a business entity (e.g., an Internet Service Provider
(ISP) entity such as Comcast Cable, Qwest, Southwestern Bell,
etc.), or (g) a wired/wireless services entity (e.g., Sprint,
Cingular, Nextel, etc.), etc.
[0100] In certain cases, use of a system or method may occur in a
territory even if components are located outside the territory. For
example, in a distributed computing context, use of a distributed
computing system may occur in a territory even though parts of the
system may be located outside of the territory (e.g., relay,
server, processor, signal-bearing medium, transmitting computer,
receiving computer, etc. located outside the territory).
[0101] A sale of a system or method may likewise occur in a
territory even if components of the system or method are located
and/or used outside the territory. Further, implementation of at
least part of a system for performing a method in one territory
does not preclude use of the system in another territory
[0102] One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein
described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the
discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of
conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are
contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars
set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be
representative of their more general classes. In general, use of
any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its
class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g.,
operations), devices, and objects should not be taken limiting.
[0103] The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates
different components contained within, or connected with, different
other components. It is to be understood that such depicted
architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other
architectures may be implemented which achieve the same
functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components
to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such
that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two
components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality
can be seen as "associated with" each other such that the desired
functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or
intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated
can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably
coupled," to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and
any two components capable of being so associated can also be
viewed as being "operably couplable," to each other to achieve the
desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable
include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or
physically interacting components, and/or wirelessly interactable,
and/or wirelessly interacting components, and/or logically
interacting, and/or logically interactable components.
[0104] In some instances, one or more components may be referred to
herein as "configured to," "configured by," "configurable to,"
"operable/operative to," "adapted/adaptable," "able to,"
"conformable/conformed to," etc. Those skilled in the art will
recognize that such terms (e.g. "configured to") generally
encompass active-state components and/or inactive-state components
and/or standby-state components, unless context requires
otherwise.
[0105] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize
that the various embodiments described herein can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by various types of
electro-mechanical systems having a wide range of electrical
components such as hardware, software, firmware, and/or virtually
any combination thereof, limited to patentable subject matter under
35 U.S.C. 101; and a wide range of components that may impart
mechanical force or motion such as rigid bodies, spring or
torsional bodies, hydraulics, electro-magnetically actuated
devices, and/or virtually any combination thereof. Consequently, as
used herein "electro-mechanical system" includes, but is not
limited to, electrical circuitry operably coupled with a transducer
(e.g., an actuator, a motor, a piezoelectric crystal, a Micro
Electro Mechanical System (MEMS), etc.), electrical circuitry
having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical
circuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical
circuitry having at least one application specific integrated
circuit, electrical circuitry forming a general purpose computing
device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose
computer configured by a computer program which at least partially
carries out processes and/or devices described herein, or a
microprocessor configured by a computer program which at least
partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein),
electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of memory
(e.g., random access, flash, read only, etc.)), electrical
circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem,
communications switch, optical-electrical equipment, etc.), and/or
any non-electrical analog thereto, such as optical or other analogs
(e.g., graphene based circuitry). Those skilled in the art will
also appreciate that examples of electro-mechanical systems include
but are not limited to a variety of consumer electronics systems,
medical devices, as well as other systems such as motorized
transport systems, factory automation systems, security systems,
and/or communication/computing systems. Those skilled in the art
will recognize that electro-mechanical as used herein is not
necessarily limited to a system that has both electrical and
mechanical actuation except as context may dictate otherwise.
[0106] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize
that the various aspects described herein which can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware,
software, firmware, and/or any combination thereof can be viewed as
being composed of various types of "electrical circuitry."
Consequently, as used herein "electrical circuitry" includes, but
is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one
discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least
one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one
application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry
forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer
program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer
program which at least partially carries out processes and/or
devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a
computer program which at least partially carries out processes
and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a
memory device (e.g., forms of memory (e.g., random access, flash,
read only, etc.)), and/or electrical circuitry forming a
communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch,
optical-electrical equipment, etc.). Those having skill in the art
will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be
implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combination
thereof.
[0107] Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a
portion of the devices and/or processes described herein can be
integrated into a data processing system. Those having skill in the
art will recognize that a data processing system generally includes
one or more of a system unit housing, a video display device,
memory such as volatile or non-volatile memory, processors such as
microprocessors or digital signal processors, computational
entities such as operating systems, drivers, graphical user
interfaces, and applications programs, one or more interaction
devices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.),
and/or control systems including feedback loops and control motors
(e.g., feedback for sensing position and/or velocity; control
motors for moving and/or adjusting components and/or quantities). A
data processing system may be implemented utilizing suitable
commercially available components, such as those typically found in
data computing/communication and/or network computing/communication
systems.
[0108] For the purposes of this application, "cloud" computing may
be understood as described in the cloud computing literature. For
example, cloud computing may be methods and/or systems for the
delivery of computational capacity and/or storage capacity as a
service. The "cloud" may refer to one or more hardware and/or
software components that deliver or assist in the delivery of
computational and/or storage capacity, including, but not limited
to, one or more of a client, an application, a platform, an
infrastructure, and/or a server The cloud may refer to any of the
hardware and/or software associated with a client, an application,
a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server. For example, cloud
and cloud computing may refer to one or more of a computer, a
processor, a storage medium, a router, a switch, a modem, a virtual
machine (e.g., a virtual server), a data center, an operating
system, a middleware, a firmware, a hardware back-end, a software
back-end, and/or a software application. A cloud may refer to a
private cloud, a public cloud, a hybrid cloud, and/or a community
cloud. A cloud may be a shared pool of configurable computing
resources, which may be public, private, semi-private,
distributable, scaleable, flexible, temporary, virtual, and/or
physical. A cloud or cloud service may be delivered over one or
more types of network, e.g., a mobile communication network, and
the Internet.
[0109] As used in this application, a cloud or a cloud service may
include one or more of infrastructure-as-a-service ("IaaS"),
platform-as-a-service ("PaaS"), software-as-a-service ("SaaS"),
and/or desktop-as-a-service ("DaaS"). As a non-exclusive example,
IaaS may include, e.g., one or more virtual server instantiations
that may start, stop, access, and/or configure virtual servers
and/or storage centers (e.g., providing one or more processors,
storage space, and/or network resources on-demand, e.g., EMC and
Rackspace). PaaS may include, e.g., one or more software and/or
development tools hosted on an infrastructure (e.g., a computing
platform and/or a solution stack from which the client can create
software interfaces and applications, e.g., Microsoft Azure). SaaS
may include, e.g., software hosted by a service provider and
accessible over a network (e.g., the software for the application
and/or the data associated with that software application may be
kept on the network, e.g., Google Apps, SalesForce). DaaS may
include, e.g., providing desktop, applications, data, and/or
services for the user over a network (e.g., providing a
multi-application framework, the applications in the framework, the
data associated with the applications, and/or services related to
the applications and/or the data over the network, e.g., Citrix).
The foregoing is intended to be exemplary of the types of systems
and/or methods referred to in this application as "cloud" or "cloud
computing" and should not be considered complete or exhaustive.
[0110] The proliferation of automation in many transactions is
apparent. For example, Automated Teller Machines ("ATMs") dispense
money and receive deposits. Airline ticket counter machines check
passengers in, dispense tickets, and allow passengers to change or
upgrade flights. Train and subway ticket counter machines allow
passengers to purchase a ticket to a particular destination without
invoking a human interaction at all. Many groceries and pharmacies
have self-service checkout machines which allow a consumer to pay
for goods purchased by interacting only with a machine. Large
companies now staff telephone answering systems with machines that
interact with customers, and invoke a human in the transaction only
if there is a problem with the machine-facilitated transaction.
[0111] Nevertheless, as such automation increases, convenience and
accessibility may decrease. Self-checkout machines at grocery
stores may be difficult to operate. ATMs and ticket counter
machines may be mostly inaccessible to disabled persons or persons
requiring special access. Where before, the interaction with a
human would allow disabled persons to complete transactions with
relative ease, if a disabled person is unable to push the buttons
on an ATM, there is little the machine can do to facilitate the
transaction to completion. While some of these public terminals
allow speech operations, they are configured to the most generic
forms of speech, which may be less useful in recognizing particular
speakers, thereby leading to frustration for users attempting to
speak to the machine. This problem may be especially challenging
for the disabled, who already may face significant challenges in
completing transactions with automated machines.
[0112] In addition, smartphones and tablet devices also now are
configured to receive speech commands. Speech and voice controlled
automobile systems now appear regularly in motor vehicles, even in
economical, mass-produced vehicles. Home entertainment devices,
e.g., disc players, televisions, radios, stereos, and the like, may
respond to speech commands. Additionally, home security systems may
respond to speech commands. In an office setting, a worker's
computer may respond to speech from that worker, allowing faster,
more efficient work flows. Such systems and machines may be trained
to operate with particular users, either through explicit training
or through repeated interactions. Nevertheless, when that system is
upgraded or replaced, e.g., a new television is purchased, that
training may be lost with the device. Thus, in some embodiments
described herein, adaptation data for speech recognition systems
may be separated from the device which recognizes the speech, and
may be more closely associated with a user, e.g., through a device
carried by the user, or through a network location associated with
the user.
[0113] Further, in some environments, there may be more than one
device that transmits and receives data within a range of
interacting with a user. For example, merely sitting on a couch
watching television may involve five or more devices, e.g., a
television, a cable box, an audio/visual receiver, a remote
control, and a smartphone device. Some of these devices may
transmit or receive speech data. Some of these devices may
transmit, receive, or store adaptation data, as will be described
in more detail herein. Thus, in some embodiments, which will be
described in more detail herein, there may be methods, systems, and
devices for determining which devices in a system should perform
actions that allow a user to efficiently interact with an intended
device through that user's speech.
[0114] With reference now to FIG. 1, shown is an example of a
system 100 in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A
wearable article (earpiece 167, e.g.) is operably coupled with a
handheld device 2760 that includes one or more instances of
initiation modules 171, 172, 173, 174 or of response modules 181,
182, 183, 184, 185, 186. When in use (by user 101, e.g.) device
2760 may be operably coupled via a first channel (comprising a WLAN
or other wireless linkage 151 and a wall-mounted device 150 in
region 155 and a second linkage 152, e.g.) to one or more other
devices in network 190. Alternatively or additionally, device 2760
may (optionally) be operably coupled via a second channel
(comprising a wireless linkage 161 and a device 160 comprising a
vehicle implementing a mobile hotspot in region 165 and a second
linkage 162, e.g.) to network 190.
[0115] With reference now to FIG. 2, shown is another example of a
system 200 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Primary device 210 (a vehicle or router or integrated circuit,
e.g.) may include one or more instances of a general-purpose
central processing unit (CPU) 212 (comprising an internal cache
215, e.g.); of non-volatile memories 241, 242, 243 (a phase-change
memory 231 or removable memory 232, e.g.); or of volatile memories
261, 262 (a cache 255, e.g.). In some variants, secondary device
220 may include one or more instances of CPUs 222, non-volatile
memories 271, volatile memories 272, or configuration units 280.
One or both of primary and secondary devices 210, 220 may be a
tablet computer or smartphone (device 2760, e.g.) with an Android
operating system and an antenna 205 configure to facilitate a
wireless linkage 295 between them.
[0116] With reference now to FIG. 3, shown is another example of a
system 300 in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A
circuit board 360 includes several integrated circuits (ICs) 361,
362, 363, 364, 365, 366. Integrated circuitry 310 within IC 361,
for example, includes transistors 351, 352 each formed onto a
single dielectric substrate 307. Transistor 351, for example,
comprises a control terminal (a gate or base, e.g.) at node 342 and
two end terminals (at nodes 341, 343) as shown. Such formation may
be achieved by a series of several lithographic processes (chemical
and thermal and optical treatments for applying and treating and
etching dielectrics or dopants or other materials, e.g.). Many
millions of such transistors 351, 352 are linked in a network of
signal-bearing conduits 308 (forked or other serpentine signal
traces, e.g.) according to intricate circuit designs formed of
circuit blocks (initiation modules 171-174 and response modules
181-186, e.g.) of a same general type as those described herein.
Even among the relatively complex circuit blocks presented herein
in context, however, many such blocks (excluding a variety of
components such as antenna 205, e.g.) are linked by electrical
nodes 341, 342, 343, 344 each having a corresponding nominal
voltage level 311, 312, 313, 314 that is spatially uniform
generally throughout the node (within a device or local system as
described herein, e.g.). Such nodes (lines on an integrated circuit
or circuit board 360, e.g.) may each comprise a forked or other
signal path (adjacent one or more transistors 351, 352, e.g.).
Moreover many Boolean values (yes-or-no decisions, e.g.) may each
be manifested as either a "low" or "high" voltage, for example,
according to a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS),
emitter-coupled logic (ECL), or other common semiconductor
configuration protocol.
[0117] In some variants, primary device 210 comprises a circuit
board 360 upon which a metamaterial antenna system is constructed.
In light of teachings herein, in fact, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing such antennas for use as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,299,967 ("Non planar metamaterial antenna structures");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,081,138 ("Antenna structure with antenna radome and
method for rising gain thereof"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,072,291 ("Compact
dual band metamaterial based hybrid ring coupler"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,847,739 ("Antennas based on metamaterial structures"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,218,190 ("Waveguides and scattering devices incorporating
epsilon-negative and/or mu-negative slabs"); U.S. Pat. No.
6,958,729 ("Phased array metamaterial antenna system"); U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/925,511 ("Metamaterial surfaces"); U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/220,703 ("Emitting and negatively
refractive focusing apparatus methods and systems"); and U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/156,443 ("Focusing and sensing
apparatus methods and systems").
[0118] With reference now to FIG. 4, shown is another view of the
mobile device 2760 introduced in FIG. 1 in which a speaker 442,
camera 443, and display 445 (touchscreen, e.g.) are visible. Also
within device 2760 as shown is at least an integrated circuit 440
and a power source 441 (rechargeable battery, e.g.). A few of the
electrical nodes thereof (comprising pads 435 along the sides as
shown, e.g.) provide external connectivity (for power or ground or
input signals or output signals, e.g.) via bonding wires, not
shown. Significant blocks of integrated circuitry 310 on integrated
circuit 440 include special-purpose modules 425, 428 (comprising a
sensor or other hard-wired special-purpose circuitry as described
below, e.g.); and different structures of memory 431, 432 (volatile
or non-volatile, e.g.) interlinked by numerous signal-bearing
conduits 308 (each comprising an internal node, e.g.) and otherwise
configured as described below. See FIGS. 6 & 26.
[0119] With reference now to FIG. 5, shown is another example of a
system in which one or more technologies may be implemented
comprising a schematic view of an application-specific integrated
circuit (ASIC) 540. ASIC 540 may (optionally) include a queue 570
(implemented in a volatile memory 272, 432, e.g.) comprising a
series of items 571, 572, 573 (data blocks or tasks, e.g.) for
handling (by a central processing unit 222 or other core, e.g.).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which ASIC 540
implements secondary device 220 or IC 363. Alternatively or
additionally, ASIC 540 may include a queue 580 (implemented in
non-volatile memory 431 or volatile memory 272, e.g.) comprising a
series of items 581, 582, 583 (data blocks or tasks, e.g.) for
processing (by a hard-wired special-purpose module 425 or
general-purpose CPU 212 configured to execute special-purpose
software, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, special-purpose
modules specifically identified herein (as circuitry in FIGS. 6-14,
e.g.) may be implemented selectively by configuration (in a
field-programmable gate array, e.g.) by a remote device (via a
wireless linkage 162, e.g.) under various circumstances as
described below. In some variants, for example, a gate array
(comprising integrated circuit 366, e.g.) may implement an FFT
module 591, 592 or sorting module 594, 595 or detection module 598,
599 in a manifestation that is remotely reconfigurable. This can
occur, for example, in a context in which other such functional
implementations (a rarely used FFT module 592, e.g.) are currently
either omitted or manifested as software instead (as a module
resident in a memory and executable by a core, e.g.).
[0120] With reference now to FIG. 6, shown is an example of a
system 600 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. Control logic 610 may (optionally)
include one or more instances of temperature sensors 608 having a
corresponding state 618 (current temperature, e.g.). Alternatively
or additionally, control logic 610 may (optionally) include one or
more instances of a general-purpose multimodal cores 635 configured
to process instructions in one of the following modes: an
"error-tolerant" operating mode 630 (relative to the other modes,
e.g.) or a "high-latency" operating mode 631 (relative to the other
modes, e.g.) or a "high-performance" operating mode 632 (relative
to the other modes, e.g.). In some contexts a multimodal core 635
may also be configured to do nothing (in an "idle" or "off" mode,
e.g.) or to operate in some other mode instead (a "normal" mode,
e.g.). As further explained below, in some contexts, control logic
610 may likewise include one or more instances (1) of
special-purpose circuitry configured to cause a data component of a
wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a
handheld device as an automatic and conditional response to a
thermal state of a temperature sensor in the handheld device 671;
(2) of special-purpose circuitry configured to signal a decision
whether or not to cause a configurable core to change core
operating modes as an automatic and conditional response to a
thermal state of a temperature sensor 672; or (3) of
special-purpose circuitry configured to cause a configurable core
to draw from a data queue of a particular device 681, 682, 683.
[0121] Several variants described herein refer to device-detectable
"implementations" such as one or more instances of
computer-readable code, transistor or latch connectivity layouts or
other geometric expressions of logical elements, firmware or
software expressions of transfer functions implementing
computational specifications, digital expressions of truth tables,
or the like. Such instances can, in some implementations, include
source code or other human-readable portions. Alternatively or
additionally, functions of implementations described herein may
constitute one or more device-detectable outputs such as decisions,
manifestations, side effects, results, coding or other expressions,
displayable images, data files, data associations, statistical
correlations, streaming signals, intensity levels, frequencies or
other measurable attributes, packets or other encoded expressions,
or the like from invoking or monitoring the implementation as
described herein.
[0122] In some embodiments, a "state" of a component may comprise
"available" or some other such state-descriptive labels, an event
count or other such memory values, a partial depletion or other
such physical property of a supply device, a voltage, or any other
such conditions or attributes that may change between two or more
possible values irrespective of device location. Such states may be
received directly as a measurement or other detection, in some
variants, and/or may be inferred from a component's behavior over
time. A distributed or other composite system may comprise
vector-valued device states, moreover, which may affect
dispensations or departures in various ways as exemplified
herein.
[0123] "Automatic," "conditional," "detectable," "handheld,"
"bidirectional," "effective," "employed," "explicit," "in a
vicinity," "local," "wireless," "portable," "mobile," "recent,"
"incrementally," "multiple," "objective," "interpersonal," "ad
hoc," "single," "between," "particular," "isotropic," "thermal,"
"within," "passive," "partly," "prior," "proximate," "associated,"
"audible," "received," "remote," "responsive," "earlier,"
"resident," "later," "operative," "selective," "specific,"
"special-purpose," "caused," "stationary," "between," "matching,"
"significant," "common," or other such descriptors herein are used
in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless
context dictates otherwise. In light of the present disclosure
those skilled in the art will understand from context what is meant
by "vicinity," by being "in" a region or "within" a range, by
"remote," and by other such positional descriptors used herein.
Terms like "processor," "center," "unit," "computer," or other such
descriptors herein are used in their normal sense, in reference to
an inanimate structure. Such terms do not include any people,
irrespective of their location or employment or other association
with the thing described, unless context dictates otherwise. "For"
is not used to articulate a mere intended purpose in phrases like
"circuitry for" or "instruction for," moreover, but is used
normally, in descriptively identifying special purpose software or
structures.
[0124] In some embodiments a "manual" occurrence includes, but is
not limited to, one that results from one or more actions
consciously taken by a device user in real time. Conversely an
"automatic" occurrence is not affected by any action consciously
taken by a device user in real time except where context dictates
otherwise.
[0125] In some embodiments, "signaling" something can include
identifying, contacting, requesting, selecting, or indicating the
thing. In some cases a signaled thing is susceptible to fewer than
all of these aspects, of course, such as a task definition that
cannot be "contacted."
[0126] In some embodiments, "status indicative" data can reflect a
trend or other time-dependent phenomenon. Alternatively or
additionally, a status indicative data set can include portions
that have no bearing upon such status. Although some types of
distillations can require authority or substantial expertise, many
other types of distillations can readily be implemented without
undue experimentation in light of teachings herein.
[0127] In some embodiments, "causing" events can include
triggering, producing or otherwise directly or indirectly bringing
the events to pass. This can include causing the events remotely,
concurrently, partially, or otherwise as a "cause in fact," whether
or not a more immediate cause also exists.
[0128] Some descriptions herein refer to an "indication whether" an
event has occurred. An indication is "positive" if it indicates
that the event has occurred, irrespective of its numerical sign or
lack thereof. Whether positive or negative, such indications may be
weak (i.e. slightly probative), definitive, or many levels in
between. In some cases the "indication" may include a portion that
is indeterminate, such as an irrelevant portion of a useful
photograph.
[0129] Some descriptions herein refer to a "device" or other
physical article. A physical "article" described herein may be a
long fiber, a transistor 351, a submarine, or any other such
contiguous physical object. An "article" may likewise be a portion
of a device as described herein (part of a memory 432 or a speaker
442 of a smartphone, e.g.) or a mechanically coupled grouping of
devices (a tablet computer with a removable memory 232 and earpiece
167 attached, e.g.) as described herein, except where context
dictates otherwise. A communication "linkage" may refer to a
unidirectional or bidirectional signal path via one or more
articles (antennas 205 or other signal-bearing conduit 308, e.g.)
except where context dictates otherwise. Such linkages may, in some
contexts, pass through a free space medium or a network 190. See
FIGS. 17 & 28.
[0130] With reference now to FIG. 7, shown is an example of a
system 700 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. Contiguous or other
event-sequencing logic 710 may (optionally) include one or more
instances of activation modules 708, 709; of dual-mode cores 711,
712 (each having a lower-voltage operating mode 721 and a
higher-voltage operating mode 722, e.g.); or of other cores 731,
732, 733. In some contexts event-sequencing logic 710 (implemented
in a circuit board 360 or ASIC 540, e.g.) may also include one or
more instances of Boolean values 741-745 or of scalar quantities (a
volume 706 or other quantification expressed in a plurality of
electrical nodes, e.g.) each expressed as one or more bits. See
FIGS. 2, 3, and 20-23 (depicting data-handling media suitable for
expressing such individual values digitally, e.g.). Also as further
explained below, in some contexts, event-sequencing logic 710 may
include one or more instances (1) of special-purpose circuitry
configured to signal a decision of how many cores to draw
simultaneously from a single data queue of a mobile device as an
automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data
volume of the data queue crossing a volume threshold 751, 752 or
(2) of special-purpose circuitry configured to signal a decision
whether or not to cause a configurable core to change core
operating modes as an automatic and conditional response to an
indication of a data volume of a data queue crossing a volume
threshold 761, 762.
[0131] With reference now to FIG. 8, shown is an example of a
system 800 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Event-sequencing logic 810 may manifest one or more instances (a)
of circuitry configured to cause a sorting module in an FPGA of a
mobile device to process a data component of a wireless signal
after a configuration component of the wireless signal causes the
FPGA to implement the sorting module 861, 862; (b) of an FPGA 870;
(c) of configuration components 881 or data components 882 of a
signal; or (d) of event-sequencing logic 710. In some contexts, for
example, FPGA 870 may be configured or reconfigured to implement a
sorting module 875 (a bubble sort utility, e.g.) or other such
utility modules as described below.
[0132] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for configuring a field programmable gate
array (FPGA) as described herein without undue experimentation.
See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,341,469 ("Configuration device for
configuring FPGA"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,327,117 ("Reconfigurable FADEC
with flash based FPGA control channel and ASIC sensor signal
processor for aircraft engine control"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,294,396
("Compact FPGA-based digital motor controller"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,225,081 ("Updating programmable logic devices"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,205,066 ("Dynamically configured coprocessor for different
extended instruction set personality specific to application
program with shared memory storing instructions invisibly
dispatched from host processor"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,037 ("Data
storage device capable of recognizing and controlling multiple
types of memory chips operating at different voltages"); U.S. Pat.
No. 8,190,699 ("System and method of multi-path data
communications"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,166,237 ("Configurable allocation
of thread queue resources in an FPGA"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,095,508
("Intelligent data storage and processing using FPGA devices"); and
U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,275 ("Network-based system for configuring a
programmable hardware element in a measurement system using
hardware configuration programs generated based on a user
specification").
[0133] With reference now to FIG. 9, shown is an example of a
system 900 in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A
password generation module 986 or other configuration unit 980
(implemented in network 990, e.g.) is operably coupled to
event-sequencing logic 910 via a wireless LAN or other linkage 995.
Contiguous or other event-sequencing logic 910 comprises one or
more instances (a) of electrical nodes 921, 922, 923, 924, 925,
926, 927, 928; (b) of circuitry configured to obtain via an antenna
configuration data establishing a security protocol 931, 932; or
(c) of circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to
indicate a wireless communication service provided within a region
by a device as a response to an indication from another device of
the wireless communication service being operative within the
region 941.
[0134] With reference now to FIG. 10, shown is an example of a
system 1000 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Event-sequencing logic 1010 may manifest (as a general-purpose
processing core executing software or in an FPGA 870 implemented in
a mobile device, e.g.) one or more instances (a) of circuitry
configured to signal a decision whether or not to provide a network
access service responsive to whether or not access request data
satisfies a security protocol 1021, 1022, 1023; (b) of circuitry
configured to establish both a wireless communication channel via a
first device and from a second device and a wireless communication
channel from the second device and via a third device 1031, 1032;
or (c) of application modules 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044. Alternatively
or additionally, event-sequencing logic 1010 (implemented in a
circuit board 360 or ASIC 540, e.g.) may include data-handling
media 1050 containing one or more instances of commands 1068 or of
patterns 1071, 1072 or of protocol implementation code 1088, 1089
or other device-executable code 1085. In some variants, moreover,
such logic may be operably coupled via linkage 1095 with a wide
area network 1095 (comprising one or more satellites 1093,
e.g.).
[0135] With reference now to FIG. 11, shown is an example of a
system 1100 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. Event-sequencing logic 1110 may
manifest (as a general-purpose processing core executing software
or in a mixed-signal or other FPGA 870 implemented in a mobile
device, e.g.) one or more instances (a) of capture modules 1121
configured to capture audio clips; (b) of capture modules 1121
configured to capture video clips; (c) of global positioning system
(GPS) modules 1122 configured to annotate wireless signals with
position data; (d) of speech recognition modules; (e) of
text-to-speech translation modules 1124; (f) of digital-to-analog
converters 1125, 1126; (f) of decryption modules 1131, 1132; (g) of
circuitry configured to signal a decision of how much user data to
transmit via a communication channel responsive to an indication
that a data block delivery failure rate of the communication
channel exceeds a threshold 1141, 1142; (h) of decoding modules
1151, 1152; (i) of comparators 1161, 1162; (j) of aggregation
modules 1171, 1172, 1173, 1174; or (k) of transmission modules
1181, 1182, 1183, 1184. In some contexts, for example,
event-sequencing logic 1110 may be implemented in a circuit board
360 or ASIC 540.
[0136] With reference now to FIG. 12, shown is an example of a
system 1200 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Contiguous or other event-sequencing logic 1210 may manifest (in an
FPGA 870 or as a general-purpose processing core executing
software, e.g.) one or more instances (a) of circuitry configured
to receive a wireless signal containing access request data 1201,
1202; (b) of circuitry configured to cause a first device to
display a Boolean indication whether or not a second device is
within a WLAN communication range of a third device without a
bidirectional interpersonal communication existing between the
first device and the second device 1221, 1222; or (c) of
microphones 1217. Alternatively or additionally, event-sequencing
logic 1210 may include data-handling media 1270 (of storage or
guided transmission or display, e.g.) containing a list 1250 of two
or more records 1261, 1262, 1263. Each such record may include one
or more instances of avatars 1251 or other identifications 1252
(representing a person or device known to a user, e.g.); of status
indications 1253, 1254; or of other such data 1255 as described
below. In some contexts, for example, event-sequencing logic 1210
may be implemented in a circuit board 360 or ASIC 540. With
reference now to FIG. 13, shown is an example of a system 1300 in
which one or more technologies may be implemented. Event-sequencing
logic 1310 may include various memories 431, 432 or other
data-handling media 1350 containing one or more instances of data
1301, 1302, 1303, 1304; of digitally expressed times 1311, 1321,
1323, 1324; of signals 1321, 1322, 1323, 1324; of services 1331,
1332, 1333, 1334, 1335; or of indications 1341, 1342, 1343, 1344,
1345 as described below. Alternatively or additionally,
event-sequencing logic 1310 may manifest (in an FPGA 870 or as a
general-purpose processing core executing software, e.g.) one or
more instances (a) of circuitry configured to implement a firewall
separating two or more network access services provided via a
single device 1371 or (b) of circuitry configured to obtain an
indication of a wireless communication service having been provided
within a service region 1372. In some variants, moreover, such
logic may be operably coupled via linkage 1395 with a wireless
local area network 1390 (comprising one or more servers 1396,
e.g.). In some contexts, for example, event-sequencing logic 1310
may be implemented in a circuit board 360 or ASIC 540.
[0137] With reference now to FIG. 14, shown is an example of a
system 1400 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. User interface 1410 may include
various data-handling media 1450 (of storage or guided transmission
or display, e.g.) containing one or more instances of decisions
1401, 1402, 1403, 1404, 1405; of results 1411, 1412, 1413; of
digitally expressed volumes 1416; of intervals 1421, 1422, 1423; of
notifications 1425; or of other such expressions 1431, 1432
(comprising sequences 1435 of symbols, e.g.). In some variants,
moreover, user interface 1410 may manifest (in an FPGA 870 or as a
general-purpose processing core executing software, e.g.) one or
more instances (a) of circuitry configured to obtain at one device
an identifier of another device 1481; (b) of circuitry configured
to signal an availability to participate in a telephonic
communication responsive to a Boolean indication of a device being
within a wireless communication range of another device 1482; or
(c) of circuitry configured to detect an availability to
participate in a telephonic communication responsive to a Boolean
indication whether or not a device exceeded a boundary crossing
rate threshold within a recent time interval 1483. In some
contexts, for example, user interface 1410 may include a circuit
board 360 or ASIC 540 as described above.
[0138] With reference now to FIG. 15, shown is an example of a
system 1500 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Device 1530 may communicate via linkage 1531 with a vehicle 1510
(optionally implementing a mobile hotspot, e.g.) operated by user
1502 or with a handheld device 2760 operated by user 2701 (via a
WLAN or other wireless linkage 1536, e.g.). Alternatively or
additionally, device 1530 may (optionally) include one or more
instances of FPGA 1540 configured to facilitate network management
as described below. In some contexts, for example, device 1530 may
include a circuit board 360 or ASIC 540 as described above.
[0139] In light of teachings herein, moreover, numerous existing
techniques may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry
or other structures effective for implementing such communication
(in mesh networks comprising moving nodes, e.g.) as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
8,311,509 ("Detection, communication and control in multimode
cellular, TDMA, GSM, spread spectrum, CDMA, OFDM WiLAN and WiFi
systems"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,259,822 ("Polar and quadrature modulated
cellular, WiFi, WiLAN, satellite, mobile, communication and
position finder systems"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,249,256 ("Method for
providing fast secure handoff in a wireless mesh network"); U.S.
Pat. No. 8,248,968 ("Method and apparatus for providing mobile
inter-mesh communication points in a multi-level wireless mesh
network"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,223,694 ("Enhanced information services
using devices in short-range wireless networks"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,219,312 ("Determining speed parameters in a geographic area");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,200,243 ("Mobile television (TV), internet,
cellular systems and Wi-Fi networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,184,656
("Control channel negotiated intermittent wireless communication");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,169,311 ("Wireless transmission system for
vehicular component control and monitoring"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,165,091 ("Efficient handover of media communications in
heterogeneous IP networks using LAN profiles and network handover
rules"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,125,896 ("Individualizing a
connectivity-indicative mapping"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,111,622 ("Signal
routing dependent on a node speed change prediction"); U.S. Pat.
No. 8,098,753 ("Infrared, touch screen, W-CDMA, GSM, GPS camera
phone"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,646,712 ("Using a signal route dependent
on a node speed change prediction"); U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 13/317,988 ("Context-sensitive query enrichment"); U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/252,206 ("Signal routing dependent on a
loading indicator of a mobile node"); U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 11/221,421 ("Heading dependent routing"); and U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/221,396 ("Heading dependent routing method
and network subsystem").
[0140] With reference now to FIG. 16, shown is an example of a
system 1600 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. Supervisor unit 1630 (instantiated
in a vehicle 1510 or other device, e.g.) includes one or more
instances of allocation modules 1641, 1642; of detection modules
1671, 1672, 1673, 1674; or of input modules 1681, 1682, 1683, 1684
as described below. In some contexts, for example, supervisor unit
1630 may include a circuit board 360 or ASIC 540 as described
above.
[0141] With reference now to FIG. 17, shown is an example of a
system 1700 comprising a portable or other device 1750 in a
communication network 1790 (an ad hoc or mesh network, e.g.) in
which one or more technologies may be implemented. Numerous other
devices 1752, 1754, 1756, 1758, 1760, 1762, 1764, 1766, 1768, 1770,
1772, 1774, 1776, 1778, 1780, 1782, 1784, 1786 (each comprising a
cell tower or handheld device or vehicle or other portable device,
e.g.) are linked via various passive-media linkages 1771 (through
air or cables, e.g.). In various implementations, device 1750 may
(optionally) include one or more instances of interface modules
1721, 1722, 1723, 1724, 1725, 1726; of response modules 1731, 1732,
1733, 1734, 1735, 1736, 1737, 1738, 1739; or of notification
modules 1741, 1742, 1743, 1744, 1745, 1746 described below.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more devices 1754, 1786
(implemented as supervisor units having access to one or more
databases defining service characteristics pertaining to a local
jurisdiction, e.g.) may be configured to send configuration data
(extracted or otherwise derived from such databases, e.g.)
manifesting wireless channel attributes (implementing power and
frequency limitations relating to regulatory specifications, e.g.)
to other devices in network 1790, effectively specifying how they
are to reconfigure themselves. See FIGS. 18-23. Such adjustments
can be used for congestion relief (during peak usage times, e.g.),
for example, or for other resource management as described herein.
In some contexts, for example, such devices 1750 may include a
circuit board 360 or ASIC 540 as described above.
[0142] With reference now to FIG. 18, shown is an example of a
system 1800 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Event-sequencing logic 1810 (implemented in a circuit board 360 or
ASIC 540, e.g.) may include one or more instances of FPGAs 1820 or
of configuration components 1841 and data components 1842 of
signals. In some contexts, for example, an FPGA 1820 may be
configured or reconfigured to include a Fast Fourier Transform
(FFT) module 1823 or other event-sequencing structures as described
below. Moreover some variants of event-sequencing logic 1810 may
locally manifest one or more instances of circuitry configured to
cause an FFT module in an FPGA of a mobile device to process a data
component of a wireless signal after a configuration component of
another wireless signal causes the FPGA to implement the FFT module
1881, 1882.
[0143] With reference now to FIG. 19, shown is an example of a
system 1900 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Device 1910 (instantiated in one or more devices 1754, 1764 of
network 1790, e.g.) may include one or more instances of key press
events 1931, 1932 or other such user input 1940 (manifested
digitally, e.g.); of interpersonal communications 1961, 1962, 1963
(calls 1951 or sessions 1952 or dialogs 1953, e.g.); of
registration modules 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974; or of aggregation
modules 1981, 1982. Such devices 1910 may be operably coupled via a
wireless or other linkage 1995 with telephone network 1990
(comprising one or more telephone switches 1996, e.g.).
Alternatively or additionally, such devices 1910 may comprise one
or more antennas 1905 (parabolic or shortwave or whip or Yagi-Uda
or metamaterial antennas, for example, instantiated in FIG. 17
mechanically coupled with most or all of devices 1750, 1752, 1754,
1756, 1758, 1760, 1762, 1764, 1766, 1768, 1770, 1772, 1774, 1776,
1778, 1780, 1782, 1784, 1786). In some contexts, for example,
device 1910 may include a circuit board 360 or ASIC 540 as
described above.
[0144] With reference now to FIG. 20, shown is an example of a
system 2000 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
One or more media 2110 (of storage or guided transmission or
display, e.g.) may contain one or more instances of digitally
expressed fractions 2011, 2012; of configuration data 2015; of
coordinates 2021, 2022; of passwords 2035, 2036 or other access
codes 2031, 2032; of signals 2051, 2052, 2053, 2054, 2055, 2056,
2057, 2058, 2059; of indications 2071, 2072, 2073, 2074, 2075,
2076, 2077, 2078, 2079; of thresholds 2081, 2082, 2083, 2084, 2085,
2086, 2087, 2088, 2089; of clips 2090 (of video or audio data,
e.g.); or of rates 2091, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096.
[0145] With reference now to FIG. 21, shown is an example of a
system 2100 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
One or more memories or other media 2110 may contain one or more
instances of indicators 2102, 2103; of series 2125 of data blocks
2121, 2122, 2123 of auditory data 2120 (primarily having been
obtained via a microphone, e.g.); or of series 2135 of data blocks
2131, 2132, 2133 of encrypted data 2130. Other user data 2150 of
interest for present purposes may (optionally) include other
encrypted data 2130, video or other image data; or computational
modeling data (pertaining to meteorology or research, e.g.).
[0146] With reference now to FIG. 22, shown is an example of a
system 2200 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
One or more memories or other media 2210 (of storage or guided
transmission or display, e.g.) may comprise one or more instances
of informational models 2301; of images 2251; of decisions 2221,
2222, 2223, 2224, 2225, 2226, 2227, 2228; of indications 2271,
2272, 2273, 2274, 2275, 2276, 2277, 2278, 2279; of services 2281,
2282, 2283, 2284; of phone numbers 2285 or other such identifiers
2286; of percentages 2291, 2292, 2293; of hardware description
language (HDL or VHDL, e.g.) expressions 2296, 2297; or of counts
2298, 2299. Image 2251, for example, depicts virtual regions 2255,
2265 relating to actual regions 155, 165 as generally described
below (with reference to FIG. 1, e.g.).
[0147] With reference now to FIG. 23, shown is an example of a
system 2300 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
One or more memories or other media 2310 may comprise one or more
instances of informational models 2301; of status data 2320; of
maps 2330 or segments 2337 thereof; or of versions 2361, 2362, 2363
(of an image or other expression of model 2301, e.g.). In some
contexts, for example, such status data may (optionally) include
one or more records 2327, 2328, 2329 each comprising one or more
expressions (1) of times 2311, (2) of positions 2312, or (3) of
shape-descriptive information 2313 relating to one or more wireless
service regions or devices. Several non-overlapping zones 2351,
2352, 2353, 2354, 2355, 2356 are shown. Some zones 2351, 2354, 2355
together form a circular region centered at position 2341,
containing several identified positions 2347, 2348, 2349, and
having a radius 2345 representing a real-world radius on the order
(within an order of magnitude) of ten meters or of one kilometer.
Another version 2362 depicts position 2349 outside a region
(comprising zones 2352, 2354) of service 1331. Another version 2363
depicts position 2349 within a region (comprising zones 2351, 2352,
2354, 2355) of service 1331 but not within an overlapping region
(comprising zones 2353, 2355) of service 1332. Such versions depict
various states (including Wi-Fi service outages, e.g.), modes of
model updates, or cost-indicative depictions of such services as
generally described below (with reference to FIG. 31, e.g.).
[0148] With reference now to FIG. 24, shown is an example of a
system 2400 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Event-sequencing logic 2410 may bear (as a digital expression,
e.g.) one or more instances of decryption code 2425 or signals
2430. In a context in which event-sequencing logic 2410 includes
one or more digital or analog speedometers 2420 (instantiated in
one or more vehicles 1510 or other mobile devices 160, 2760, e.g.),
for example, such signals may comprise data indicating a ground
speed or a geographic position (of GPS module 1122 or other
event-sequencing logic 1110, 2410, e.g.). Alternatively or
additionally, such signals may include one or more instances of
control parameters 2431 or of data segments 2432, 2433, 2434 (user
data, e.g.). In some variants, moreover, event-sequencing logic
2410 (instantiated in one or more devices 1750, 1772 of network
1790, e.g.) may manifest (in an FPGA 870, 1540, 1820 or as a
general-purpose processing core executing software, e.g.) one or
more instances (a) of circuitry configured to cause a data
component of a wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose
module in a mobile device as an automatic and conditional response
to a control component of the wireless signal 2471, 2472 or (b) of
circuitry configured to cause first content of a wireless signal to
pass through a first memory of an integrated circuit if second
content of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion and
otherwise to cause the first content to pass through a second
memory of the integrated circuit 2481, 2482. In some contexts, for
example, event-sequencing logic 2410 may be implemented in a
circuit board 360 or ASIC 540 as described above.
[0149] With reference now to FIG. 25, shown is an example of a
system 2500 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Contiguous or other event-sequencing logic 2510 (instantiated in
one or more devices 1758, 1768, 1778 of network 1790, e.g.) may
include (in an FPGA 870, 1540, 1820 or as a general-purpose
processing core executing software, e.g.) one or more instances (a)
of circuitry configured to detect a series of service region
departure events 2501; (b) of circuitry configured to implement a
specific positional model that represents both an isotropic
radiator and an anisotropic radiator 2502; (c) of circuitry
configured to decrease a dataflow through a wireless communication
channel incrementally 2503; (d) of circuitry remote from a user
configured to signal a result via a device local to the user 2504;
(e) of circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to
transmit any user data via a first communication channel 2505; (f)
of circuitry configured to transmit user data via an ad hoc network
2506; (g) of circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or
not to adjust a latency threshold for user data 2507; (h) of
circuitry configured to map a cost-indicative service boundary
relating to a prospective intercommunication 2508; or (i) of
circuitry configured to compare a data block delivery failure rate
against a threshold 2509. In some contexts, for example,
event-sequencing logic 2510 may be implemented in a circuit board
360 or ASIC 540 as described above.
[0150] With reference now to FIG. 26, shown is an example of a
system 2600 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Detection unit 2610 may (optionally) include one or more instances
of processing modules 2641, 2642, 2643, 2644; of configuration
modules 2671, 2672, 2673, 2674, 2675, 2676, 2677, 2678; or of a
charging sensor 2607 configured to indicate a charging state 2617
(as a Boolean or digital scalar expression, e.g.) of a battery
2615. In some variants, moreover, detection unit 2610 may manifest
(on a circuit board 360 or as software executed by a processing
core, e.g.) one or more instances of circuitry configured to signal
a decision whether or not to cause a configurable core to draw from
a first data queue in a second core operating mode as an automatic
and conditional response to a charging state of a battery 2681 or
of circuitry configured to cause a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a portable
device as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state
of a battery 2682. In some contexts, for example, detection unit
2610 may be implemented in or operably coupled with a circuit board
360 or ASIC 540 as described above.
[0151] With reference now to FIG. 27, shown is an example of a
system 2700 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
At least two parallel communication channels 2770, 2780 are
established between endpoint devices 2750, 2760 so that an
interpersonal communication can occur between device users 1501,
2701. This permits a signal 2757, for example, to travel via
linkage 2767 and via one or more intermediate devices 2771, 2772
comprising channel 2770. Likewise a signal 2758 can travel via
linkage 2768 and via one or more intermediate devices 2781, 2782
comprising channel 2780. In some variants, moreover, ASIC 540 may
be configured either (a) so that channel 2770 includes queue 570
and so that channel 2780 includes queue 580 or (b) so that two or
more channels 2770, 2780 are simultaneously processed each through
a respective integrated circuit (instances of gate arrays or other
IC's 365, 366 mounted on circuit board 360, e.g.).
[0152] With reference now to FIG. 32, shown is a high-level logic
flow 3200 of an operational process. Operation 28 describes
establishing both a wireless communication channel via a first
device and from a second device and a wireless communication
channel from the second device and via a third device (e.g.
initiation modules 171, 172 respectively creating parallel
communication channels 2770, 2780 from device 2760, each including
at least one wireless linkage 2767, 2768). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which device 2771 (instantiated in one or
more devices 1772, 1774 of network 1790, e.g.) is the "first"
device; in which device 2760 (instantiated in one or more devices
1750, 1756, 1774 of network 1790, e.g.) is the "second" device; in
which device 2782 is the "third" device; in which channel 2770
comprises one or more devices 2771, 2772 via which signals 2057,
2757 can travel (to and from device 2760, e.g.); in which channel
2780 comprises one or more devices 2781, 2782 via which signals
2058, 2758 can likewise travel in both directions; and in which
such channels 2770, 2780 exist simultaneously. In a telephonic
implementation, for example, such channels 2770, 2780 may both bear
digitized auditory data 2120 simultaneously, optionally including a
particular component of user data 2150 (block 2123, e.g.) passing
simultaneously through a primary channel 2770 (as signal 2757,
e.g.) and redundantly through another channel 2780 (as signal 2758,
e.g.).
[0153] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for establishing or characterizing a
communication channel as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,234,523 ("Automatic
determination of success of using a computerized decision support
system"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,233,471 ("Wireless network system and
method for providing same"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,145,975 ("Universal
packet loss recovery system for delivery of real-time streaming
multimedia content over packet-switched networks"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,054,856 ("Method for synchronizing voice traffic with minimum
latency in a communications network"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,835,314
("Physical layer interface system and method for a wireless
communication system"); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,787,896 ("Dispatch
service architecture framework").
[0154] Operation 32 describes signaling a decision of how much user
data to transmit via the wireless communication channel from the
second device and via the third device responsive to an indication
that a data block delivery failure rate of the wireless
communication channel via the first device and from the second
device exceeds a failure rate threshold (e.g. allocation module
1641 causing one or more transmission modules 1181, 1182 to
increase a fraction 2012 of digitized auditory data 2120
transmitted via channel 2780 as an incremental response to an
indication 2076 that a data block delivery failure rate 2091 of
channel 2770 exceeds a threshold 2081). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which the incremental response causes a
partial reduction in a volume of data block delivery failure
events; in which data block delivery failure rate 2091 describes a
percentage 2291 of data blocks 2121, 2122, 2123 transmitted via
linkage 2767 that do not pass via an antenna of device 2771 or that
do not reach device 2750 within a permissible latency threshold
2082; in which a volatile memory 262 of supervisor unit 1630
(instantiated in one or more devices 1766, 1772 of network 1790,
e.g.) implements several media 2010, 2110, 2210 as described above;
and in which such wireless communication channel allocations would
otherwise be made in a crude or unduly computation-intensive
fashion (by conventional signal strength or load balancing or bit
error rate indicia, e.g.). In some contexts, for example, a latency
threshold 2082 for digitized voice data communication routing may
be less than 0.5 seconds and the effective threshold 2081 applied
to data block delivery failure rate 2091 may be less than 5%.
Alternatively or additionally, one or both such thresholds 2081,
2082 may effectively depend upon an indication 2075 of one or more
attributes of channel 2780 (a data block delivery failure rate 2092
of linkage 2768, e.g.) or other such determinants as described
herein. In some contexts, for example, allocation module 1641 may
be configured to close channel 2780 when a traffic volume through
channel 2780 becomes low enough (after several iterations of
operation 32, e.g.).
[0155] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing a timing or other comparison
as described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,325,901 ("Methods and apparatus for providing expanded
telecommunications service"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,321,727 ("System and
method responsive to a rate of change of a performance parameter of
a memory"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,320,261 ("Method and apparatus for
troubleshooting subscriber issues on a telecommunications
network"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,315,622 ("Motion adaptive communications
device and integrated circuits for use therewith"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,311,579 ("Multi-mode mobile communication device with motion
sensor and methods for use therewith"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,295,395
("Methods and apparatus for partial interference reduction within
wireless networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,290,509 ("Deactivation system
and method for a transferable device"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,264,953
("Resilient data communications with physical layer link
aggregation, extended failure detection and load balancing"); U.S.
Pat. No. 8,224,349 ("Timed fingerprint locating in wireless
networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,195,478 ("Network performance
monitor"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,184,580 ("Data packet communication
scheduling in a communication system"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,992
("Methods and systems for processing and managing corporate action
information"); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,853,268 ("GPS enabled cell phone
location tracking for security purposes").
[0156] With reference now to FIG. 28, shown is an example of a
system 2800 in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A
computer 2810 in an office 2820 includes a display 2815, a
microphone 2817, a keyboard, a speaker, and a mouse. An identifier
(phone number 2285, e.g.) of a remote mobile device 2870 or its
user 2880 are available (listed, e.g.) at computer 2810. When
mobile device 2870 is within a wireless local area network (WLAN)
communication range 2866 of one or more WLAN routers 2860
(instantiated in one or more devices 1768, 1784 of network 1700,
e.g.), an interpersonal communication (a video chat via displays
2815, 2875 or telephone call, e.g.) can occur via computer 2810 and
mobile device 2870 and via linkages 2895, 2896 with network 2890 as
shown. In some contexts, moreover, status information concerning
mobile device 2870 is available at computer 2810 even before such
communication is initiated.
[0157] With reference now to FIG. 33, shown is a high-level logic
flow 3300 of an operational process. Operation 24 describes
obtaining at a first device an identifier of a second device (e.g.
registration module 1971 maintaining a local instance of contact
list 1250 within computer 2810 including a phone number 2285 or
similar identification 1252 associated with user 2880). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which computer 2810 is the
"first" device (instantiated in one or more devices 1750, 1752 of
network 1790, e.g.); in which mobile device 2870 is the "second"
device; and in which a telephone switch 1996 or server 1396
associates phone number 2285 with one or more mobile devices 2870
owned by user 2880 (instantiated in one or more devices 1768, 1782,
1786 of network 1790, e.g.).
[0158] Operation 30 describes causing the first device to display a
Boolean indication whether or not the second device is within a
wireless local area network communication range of a third device
without a bidirectional interpersonal communication existing
between the first device and the second device (e.g. notification
module 1744 triggering computer 2810 to display a positive status
indication 1254 signifying that mobile device 2870 is within a
wireless LAN communication range 2866 without first establishing a
telephone call 1951 or similar bidirectional interpersonal
communication 1961 between computer 2810 and mobile device 2870).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which wireless LAN
communication range 2866 is established as an operating range of
one or more WLAN devices (wireless LAN router 2860, e.g.); in which
display 2815 presents such an indication 1254 in conjunction with
other information about user 2880 (in record 1261, e.g.); in which
a user 101 of computer 2810 can initiate a telephone call 1951 or
similar interpersonal communication 1961 to user 2880 via computer
2810 in response to one or more such indications 1253, 1254; in
which such telephone calls 1951 are cost effective (free of charge
to user 2880, e.g.); and in which user 2880 would otherwise be
unable or displeased to participate in such communication
(incurring a significant roaming charge, e.g.).
[0159] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for signaling an availability or other status
as described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,306,005 ("Dynamic communication and method of use");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,289,210 ("Location measurement acquisition adaptive
optimization"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,271,626 ("Methods for displaying
physical network topology and environmental status by location,
organization, or responsible party"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,260,896
("Monitoring business machines using a mesh network on field
nodes"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,249,616 ("Satellite (GPS) assisted clock
apparatus, circuits, systems and processes for cellular terminals
on asynchronous networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,208,489 ("Method for
reporting downstream packet resequencing status in cable modem");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,195,198 ("System, method and apparatus for
protecting privacy when a mobile device is located in a defined
privacy zone"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,108,501 ("Searching and route
mapping based on a social network, location, and time"); U.S. Pat.
No. 8,059,788 ("Telephone software testing system and method");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,059,011 ("Outage notification system"); U.S. Pat.
No. 8,037,126 ("Systems and methods of dynamically checking
freshness of cached objects based on link status"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,010,230 ("Robotic ordering and delivery apparatuses, systems and
methods"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,005,911 ("Systems for communicating
current location information among mobile internet users and
methods therefor"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,860,648 ("Map display system
and method"); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,392,017 ("Assessing wireless
network quality").
[0160] With reference now to FIG. 29, shown is an example of a
system 2900 in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A
mobile device 2910 (a communication-enabled vehicle 1510 or
handheld device, e.g.) meanders along a path 2901 through a series
of positions 2903, 2904, 2905, 2906, 2907, 2908, 2909 at each of
which there is an apparent wireless service boundary 2961, 2971,
2981. Even if the devices that provide the wireless service zones
2960, 2970, 2980 in a region 2955 are unknown or unavailable or
transient (by hot spot movements or intermittencies, e.g.), a rate
at which some such crossings occur constitutes a useful
availability determinant as described below.
[0161] With reference now to FIG. 34, shown is a high-level logic
flow 3400 of an operational process. Operation 27 describes
obtaining a Boolean indication of whether or not a first device
exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within
a recent time interval, the recent time interval being less than an
hour (e.g. detection module 1671 generating a comparison result
1411 as a direct or indirect Boolean indication 2271 that a maximum
crossing rate threshold 2084 was greater than an average rate 2094
at which device 2910 had apparently crossed wireless service zone
boundaries 2961, 2971, 2981 in a region 2955 during a particular
time interval 1421). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which aggregation module 1171 has received a series of several
indications 2071, 2072, 2073, 2074 of crossing events; in which one
or more of such indications 2071 was not "qualifying" (because it
did not pertain to an event within time interval 1421, e.g.); in
which time interval 1421 is on the order of a second or of a
minute; and in which detection module 1671 (comprising comparator
1161, e.g.) compares a count 2299 of such other indications 2072,
2073, 2074 with threshold 2084. In an implementation of detection
module 1671 in which threshold 2084 is four, for example, a count
2299 of three crossings (e.g. at positions 2904, 2905, 2906) will
result in a negative indication 2271 (signifying infrequent
crossings, e.g.). In another context (in which only service region
departures are "qualifying," e.g.) detection module 1671 may
generate a positive indication 2271 (signifying frequent crossings,
e.g.) by applying a nominal threshold 2084 of two against a count
2299 of three (signifying registration module 1974 detecting
departure events at position 2905 from zone 2970 and at position
2908 from zone 2980 and at position 2909 from zone 2970, e.g.).
Other variants of detection module 1671 may perform operation 27
using a variety of protocols. A crossing rate threshold 2084 may be
effectively adapted by applying one or more offsets or multipliers
to count 2299, for example, or by including other quantitative
modifiers as described herein. Alternatively or additionally,
detection module 1671 may implement conjunctive determinants (a
Boolean value 744 configured to enable indication 2271
conditionally, e.g.); disjunctive determinants (a Boolean value 745
configured to override indication 2271 conditionally, e.g.); or
other such modes of implementing comparisons as indicated
herein.
[0162] Operation 33 describes signaling an availability to
participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication
conditionally, partly based on the Boolean indication whether or
not the first device exceeded the wireless service boundary
crossing rate threshold within the recent time interval and partly
based on a Boolean indication of the first device being within a
wireless communication range of a second device (e.g. notification
module 1743 causing a headset or display 2875 to provide a user
1502, 2880 with an automatic and conditional decision 1404 as to
whether or not device 2910 is currently available to participate in
a bidirectional interpersonal communication 1962). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which device 2910 is the "first"
device; in which device 160 is the "second" device; in which
wireless service zone 2960 comprises a wireless communication range
of device 160; in which decision 1404 will be positive (signaling
availability, e.g.) if device 2910 remains continuously within
wireless service zone 2960 for longer than time interval 1421; in
which time interval 1421 is on the order of a second or of a
minute; and in which much more resource-intensive modeling
(requiring frequent monitoring of satellite 1093 by GPS module
1122, e.g.) would otherwise be required to determine whether the
first device is currently viable for such a communication. In some
variants, moreover, determining availability by another mode
(purely by a ground speed of device 2910 being low enough, e.g.)
might generate false negatives unduly (failing to recognize viable
ongoing availability in a context of traveling within region 165
and alongside device 160 for an extended period, e.g.). Decision
1404 may (optionally) be signaled by a sound (a chord, e.g.) or by
a word ("ready," e.g.) or other displayed symbol (a light-emitting
diode coming on, e.g.), for example, or by other such expressions
1431 played or displayed at user interface 1410 (instantiated in
one or more devices 1756, 1758 of network 1700, e.g.). In some
embodiments notification module 1743 may signal a positive decision
1404 by establishing the bidirectional interpersonal communication
1962 (comprising a video chat session 1952 or similar dialog 1953,
e.g.), moreover, or may signal a negative decision 1404 by doing
nothing.
[0163] With reference now to FIG. 30, shown is an example of a
system 3000 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
Two networks 3080, 3090 are each operably coupled with a
communications tower 3085 (instantiated in one or more devices
1750, 1770 of network 1700, e.g.) and with a network access control
(NAC) unit 3030 (implementing a wireless router, e.g.) comprising
several control modules 3031, 3032, 3033, 3034. One such control
module 3031 interacts with device 2750 and conditionally provides a
first network access service (to network 3080, e.g.). One or more
other devices (computer 3060, e.g.) are likewise conditionally
provided (by one or more other corresponding control modules 3034,
e.g.) with network access service(s) as described below.
[0164] With reference now to FIG. 35, shown is a high-level logic
flow 3500 of an operational process. Operation 26 describes
obtaining via a first device configuration data establishing a
first security protocol (e.g. input module 1684 receiving via one
or more linkages 295, 995 a secure access code 2031 effectively
deeming one or more data patterns 1071 to be "acceptable"). This
can occur, for example, in a context in which secondary device 220
includes data storage medium 2010 (non-volatile memory 271, e.g.);
in which such linkages include a signal-bearing conduit (an antenna
205, 1905 or optical cable, e.g.) as the "first" device, via which
configuration unit 980 transmits access code 2031 to supervisor
unit 1630; and in which access code 2031 includes a current
password 2035 provided by password generation module 986. In some
contexts, for example, a secondary device 220 remote from
supervisor unit 1630 may be configured to perform such
transmissions regularly (daily, e.g.). Alternatively or
additionally, one or more instances of configuration unit 980 may
implement an initial security-protocol-implementing data pattern
1071 (during manufacture of supervisor unit 1630, e.g.) for
limiting access to one or more services 2281, 2282 (network
resources, e.g.) prior to any reconfiguration of supervisor unit
1630.
[0165] Operation 29 describes obtaining via a second device a
wireless signal containing access request data (e.g. interface
module 1721 receiving a wireless signal 1323 containing access
request data 1301). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which primary device 210 includes event-sequencing logic 1010, 1310
(instantiated in one or more devices 1782, 1784 of network 1700,
e.g.); in which the "second" device is an antenna 1905 operably
coupled to device 2750 or to NAC unit 3030 (instantiated in one or
more devices 1750, 1768, 1774 of network 1790, e.g.); and in which
device 2750 transmits wireless signal 1323 as a response to input
1940 (key press events 1931, 1932 or voice commands 1068, e.g.)
from user 2701 (initiating a telephone call 1951, e.g.).
Alternatively or additionally, device 2750 may transmit access
request data 1301 (requesting to establish an open channel 2770,
e.g.) as an automatic response to device 2750 entering a zone 2970
(comprising a wireless operating range of device 2772, e.g.).
Operation 31 describes signaling a decision whether or not to
provide a first network access service via a third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol (e.g.
registration module 1972 signaling a decision 1401 to provide
device 2750 with a service 1333 that includes access to network
3080 via control module 3031 as an automatic and conditional
response to application module 1041 determining that access request
data 1301 matches security-protocol-implementing data pattern
1071).
[0166] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for providing a limited access service as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,311,035 ("Methods and apparatus for communicating
internet protocol based control signaling through a communications
system"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,306,518 ("Handset service migration
automation and subscriber identity module tracking"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,306,005 ("Dynamic communication and method of use"); U.S. Pat.
No. 8,300,575 ("Priority bearers in a mobile telecommunication
network"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,290,551 ("Systems and methods for
efficiently positioning a directional antenna module to receive and
transmit the most effective band width of wireless transmissions");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,279,838 ("Mobility mechanisms for home cellular
network"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,223,752 ("Method for accessing service
resource items that are for use in a telecommunications system");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,204,966 ("Map tile data pre-fetching based on user
activity analysis"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,185,122 ("Method for creating
a cellular telephone infrastructure"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,161,542
("Wireless perimeter security device and network using same"); and
U.S. Pat. No. 7,957,418 ("Data burst communication techniques for
use in increasing data throughput to mobile communication
devices").
[0167] Operation 35 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to provide a second network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data satisfies a
second security protocol, the third device implementing a firewall
between the first network access service and the second network
access service (e.g. allocation module 1642 signaling a conditional
decision 1402 not to provide an entity that transmits access
request data 1301 with a service 1334 that includes access to
network 3090 as an automatic and conditional response to
application module 1042 determining that access request data 1301
does not match security-protocol-implementing data pattern 1072).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which device 2750 is
the "second" device; in which NAC unit 3030 is the "third" device;
in which control module 3031 provides the "second" device with
access to network 3080 (as the "first" network access service,
e.g.); in which control module 3034 would simultaneously provide a
"fourth" device (computer 3060, e.g.) with access to network 3090
(as the "second" network access service, e.g.) if the "fourth"
device had transmitted access request data 1302 matching data
pattern 1072; in which NAC unit implements event-sequencing logic
810, 1810 (instantiated in one or more devices 1774, 1784 of
network 1790, e.g.) and media 1350, 1450; and in which the "first"
network access service would otherwise need to be provided by a
"fifth" device (tower 3085, e.g.). In some contexts, for example,
control module 3032 may implement the firewall between the "first"
and "second" network access services (access to networks 3080, 3090
respectively, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, control module
3033 may be remotely configurable (implemented in an FPGA 870,
1540, 1820 or non-volatile memory 243, e.g.) to permit an
adjustment of the location of the firewall or otherwise control an
allocation of resources in NAC unit 3030.
[0168] With reference now to FIG. 31, shown is an example of a
system 3100 in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
At an earlier time, router 3101 provided WLAN or other wireless
service to any devices 3180 (communication-enabled vehicles 1510 or
handheld devices, e.g.) that were within zone 3121. Other routers
3102, 3103 in the region 3155 provide ongoing wireless service
within respective disjoint zones 3122, 3123 as shown, and both
continue to communicate with network 3190. Another device 3160
obtains wireless service status versions 3162, 3163 (indicating
service availability within zone 3121, e.g.) with corresponding
timing data 3165 as described below.
[0169] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing a firewall as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
8,327,431 ("Managing configurations of a firewall"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,316,435 ("Routing device having integrated MPLS-aware firewall
with virtual security system support"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,300,532
("Forwarding plane configuration for separation of services and
forwarding in an integrated services router"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,230,516 ("Apparatus, system, and method for network
authentication and content distribution"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,209,400
("System for data routing in networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,648
("Adaptive beamforming configuration methods and apparatus for
wireless access points serving as handoff indication mechanisms in
wireless local area networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,065,357 ("Output
management system and method for enabling access to private network
resources"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,059,650 ("Hardware based parallel
processing cores with multiple threads and multiple pipeline
stages"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,024,482 ("Dynamic firewall
configuration"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,018,856 ("Director device with
visual display arrangement and methods thereof"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,004,971 ("Method and system for scaling network traffic managers
using connection keys"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,924,927 ("Distributed
functionality in a wireless communications network"); and U.S. Pat.
No. 7,804,954 ("Infrastructure for enabling high quality real-time
audio").
[0170] With reference now to FIG. 36, shown is a high-level logic
flow 3600 of an operational process. Operation 25 describes
obtaining an indication of a first wireless communication service
having been provided within a first service region by a first
device at an earlier time (e.g. aggregation module 1981 receiving a
notification 1425 that mobile device 3180 was at coordinates 2021,
2022 three weeks ago at which time a wireless service 2283 had been
established between device 3180 and network 3190 via router 3101).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which FIG. 31
generally depicts the "earlier" time; in which the "first" service
region comprises either zone 3121 or a subset of it that excludes
zone 3122; in which router 3101 is the "first" device (instantiated
in one or more devices 1768, 1770 of network 1790, e.g.); in which
notification 1425 arrived at aggregation module 1981 almost three
weeks ago; in which aggregation module 1981 maintains status data
2320 about the availability of wireless services within a region
3155 depicted by map 2330; and in which status data 2320 includes
an estimated position 2341 of router 3101 (determined by a
detection module 1672 using GPS or other triangulation protocols,
e.g.) at the earlier time 1311 (three weeks ago, e.g.). In some
contexts, for example, timing data 3165 (derived from a signal 1322
from an instance of device 3180 traveling across zones 3121-3123
and maintained in status data 2320, e.g.) may indicate that as of
three weeks ago, service 1331 was operative in zones 3121, 3122 and
service 1332 was operative in zone 3123. Alternatively or
additionally, status data 2320 may (optionally) include indications
2278, 2279 of "latest" wireless service status in several zones
2351-2355 near the most-recent estimated position 2341 of router
3101.
[0171] In light of teachings herein numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for characterizing a position as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
8,301,159 ("Displaying network objects in mobile devices based on
geolocation"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,295,853 ("Method and system for
refining accuracy of location positioning"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,269,618 ("Method and system for remotely monitoring the location
of a vehicle"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,165,600 ("System and method for
advertising to a Wi-Fi device"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,155,077 ("Active
mode internet protocol gateway relocation in a partial meshed
deployment"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,108,145 ("Downloading map segment(s)
to a cell phone based upon its GPS coordinates and mobility"); and
U.S. Pat. No. 7,916,071 ("System and method for determining a
reference location of a mobile device").
[0172] Operation 34 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to indicate the first wireless communication service being
operative within the first service region as an automatic and
conditional response to an indication from a second device of the
first wireless communication service having been operative within
the first service region or not at a later time (e.g. response
module 185 communicating to user 101 a decision 1403 that is
responsive to a recent indication 2275 from device 2870 about one
or more wireless services 1331 being operative or inoperative
within zone 3121). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which mobile device 2870 is the "second" device and has transmitted
a signal 1323 at the "later" time 1313 (yesterday, e.g.) from
within zones 3121, 3122 (corresponding roughly to map position
2347, e.g.) of which some is maintained (in status data 2320,
e.g.); in which the decision 1403 is "negative" if it results in
device 2760 displaying status version 3162 (indicating that service
1331 is unavailable within part of zone 3121, e.g.); in which the
decision 1403 is "positive" (manifested as an instance of a voltage
level 313 above a voltage threshold 2085, e.g.) if it results in
device 2760 displaying status version 3163 (indicating that service
1331 is available throughout zone 3121, e.g.); and in which user
101 would otherwise have to traverse the first service region
personally to discover whether or not service 1331 is still
available there. In some contexts, for example, such a decision
1403 will dictate whether device 2760 will display image version
2362 (negatively indicative of service 1331 at position 2349, e.g.)
or image version 2363 (positively indicative of service 1331 at
position 2349, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, such signals
from various devices 160, 2760, 2870, 3180 traversing region 3155
may be used (1) by a response module 181 configured to determine an
indication 1341 of an approximate range of each router 3101-3103;
(2) by a response module 182 configured to determine an indication
1342 of what times of the day or week one of the routers 3102 goes
offline; (3) by a response module 183 configured to determine a
Boolean indication 2273 whether or not one of the routers 3101
appears to be stationary; (4) by a response module 184 configured
to determine a Boolean indication 2272 of whether or not one of the
routers 3103 (instantiated in one or more devices 1784, 1786 of
network 1700, e.g.) is substantially isotropic; (5) by a response
module 186 configured to display via a map 2330 of a user interface
1410 a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective
interpersonal communication 1963 via the user interface 1410; or
(6) to perform such functions upon other devices described
herein.
[0173] With reference now to flow 3700 of FIG. 37 and to other
flows described above, in some variants, one or more of operations
3754, 3755, 3757, 3758 may be performed in preparation for or in
response to or otherwise in conjunction with any of operations
24-35 described above.
[0174] Operation 3754 describes causing a data component of a
wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a
handheld device as an automatic and conditional response to a
thermal state of a temperature sensor in the handheld device (e.g.
response module 1735 routing some or all of wireless signal 1324 to
a special-purpose video data processing module 2642 unless and
until an indication 1343 is received that temperature sensor 608
exceeds a threshold). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which a handheld device 2760 implements control logic 610 and other
event-sequencing logic 1110, 1350; in which comparator 1162 is
configured to determine whether a temperature-indicative signal
2051 therefrom exceeds threshold 2083 and to transmit a Boolean
result 1413 of the comparison to response module 1735; in which
threshold 2083 is calibrated so that the effective temperature
threshold is 47.degree. C.; and in which an extended use of
processing module 2642 would otherwise make it uncomfortable for
user 1501 to hold device 2760. In some contexts, for example,
device 2760 may implement device 1750. Alternatively or
additionally, an instance of application module 1043 may be
implemented in a server 1396 remote from handheld device 2760 and
configured to perform operation 3754 remotely (by controlling how
much data 1303, 1304 to include in a wireless signal 1324 as a
function of the state 618 of a temperature sensor 608 residing in
handheld device 2760, e.g.). By postponing or refraining from
transmitting some of the data 1304, for example, such an
application module 1043 can effectively cause handheld device 2760
to cool down remotely (by deactivating or slowing operations in one
or more processing modules 2641, 2642 aboard handheld device 2760,
e.g.) without wasting transmission bandwidth. In another variant,
moreover, operation 3754 may be performed by a special-purpose
response module implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry
671 having an event-sequencing structure (an instance of numerous
transistors 351, 352 and voltage levels 311-314 in one or more
integrated circuits 361, e.g.) configured to cause a data component
of a wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in
a handheld device 2760 as an automatic and conditional response to
a thermal state 618 of a temperature sensor 608 in the handheld
device 2760.
[0175] Operation 3755 describes causing a data component of a
wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a
portable device as an automatic and conditional response to a
charging state of a battery in the portable device (e.g. response
module 1736 causing one or more segments 2432-2434 of a wireless
signal 2430 to be handled by a special-purpose processing module
2644 in a portable detection unit 2610 as an automatic and
conditional response to a sufficient charging state 2617 of a
battery 2615). This can occur, for example, in a context in which
detection unit 2610 comprises a portable device 1750; in which at
least some segments 2434 include coordinates 2021, 2022 in a
virtual reality space (game data, e.g.); in which processing module
2644 comprises an FFT module 1823 or other such special-purpose
components implemented in FPGA 1820; and in which real-time
rendering in response to coordinates 2021, 2022 or other such
processing-intensive functions would not otherwise be feasible in a
production-grade portable device 1750. In another variant,
moreover, operation 3755 may be performed by a special-purpose
response module implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry
2682 having an event-sequencing structure configured to cause a
data component of a wireless signal to be processed by a
special-purpose module 425 in a portable secondary device 220
(instantiated in one or more devices 1750, 1758 of network 1700,
e.g.) as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state
of a battery 2615. This can occur, for example, in a context in
which special-purpose module 425 comprises an FFT module 592,
sorting module 595, or detection module 599 formed directly on
integrated circuit 440 (implementing ASIC 540, e.g.).
[0176] Operation 3757 describes causing a data component of a
wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a
mobile device as an automatic and conditional response to a control
component of the wireless signal (e.g. interface module 1724
directing one or more data segments 2431-2433 of a wireless signal
2430 from device 1774 to be processed by a special-purpose
decryption module 1131 within device 1750 as a conditional response
to a control parameter 2431 in the wireless signal 2430 being
"10"). This can occur, for example, in a context in which interface
module 1724 would direct data segments 2432, 2433 to be decrypted
conventionally (by a general purpose central processing unit 212
executing decryption code 2425 resident in internal cache 215,
e.g.) in response to control parameter 2431 being "00" or "01" or
"11"; and in which the algorithm embodied in such decryption code
2425 would be more readily susceptible to reverse engineering
(decompilation, e.g.) than special-purpose decryption module 1131.
In some contexts, for example, such a data segment 2432 may
(optionally) include telephonic or other encrypted audio data
blocks 2131-2133. Alternatively or additionally, in some
embodiments, an initiation module 174 in device 1774 may perform
operation 3757 by configuring control parameter 2431 to have a
value ("10" or "11," e.g.) that causes interface module 1723 to
route unencrypted data blocks 2121-2123 to a special-purpose
digital-to-analog converter 1125. This can occur, for example, in a
context in which interface module 1723 would direct data segments
2432, 2433 to be converted conventionally (by DAC 1126, e.g.) in
response to control parameter 2431 being "00" or "01".
Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, a response
module 1737 may be configured to perform an instance of operation
3757 by enabling one or more other response modules 1735, 1736
conditionally, based upon a control parameter 2431 in a received
wireless signal 2430. In another variant, moreover, operation 3757
may be performed by a special-purpose interface module implemented
as or operably coupled with circuitry 2471 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to cause a data segment 2434
of a wireless signal 2430 to be processed by a special-purpose
module (FFT module 592 or sorting module 595 or other detection
module 599, e.g.) in a mobile device 2760 as an automatic and
conditional response to a control parameter 2431 (access code 2032,
e.g.) of the wireless signal 2430.
[0177] Operation 3758 describes causing first content of a wireless
signal to pass either through a first memory of a particular device
or through a second memory of the particular device selected as an
automatic and conditional response to whether or not second content
of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion (e.g. interface
module 1722 routing data blocks in a wireless signal 1321 to pass
through queue 570 if they comprise auditory data 2120 and otherwise
generally to pass through queue 580). This can occur, for example,
in a context in which wireless signal 1321 also includes a Boolean
indication 2102 of whether or not the data blocks comprise auditory
data 2120, in which queue 570 resides in cache 255 or other
volatile memory 262, in which queue 580 resides in phase change
memory 231 or other non-volatile memory 242; and in which primary
device 210 (instantiated in one or more devices 1752, 1754 of
network 1700, e.g.) would otherwise need either to provide an
ongoing bias current to volatile memory 262 or to incur performance
degradation (resulting from excessive interaction with non-volatile
memory 242, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, interface module
1722 may be configured to route the data blocks in wireless signal
1321 to pass through queue 570 conditionally in response to a
"positive" Boolean indication 2103 (signifying that they comprise
encrypted data 2130, e.g.). In another variant, moreover, operation
3758 may be performed by a special-purpose interface module
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2481 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to cause a data component 881
of a wireless signal 2430 to pass through a less-accessible
non-volatile memory 243 of an integrated circuit (primary device
210, e.g.) if a configuration component 882 of wireless signal 2430
satisfies a 1st criterion and otherwise to cause the data component
881 to pass through more-accessible memory 242 of the integrated
circuit.
[0178] With reference now to flow 3800 of FIG. 38 and to other
flows described above, in some variants, several modes are
presented. A first provides operation 3851 and operation 3852. A
second provides operation 3855 and operation 3856. A third provides
operation 3858 and operation 3859. One or more of these modes may
be performed in preparation for or in response to or otherwise in
conjunction with any of the operations described above.
[0179] Operation 3851 describes causing a first core to draw from a
first data queue of a mobile device (e.g. configuration module 2697
causing core 701 to draw from data queue 570). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which data queue 570 resides in mobile
device 160 and in which items 570 comprise data blocks. response
module 1734 transmitting a signal 2052 containing a decision 1405
whether or not to cause core 702 to draw from data queue 570 as an
automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data
volume 1416 of queue 570 crossing a volume threshold 2086). This
can occur, for example, in a context in which data queue 570 (a
circular buffer, e.g.) resides in a volatile memory 262; in which
the volume threshold 2086 signifies more than 50% of a capacity of
the volatile memory 262; and in which maintaining effective
processing throughput would otherwise require a continuous power
expenditure through a larger fraction of event-sequencing logic
710. In another variant, moreover, operations 3851, 3852 may be
performed by a special-purpose response module implemented as or
operably coupled with circuitry 751 having an event-sequencing
structure (an instance of numerous transistors 351, 352 and voltage
levels 311-314 in one or more integrated circuits 361, e.g.)
configured to signal a decision 2221 of how many cores are to draw
simultaneously from a single data queue 570 of a mobile device 160,
2760 as an automatic and conditional response to an indication of a
data volume 706 of the data queue 570 crossing a volume threshold
2086.
[0180] Operation 3852 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to cause a second core to draw from the first data queue of the
mobile device as an automatic and conditional response to an
indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing a
backlog threshold (e.g. response module 1734 transmitting a signal
2052 containing a decision 1405 whether or not to cause core 702 to
draw from data queue 570 as an automatic and conditional response
to an indication of a data volume 1416 of queue 570 crossing a
volume threshold 2086). This can occur, for example, in a context
in which data queue 570 (a circular buffer, e.g.) resides in a
volatile memory 262; in which the volume threshold 2086 signifies
more than 50% of a capacity of the volatile memory 262; and in
which maintaining effective processing throughput would otherwise
require a continuous power expenditure through a larger fraction of
event-sequencing logic 710. In another variant, moreover,
operations 3851, 3852 may be performed by a special-purpose
response module implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry
751 having an event-sequencing structure (an instance of numerous
transistors 351, 352 and voltage levels 311-314 in one or more
integrated circuits 361, e.g.) configured to signal a decision 2221
of how many cores are to draw simultaneously from a single data
queue 570 of a mobile device 160, 2760 as an automatic and
conditional response to an indication of a data volume 706 of the
data queue 570 crossing a volume threshold 2086.
[0181] Operation 3855 describes causing a mobile device that
includes a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to receive a
configuration component of a first wireless signal, the
configuration component causing the FPGA to implement a sorting
module (e.g. configuration module 2698 transmitting a wireless
signal 2053 that includes configuration data 2015 with which a
configuration unit 280 in secondary device 220 implements a sorting
module 594 in an FPGA (implemented in integrated circuit 365,
e.g.). This can occur, for example, in a context in which
configuration data 2015 comprises a Very high speed Hardware
Description Language (VHDL) expression 2297; in which primary
device 210 implements detection unit 2610; in which mobile device
2760 contains a circuit board 360 comprising secondary device 220;
in which integrated circuit 363 comprises medium 2010; and in which
integrated circuit 364 comprises ASIC 540; and in which linkage 295
spans a free space medium (air, e.g.). In some contexts, for
example, such a transmission may trigger a local instance of an
event-sequencing structure (a special-purpose configuration module
2698 in configuration unit 280, e.g.) configured to implement VHDL
expression 2297.
[0182] Operation 3856 describes causing the sorting module in the
FPGA of the mobile device to process a data component of a second
wireless signal after the configuration component of the first
wireless signal causes the FPGA to implement the sorting module
(e.g. input module 1681 causing sorting module 594 to process some
or all of wireless signal 2054 after the configuration component of
wireless signal 2053 causes sorting module 594 to be implemented in
the FPGA). This can occur, for example, in a context in which the
mobile device comprises supervisor unit 1630 and in which effective
sorting performance would otherwise require either (1) permanent
special-purpose sorting circuitry or (2) a significantly larger
general-purpose processing capacity. In another variant in which a
mobile device 160 or device 2760 includes FPGA 870, moreover,
operation 3856 may be performed by a special-purpose input module
implemented as circuitry 861 having an event-sequencing structure
configured to cause a sorting module 875 in FPGA 870 to process a
data component 882 of wireless signal 2054 after a configuration
component 881 of another wireless signal 2053 causes the sorting
module 875 to be implemented.
[0183] Operation 3858 describes causing a mobile device that
includes a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to receive a
configuration component of a first wireless signal, the
configuration component causing the FPGA to implement a Fast
Fourier Transform (FFT) module (e.g. configuration module 2694
receiving a wireless signal 2055 that includes configuration data
2015 with which a configuration unit 280 implements a Fast Fourier
Transform module 591 in a field-programmable gate array comprising
integrated circuit 366). This can occur, for example, in a context
in which configuration data 2015 comprises a hardware description
language expression 2296; in which primary device 210 comprises
detection unit 2610; in which mobile device 2760 comprises
secondary device 220; in which integrated circuit 363 comprises
medium 2010; in which integrated circuit 364 comprises ASIC 540;
and in which FFT module 591 occupies most of the capacity of the
gate array. In some contexts, for example, such a transmission may
trigger a local instance of an event-sequencing structure (a
special-purpose configuration module 2694 in configuration unit
280, e.g.) configured to implement hardware description language
expression 2296.
[0184] Operation 3859 describes causing the FFT module in the FPGA
of the mobile device to process a data component of a second
wireless signal after the configuration component of the first
wireless signal causes the FPGA to implement the FFT module (e.g.
input module 1682 causing FFT module 591 to process some or all of
wireless signal 2056 after the configuration component of wireless
signal 2055 causes FFT module 591 to be implemented in the FPGA).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which the mobile
device comprises supervisor unit 1630 and in which effective
transform function performance would otherwise require either (1) a
significantly larger general-purpose processing capacity or (2) an
FPGA significantly larger than its resident implementation of FFT
module 591. In another variant, moreover, operations 3858, 3859 may
be performed by a special-purpose input module implemented as or
operably coupled with circuitry 1881 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to cause an FFT module 1823 in FPGA 1820 to
process a data component 1842 of wireless signal 2056 after a
configuration component 1841 of another wireless signal 2055 causes
the FFT module 1823 to be implemented.
[0185] With reference now to flow 3900 of FIG. 39 and to other
flows described above, in some variants, several modes are
presented. A first provides operation 3952 and operation 3955. A
second provides operation 3956 and operation 3957. A third provides
operation 3958 and operation 3959. One or more of these modes may
be performed in preparation for or in response to or otherwise in
conjunction with any of the operations described above.
[0186] Operation 3952 describes causing a configurable core in a
first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a
particular device (e.g. response module 1731 triggering a dual-mode
core 711 to draw from data queue 580). This can occur, for example,
in a context in which event-sequencing logic 710, 910 (instantiated
ASIC 540 or in one or more devices 1750, 1760 of network 1700,
e.g.) implements the first core operating mode as a "positive"
Boolean value 743 (as a nominal voltage level less than one volt at
electrical node 924, e.g.); and in which dual-mode core 711 is
operating in a low-voltage core operating mode 721 (manifesting
Boolean value 743, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, such
triggering may invoke special-purpose circuitry 681 having an
event-sequencing structure (an arrangement of transistors and
voltage levels in one or more integrated circuits, e.g.) configured
to cause a multimodal core 635 or other configurable core 733 to
draw from data queue 580.
[0187] Operation 3955 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of
the particular device in a second core operating mode as an
automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data
volume of the first data queue crossing a volume threshold (e.g.
configuration module 2691 manifesting a decision whether or not to
cause the dual-mode core 711 or other configurable core 733 to draw
from data queue 580 in another core operating mode as an automatic
and conditional response to an indication 1345 of a volume 706 of
data queue 580 crossing volume threshold 2087). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which the "other" core operating mode 722
is a higher-voltage mode (implementing a "negative" Boolean value
743 as a nominal voltage level 314 greater than one volt at
electrical node 924, e.g.) and in which maintaining effective
processing throughput would otherwise require one or more
additional cores 731, 732 drawing from data queue 580. In some
variants, moreover, operation 3955 may be performed by a
special-purpose configuration module implemented as or operably
coupled with circuitry 761 having an event-sequencing structure
configured to signal a decision 2222 whether or not to cause an
activation module 709 to select and activate a different core
operating mode for one or more cores 733 partly based on Boolean
value 743 and partly based on a charging sensor state 2617 of a
detection unit 2610 operably coupled to event-sequencing logic
710.
[0188] Operation 3956 describes causing a configurable core in a
first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a
particular device (e.g. response module 1732 directing a dual-mode
core 712 to draw from data queue 580). This can occur, for example,
in a context in which event-sequencing logic 910 implements Boolean
value 742 at electrical node 922 (as a voltage level, e.g.); in
which ASIC 540 includes event-sequencing logic 710, 910
(instantiated in one or more devices 1750, 1762 of network 1700,
e.g.); and in which one or more dual-mode cores 712 are operating
in a higher-voltage core operating mode 722 (manifesting Boolean
value 742, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, such operation may
comprise special-purpose circuitry 682 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to cause a multimodal core 635 or other
configurable core 733 to draw from data queue 580.
[0189] Operation 3957 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of
the particular device in a second core operating mode as an
automatic and conditional response to a thermal state of a
temperature sensor in the particular device (e.g. configuration
module 2692 signaling a decision 2224 whether or not to cause
dual-mode core 712 to use a lower-voltage operating mode 721 in
processing item 582 as a conditional response to temperature sensor
608 indicating a thermal state 618 hotter than a design threshold
2088). This can occur, for example, in a context in which threshold
2088 is higher than 43.degree. C.; in which temperature sensor 608
is calibrated to implement threshold 2088 by design (lacking any
explicit access to thresholds 2081-2089, e.g.); in which device
1750 includes detection unit 2610 and medium 2210; in which ASIC
540 includes control logic 610; and in which such effective
processing throughput would otherwise make device 1750
uncomfortable for user 1501 to hold for more than a minute.
Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, threshold 2088 may
be lower than 47.degree. C. In some variants, moreover, operation
3957 may be performed by a special-purpose configuration module
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 672 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to signal a decision 2224
whether or not to cause a multimodal core 635 or other configurable
core 733 to change core operating modes as an automatic and
conditional response to a thermal state 618 of a temperature sensor
608.
[0190] Operation 3958 describes causing a configurable core in a
first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a
particular device (e.g. response module 1733 triggering a
multimodal core 635 to draw from data queue 580). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which ASIC 540 includes control logic
610 (instantiated in one or more devices 1760, 1770 of network
1700, e.g.) and in which control logic 610 implements a mode
designation decision 2223 of "A" (signifying an error-tolerant
operating mode 630 that is faster than operating mode 631 and that
runs cooler than operating mode 632, e.g.). Alternatively or
additionally, in some variants, such triggering may invoke
special-purpose circuitry 683 having an event-sequencing structure
configured to cause one or more dual-mode cores 711, 712 or other
cores 731-733 to draw from data queue 580.
[0191] Operation 3959 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of
the particular device in a second core operating mode as an
automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery
in the particular device (e.g. configuration module 2693 acting
upon a mode designation decision 2223 of "B" before or while
processing item 583 from data queue 580 partly based on charging
sensor 2607 indicating a sufficient charging state 2617 and partly
based on another Boolean value 741). This can occur, for example,
in a context in which ASIC 540 is operatively coupled with
detection logic 2610; in which a mode designation decision 2223 of
"B" signifies a high-latency operating mode 631 (one that runs
cooler than operating mode 632 and that results in a lower error
rate than that of operating mode 630, e.g.); and in which
optimizing a high-throughput processing application across a family
of devices (having similar architecture but different power source
attributes, e.g.) would otherwise be impractical. In some contexts,
for example, activation module 708 may (optionally) be configured
to implement such decision 2223 by switching multimodal core 635
into its high-latency operating mode 631 immediately. Alternatively
or additionally, Boolean value 741 may manifest one or more of a
thermal state 618 of a temperature sensor 608 (as decision 2224,
e.g.) or an indication 1345 of a volume 706 of data queue 580
crossing volume threshold 2087. In some variants, moreover,
operation 3959 may be performed by a special-purpose configuration
module implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2681
having an event-sequencing structure configured to signal a
decision 2225 whether or not to cause a dual-mode core 712 to draw
from data queue 580 in a higher-voltage core operating mode 722 as
an automatic and conditional response to charging sensor 2607
indicating a sufficient charging state 2617.
[0192] With reference now to flow 4000 of FIG. 40 and to other
flows described above, in some variants, one or more of operations
4051, 4053, 4055, 4057, 4059 may be performed in preparation for or
in response to or otherwise in conjunction with any of the
operations described above.
[0193] Operation 4051 describes detecting a series of service
region departure events (e.g. registration module 1974 detecting
occurrences of device 2910 departing from zone 2980 at position
2908 and from zone 2970 at position 2909, e.g.). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which device 1910 comprises or
receives data from device 2910 and in which registration module
1974 could not otherwise detect an unsuitable service availability
context (driving through a thicket of noncontiguous service gaps,
e.g.) would not otherwise be cost effective to implement
commercially. In some contexts, for example, device 2910 can report
such departure events some time later (via telephone switch 1996 or
when device 2910 comes into a WLAN communication range 2866 of WLAN
router 2860, e.g.). In another variant, moreover, operation 4051
may be performed by a special-purpose aggregation module
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2501 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to detect status data 2320
that includes indications 2276, 2277 of two or more such departure
events. See FIG. 34.
[0194] Operation 4053 describes incrementally decreasing a dataflow
through a wireless communication channel (e.g. configuration module
2675 causing a somewhat smaller fraction 2011 of user data 2150 to
pass via a wireless linkage 2767 as a conditional response to one
or more Boolean values 741-745 described herein). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which device 2760 includes
event-sequencing logic 1210 (instantiated in one or more devices
1780, 1782 of network 1700, e.g.); in which user data 2150
comprises a series 2125 of data blocks 2121, 2122, 2123 most or all
of which were obtained from user 1501 via a microphone 1217, 2817;
in which at least a remainder of the user data 2150 comprises a
signal 2758 passing through another channel 2780; in which channel
2770 is "wireless" by virtue of having at least one wireless
linkage 2767; in which configuration module 2675 causes fraction
2011 to drop by at most about half during operation 4053; and in
which such incremental decrease eases congestion in a vicinity of
linkage 2767. In some contexts, for example, operation 4053 may
result from one or more indications of faster processing of signal
2758 (manifested by one or more Boolean values 742, 743 described
herein, e.g.). In another variant, moreover, operation 4053 may be
performed by a special-purpose configuration module 2675 (in
supervisor unit 1630, e.g.) implemented as circuitry 2503 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to decrease a data flow rate
2095 through linkage 151 incrementally (by an incremental
adjustment to a voice sampling rate 2096 applied to a signal 2059
from microphone 1217 during a telephone call 1951, e.g.). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which a degradation of service
(dropped call, e.g.) resulting from excessive network resource
loading would not otherwise motivate a voluntary incremental
attrition of participants in interpersonal communications (video
chats, e.g.). Operation 4055 describes signaling a decision whether
or not to transmit any user data via a first communication channel
(e.g. configuration module 2676 transmitting a Boolean decision
2226 whether or not to transmit any user data 2150 via linkage 161
as a conditional response to one or more Boolean values 741-745
described herein). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which configuration module 2676 generates decision 2226 by
combining Boolean values 741, 742 (with an AND gate or operation,
e.g.). In some contexts, moreover, such decision 2226 may be
overridden by one or more other Boolean values 743, 744 described
herein being positive. In another variant, moreover, operation 4055
may be performed by a special-purpose configuration module
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2505 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to signal a Boolean decision
2226 whether or not to transmit any user data 2150 via queue
580.
[0195] Operation 4057 describes signaling a decision whether or not
to adjust a latency threshold for user data (e.g. a special-purpose
processing module 2643 signaling a decision 2227 whether or not to
adjust a latency threshold 2089 for user data 2150). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which user data 2150 comprises
sequential video or voice data segments 2431-2433 encoded at device
1768; in which segments 2431, 2433 arrive promptly at device 1750
via wireless linkage 1771 but in which segment 2432 is
significantly delayed; in which a response module 1738 applies an
effective latency threshold 2089 (and an arrival time of one or
more other segments, e.g.) in deciding when to treat segment 2432
as lost and to play segment 2433 (via decoding module 1151 and via
a speaker 442 or display 445, e.g.); in which device 2760
event-sequencing logic 1110; and in which such playing of segment
2433 would otherwise occur too late (due to a large latency
threshold 2089 that was previously necessary being maintained
unnecessarily, e.g.). In some contexts, for example, decision 2227
may result in an effective latency being reduced from 0.3 seconds
to 0.1 seconds in response to an indication 2078 of a significant
bit error rate decrease or to an indication 2079 of a significant
signal strength increase or to other such manifestations of
improved channel performance received from one or more detection
modules 1673, 1674 described herein. (Except as noted, such
quantitative changes as described herein are "significant" if they
exceed 20% of a baseline value.) In another variant, moreover,
operation 4057 may be performed by a special-purpose processing
module implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2507
having an event-sequencing structure configured to signal a
conditional decision 2227 whether or not to increase the effective
latency threshold 2089 (to more than 1 second, e.g.) in response a
user's activation of a speech recognition module 1123 (implemented
in device 1768 or device 2760, e.g.) so that words are recognized
in data segments 2431-2433 there. In some contexts, such recognized
words may then be processed by a translation module (an instance of
interlingual translation application module 1044 or text-to-speech
translation module 1124, e.g.) before being played (via speaker 442
or display 445, e.g.).
[0196] Operation 4059 describes comparing a data block delivery
failure rate against a threshold (e.g. detection module 1673
comparing a data block delivery failure rate 2091 against a
threshold 2081. This can occur, for example, in a context in which
device 2771 includes one or more antennas 205, 1905 operably
connected (via channel 2770, e.g.) with network 1990 (including
device 2750, e.g.) and in which detection module 1673 would
otherwise need to rely upon cruder channel metrics (signal strength
or resource loading, e.g.) in deciding how to route user data 2150.
Alternatively or additionally, operation 4059 may be performed by a
special-purpose detection module implemented as or operably coupled
with circuitry 2509 having an event-sequencing structure configured
to compare a data block delivery failure rate against a threshold
as described above with reference to flow 3200.
[0197] With reference now to flow 4100 of FIG. 41 and to other
flows described above, in some variants, one or more of operations
4152, 4154, 4156, 4158 may be performed in preparation for or in
response to or otherwise in conjunction with any of the operations
described above.
[0198] Operation 4152 describes implementing a specific positional
model to represent both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic
radiator (e.g. aggregation module 1172 generating or updating a
geographic model 2301 that includes a record 2327 indicating an
approximate position 2341 and radius 2345 relating to a range of
router 3101 and also a record 2328 indicating more complex
shape-descriptive information 2313 relating to a range of router
3103). This can occur, for example, in a context in which record
2327 identifies a round region (approximating the zone 3121 served
by router 3101 and having a radius 2345, e.g.); in which record
2328 identifies an oblong region (approximating the zone 3123
served by router 3103, e.g.); and in which model 2301 could not
otherwise maintain an accurate geographical distribution of
wireless service status in region 3155 effectively on an ongoing
basis. In a context of one or more routers 3101-3103 reportedly
failing to provide service (based upon a report from a device 3180
that failed to obtain service via router 3101 at position 2348,
e.g.), aggregation module 1172 may update model 2301 (from version
2363 indicating service in zone 2351, e.g.) to a version 2362
showing loss of service at other positions 2349 also. Alternatively
or additionally, in some contexts, operation 4152 may be performed
by a special-purpose aggregation module implemented as or operably
coupled with circuitry 2502 having an event-sequencing structure
(an instance of numerous transistors 351, 352 and voltage levels
311-314 in one or more integrated circuits 361, e.g.) configured to
implement a model 2201 comprising an image 2251 (shown via display
445, e.g.) depicting a region 165 (served by device 160, modeled as
an isotropic radiator, e.g.) and another region 155 (approximated
as a semicircular map region 2255, e.g.) served by device 150
(represented as an anisotropic radiator, e.g.).
[0199] Operation 4154 describes signaling a result to a user via
another device (e.g. transmission module 1183 transmitting one or
more indications 1253, 1254, 1341-1345, 2071-2079 as described
herein remotely to a device 2760 held by user 101). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which an instance of event-sequencing
logic 1110 (implemented in device 1776, e.g.) comprises a
transmission module 1183 that is remote from device 2760. In some
contexts, for example, the result can comprise one or more
instances (1) of clips 2090 generated by an audio capture module
1121 or by a video capture module 1121; (2) of coordinates 2021,
2022 from GPS module 1122; (3) of textual expressions 1432 of a
word from speech recognition module 1123; (4) of decrypted data
blocks from decryption module 1132; (5) of decoded data blocks 2122
from decoding module 1152; (6) of maps 2330, records 2327-2329, or
other manifestation of a model 2201, 2301 from aggregation module
1174; or (7) of other such results from special-purpose
event-sequencing logic (depicted in FIGS. 7-13, e.g.) or flows
(depicted in FIGS. 32-41, e.g.) described herein. In some contexts,
moreover, operation 4154 may be performed by a special-purpose
transmission module implemented as or operably coupled with
circuitry 2471 remote from user 101 and having an event-sequencing
structure configured to transmit a wireless signal so as to cause a
manifestation of such result(s) as voltage levels (at electrical
nodes 921-928, e.g.) via an instance of event-sequencing logic 2410
(and via a speaker 442 or display 445, e.g.) that is local to user
101. This can occur, for example, in a context in which integrated
circuit 440 includes event-sequencing logic 2410.
[0200] Operation 4156 describes transmitting user data via an ad
hoc network (e.g. interface module 1725 or notification module 1745
routing at least some user data 2150 via one or more wireless
linkages of an ad hoc network 1790). This can occur, for example,
in a context in which transmission module 1184 comprises software
(resident in phase-change memory 231 or removable memory 232, e.g.)
executable by CPU 212 and in which one or more devices 210, 1750,
2760 send or receive such user data 2150 (comprising one or more
interpersonal communications 1961-1963, e.g.) as described herein
via wireless linkage 1771. Alternatively or additionally, operation
4156 may be performed by a special-purpose transmission module
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2506 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to transmit status data 2320
or other signals 2051-2059 relating to user-owned devices, e.g.)
via network 1790.
[0201] Operation 4158 describes displaying via a mobile device at
least some of a map that depicts a cost-indicative service boundary
relating to a prospective intercommunication (e.g. notification
module 1741 causing a map 2330 that depicts a geographic cost
transition relating to an interpersonal communication 1961 with a
user 2701 of a remote device 2750 to be displayed before the
communication begins). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which user 101 views a display 445 that depicts one or more
versions 2361, 2362, 2363 of a segment of map 2330 (successively,
e.g.); in which map 2330 represents one or more such
cost-indicative service boundaries as a low-cost-service region (a
zone 2353 shown in green, e.g.) bordering a higher-cost-service
region or free-service region (a zone 2356 shown in white, e.g.);
in which such costs will be incurred by user 101 if the
interpersonal communication 1961 takes place; and in which such
costs would otherwise (without notification module 1741, e.g.) be
incurred without adequate warning. In some contexts, for example,
one or more such versions 2361 depict a cost transition relating to
costs that will be incurred by the user 2701 of the remote device
2750 (a zone 2351 shown in orange bordered by another
cost-indicative service boundary, e.g.). Alternatively or
additionally, such zone 2351 depicted in orange may become
available (in a newer version 2363 of segment 2337, e.g.) as a
response to user 2701 placing a call to device 2760 (while device
2760 is ringing, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, such zone
2351 depicted in orange may become available (to user 101,
activated by saying "local roaming map" or by pushing a button,
e.g.) as a response to user 101 entering user data 2150 (via a
keypad of device 2760, e.g.) that identifies device 2750 (phone
number 2285, e.g.). In another variant, moreover, operation 4158
may be performed by a special-purpose notification module
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 2508 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to maintain a regional map
2330 (on server 1396, e.g.) that features one or more
cost-indicative service boundaries 2961, 2971 relating to
prospective intercommunications via device 2910. One or more
versions of regional map 2330 may be updated, in some variants, in
response to a positional or other status indication (signifying
coordinates 2021, 2022 or operability status, e.g.) relating one or
more service facilitation devices. In some contexts, for example,
such devices (instantiated in one or more devices 1772, 1782 of
network 1700, e.g.) may include a tower 3085 or vehicle 1510 or
mounted device 1530.
[0202] Referring again to the flow variants of FIGS. 32-41
described above and in particular to flow 3200, operation 28 may be
performed by one or more special-purpose initiation modules
implemented as or operably coupled with circuitry 1031 having an
event-sequencing structure configured to establish a first wireless
communication channel via linkage 1771 (e.g. including intermediate
devices 1770, 1772) and from device 1750 and a second wireless
communication channel from device 1750 and via device 1776. This
can occur, for example in a context in which such channels both
extend to a remote device 1782. Also in such variants, operation 32
may be performed by a special-purpose allocation module implemented
as circuitry 1141 having an event-sequencing structure (an
arrangement of numerous transistors and electrical nodes 921 at
decision-indicative voltage levels, e.g.) configured to implement
an adjusted target percentage 2293 of user data 2150 being
transmitted via linkage 1771 responsive to data block delivery
failures of the second wireless communication channel becoming to
frequent.
[0203] Referring again to the flow variants of FIGS. 32-41
described above and in particular to flow 3300, operation 24 may be
performed by a special-purpose registration module implemented as
or operably coupled with circuitry 1481 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to obtain at primary device 2760 an internet
protocol address or other identifier of device 2760. Also in such
variants, operation 30 may be performed by a special-purpose
notification module implemented as circuitry 1221 having an
event-sequencing structure (an arrangement of numerous transistors
and electrical nodes 925 at decision-indicative voltage levels,
e.g.) configured to cause a primary device 2760 to indicate whether
or not device 2760 is within zone 2960. This can occur, for
example, in a context in which the "third" device comprises a
vehicle or mounted device 1530 providing wireless service 1335; in
which the WLAN communication range comprises region 165 or zone
2960; in which primary device 2760 is not currently engaged in a
bidirectional interpersonal communication via device 2760; and in
which primary device 2760 includes a light-emitting diode or other
suitable display 445 configured to display the Boolean indication.
Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, the third device
may comprise a moving vehicle 1510 (instantiated in one or more
devices 1750, 1776 of network 1700, e.g.) or parked vehicle
(comprising device 160, e.g.) providing Wi-Fi service.
[0204] Referring again to the flow variants of FIGS. 32-41
described above and in particular to flow 3400, operation 27 may be
performed by a special-purpose detection module implemented as or
operably coupled with circuitry 1483 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to detect an availability to participate in
one or more modes of telephonic dialog 1953 as a conditionally
response to an indirect Boolean indication 2274 whether or not a
device 2910 (instantiated in one or more devices 1750, 1780 of
network 1700, e.g.) crossed boundaries too rapidly (as a
determination of whether an average or other interval 1423 between
events exceeded a threshold, said determination being an inverse of
Boolean indication 2274, e.g.) within time interval 1421. Also in
such variants, operation 33 may be performed by a special-purpose
notification module implemented as circuitry 1482 having an
event-sequencing structure (an arrangement of numerous transistors
and electrical nodes 926 at decision-indicative voltage levels
operably coupled to detection the module, e.g.) configured to
signal the availability to participate in telephonic dialog 1953 in
response to a successful communication via router 3101. This can
occur, for example, in a context in which device 2910 is at
position 2349 and in which router 3101 is online (providing
wireless service 1331 in zone 2351, e.g.).
[0205] Referring again to the flow variants of FIGS. 32-41
described above and in particular to flow 3500, operation 26 may be
performed by a special-purpose notification module implemented as
or operably coupled with circuitry 931 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to obtain via an antenna 1905 (and via a
wireless linkage 995 from configuration unit 980, e.g.)
configuration data (a VHDL expression 2297 or password 2036, e.g.)
establishing a security protocol (manifested as an event-sequencing
structure in an FPGA 870, 1540, 1820 or as a protocol
implementation code 1088 executable by CPU 212, e.g.). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which event-sequencing logic
910 and media 2010, 2210 reside in device 1750 and in which a
scripting language is used to generate VHDL expression 2297 or in
which a password generation module 986 (resident in a device
1750,1758 of network 1700, e.g.) is used to generate password 2036.
Also in such variants, operation 29 may be performed by a
special-purpose interface module implemented as circuitry 1201
having an event-sequencing structure configured to receive a
wireless signal that includes password 2036. This can occur, for
example, in a context in which device 1750 includes
event-sequencing logic 1210 and receives the wireless signal from
device 2760 (as the "second" device, e.g.). Also in such variants,
operation 31 may be performed by a special-purpose registration
module implemented as circuitry 1021 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to signal a decision 2228 whether or not to
provide a network access service 2284 responsive to whether or not
access request data in the wireless signal (password 2036, e.g.)
satisfies the security protocol (a watermark or checksum, e.g.).
Also in such variants, operation 35 may be performed by a
special-purpose allocation module implemented as circuitry 1022
having an event-sequencing structure (an arrangement of numerous
transistors and electrical nodes 927 at decision-indicative voltage
levels, e.g.) configured to signal a decision whether or not to
provide another network access service 2282, 2283 responsive to
whether or not access request data from another mobile device 2870
satisfies another security protocol (e.g. controlling access to one
or more other services 2282, 2283). This can occur, for example, in
a context in which allocation module 1622 also implements circuitry
1371 having an event-sequencing structure configured to implement a
firewall separating two or more network access services 2282-2284
provided via a single device 1750.
[0206] Referring again to the flow variants of FIGS. 32-41
described above and in particular to flow 3600, operation 25 may be
performed by a special-purpose aggregation module implemented as or
operably coupled with circuitry 1372 having an event-sequencing
structure configured to obtain an indication 1344 of one or more
wireless communication services 1331-1335 having been provided
within zone 2970. Also in such variants, operation 34 may be
performed by a special-purpose response module implemented as
circuitry 941 having an event-sequencing structure (an arrangement
of numerous transistors and electrical nodes 928 at
decision-indicative voltage levels, e.g.) configured to signal a
decision 1403 whether or not to indicate the wireless communication
service(s) provided within zone 2970 by a device 3160 as a response
to an indication 2077 from another device 2910 of the wireless
communication service(s) being operative within zone 2970.
[0207] The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions
and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art
that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams,
flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or
collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or
virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several
portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented
via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs),
or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will
recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in
whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated
circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more
computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more
processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination
thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code
for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of
one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable
type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact
Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer
memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital
and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a
waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication
link (e.g., transmitter, receiver, transmission logic, reception
logic, etc.), etc.).
[0208] While particular aspects of the present subject matter
described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein,
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and,
therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope
all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit
and scope of the subject matter described herein. It will be
understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used
herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the
appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the
term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not
limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at
least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but
is not limited to," etc.).
[0209] It will be further understood by those within the art that
if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended,
such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the
absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example,
as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may
contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one
or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such
phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a
claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
claims containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one
or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles
used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a
specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly
recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such
recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the
recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations,"
without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations,
or two or more recitations).
[0210] Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous
to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a
construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art
would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least
one of A, B, and C" would include but not be limited to systems
that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C
together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In
those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A,
B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended
in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the
convention (e.g., " a system having at least one of A, B, or C"
would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B
alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C
together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further
understood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive
word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms,
whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be
understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the
terms, either of the terms, or both terms unless context dictates
otherwise. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be typically
understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and
B."
[0211] This application may make reference to one or more
trademarks, e.g., a word, letter, symbol, or device adopted by one
manufacturer or merchant and used to identify and/or distinguish
his or her product from those of others. Trademark names used
herein are set forth in such language that makes clear their
identity, that distinguishes them from common descriptive nouns,
that have fixed and definite meanings, or, in many if not all
cases, are accompanied by other specific identification using terms
not covered by trademark. In addition, trademark names used herein
have meanings that are well-known and defined in the literature, or
do not refer to products or compounds for which knowledge of one or
more trade secrets is required in order to divine their meaning.
All trademarks referenced in this application are the property of
their respective owners, and the appearance of one or more
trademarks in this application does not diminish or otherwise
adversely affect the validity of the one or more trademarks. All
trademarks, registered or unregistered, that appear in this
application are assumed to include a proper trademark symbol, e.g.,
the circle R or bracketed capitalization (e.g., [trademark name]),
even when such trademark symbol does not explicitly appear next to
the trademark. To the extent a trademark is used in a descriptive
manner to refer to a product or process, that trademark should be
interpreted to represent the corresponding product or process as of
the date of the filing of this patent application.
[0212] With respect to the numbered clauses and claims expressed
below, those skilled in the art will appreciate that recited
operations therein may generally be performed in any order. Also,
although various operational flows are presented in a sequence(s),
it should be understood that the various operations may be
performed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may
be performed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may
include overlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered,
incremental, preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or
other variant orderings, unless context dictates otherwise.
Furthermore, terms like "responsive to," "related to," or other
past-tense adjectives are generally not intended to exclude such
variants, unless context dictates otherwise. Also in the numbered
clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are
articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to
respective embodiments, for each instance in which a "component" or
other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with "a" or "an,"
e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations
may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2)
what might be called "dependent" clauses below may or may not
incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of
"independent" clauses to which they refer or other features
described above.
[0213] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing
specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are
representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or
technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed
herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.
Clauses
[0214] 1. (Independent) A communication management system
comprising: one or more articles of manufacture including
[0215] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for obtaining via a first device configuration
data establishing a first security protocol;
[0216] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for obtaining via a second device a wireless
signal containing access request data;
[0217] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling a decision whether or not to
provide a first network access service via a third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol; and
[0218] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling a decision whether or not to
provide a second network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data satisfies a
second security protocol, the third device implementing a firewall
between the first network access service and the second network
access service.
[0219] 2. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0220] the second device comprising one or more metamaterial
elements configured to transmit the wireless signal containing the
access request data.
[0221] 3. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0222] the third device comprising an antenna that transmits the
configuration data establishing the first security protocol, the
configuration data comprising a password.
[0223] 4. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0224] the third device comprising a smartphone or comprising a
computer.
[0225] 5. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0226] the third device comprising an integrated circuit chip or
comprising a motor vehicle.
[0227] 6. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0228] the second device configured to signal a decision whether or
not to indicate a wireless communication service provided within a
region by a fourth device as a response to an indication from a
fifth device of the wireless communication service being operative
within the region, the wireless communication service being the
first network access service.
[0229] 7. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0230] the second device configured to display at least some of a
map that includes a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a
prospective interpersonal communication between the second device
and a fifth device.
[0231] 8. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0232] the third device including a field-programmable gate array
configured to implement a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) module.
[0233] 9. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0234] the third device including a control module configured as
the firewall between the first network access service and the
second network access service.
[0235] 10. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0236] one or more electrical nodes, the configuration data
establishing the first security protocol being manifested as an
arrangement of one or more voltage levels on the one or more
electrical nodes.
[0237] 11. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0238] one or more electrical nodes, the decision whether or not to
provide the second network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data satisfies the
second security protocol being manifested as an arrangement of one
or more voltage levels on the one or more electrical nodes.
[0239] 12. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0240] the second device comprising a subsystem of a mesh
network.
[0241] 13. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0242] the second device including a microphone configured to
generate user data from a vocalization.
[0243] 14. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0244] the second device including a speaker configured to generate
an audible indication of whether or not a fourth device is
available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal
communication via the third device at least partly based on an
indication of the fourth device being within a wireless
communication range of a fifth device.
[0245] 15. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0246] the one or more articles of manufacture being configured not
to transmit data indicating a ground speed of any of the one or
more articles of manufacture.
[0247] 16. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0248] the one or more articles of manufacture being configured not
to transmit data indicating a geographic position of any of the one
or more articles of manufacture.
[0249] 17. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0250] the third device including the transistor-based circuitry
having the event-sequencing structure configured for signaling the
decision whether or not to provide the second network access
service via the third device responsive to whether or not the
access request data satisfies the second security protocol.
[0251] 18. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture further
comprising:
[0252] the first device including the transistor-based circuitry
having the event-sequencing structure configured for signaling the
decision whether or not to provide the first network access service
via the third device responsive to whether or not the access
request data in the wireless signal satisfies the first security
protocol.
[0253] 19. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0254] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0255] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a handheld
device as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state
of a temperature sensor in the handheld device, the handheld device
being the second device. 20. The communication management system of
any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of
manufacture comprising:
[0256] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0257] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a portable
device as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state
of a battery in the portable device, the portable device being the
second device.
[0258] 21. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0259] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0260] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a mobile
device as an automatic and conditional response to a control
component of the wireless signal, the mobile device being the
second device.
[0261] 22. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0262] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0263] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing first content of a wireless signal
to pass either through a first memory of a particular device or
through a second memory of the particular device selected as an
automatic and conditional response to whether or not second content
of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion, the particular
device being the second device.
[0264] 23. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0265] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0266] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a first core to draw from a first
data queue of a mobile device, the mobile device being the third
device; and [0267] transistor-based circuitry having an
event-sequencing structure configured for signaling a decision
whether or not to cause a second core to draw from the first data
queue of the mobile device as an automatic and conditional response
to an indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing
a backlog threshold.
[0268] 24. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0269] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0270] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a mobile device that includes a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to receive a configuration
component of a first wireless signal, the configuration component
causing the FPGA to implement a sorting module, the mobile device
being the third device; and [0271] transistor-based circuitry
having an event-sequencing structure configured for causing the
sorting module to process a data component of a second wireless
signal after the configuration component of the first wireless
signal causes the FPGA to implement the sorting module.
[0272] 25. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0273] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0274] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a mobile device that includes a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to receive a configuration
component of a first wireless signal, the configuration component
causing the FPGA to implement a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
module; and [0275] transistor-based circuitry having an
event-sequencing structure configured for causing the FFT module to
process a data component of a second wireless signal after the
configuration component of the first wireless signal causes the
FPGA to implement the FFT module, the mobile device being the third
device.
[0276] 26. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0277] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0278] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a configurable core in a first
core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a particular
device, the particular device being the third device; and [0279]
transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing structure
configured for signaling a decision whether or not to cause the
configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the
particular device in a second core operating mode as an automatic
and conditional response to an indication of a data volume of the
first data queue crossing a volume threshold.
[0280] 27. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0281] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0282] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a configurable core in a first
core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a particular
device, the particular device being the third device; and [0283]
transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing structure
configured for signaling a decision whether or not to cause the
configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the
particular device in a second core operating mode as an automatic
and conditional response to a thermal state of a temperature sensor
in the particular device.
[0284] 28. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0285] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0286] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for causing a configurable core in a first
core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a particular
device, the particular device being the third device; and [0287]
transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing structure
configured for signaling a decision whether or not to cause the
configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the
particular device in a second core operating mode as an automatic
and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the
particular device.
[0288] 29. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0289] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0290] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for detecting a series of service region
departure events.
[0291] 30. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0292] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0293] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for incrementally decreasing a dataflow
through a wireless communication channel comprising the second
device and the third device.
[0294] 31. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0295] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0296] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling a decision whether or not to
transmit any user data via a first communication channel comprising
the second device and the third device.
[0297] 32. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0298] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal [0299] satisfies the first security protocol
including transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling a decision whether or not to
adjust a latency threshold for user data passing via a first
communication channel in response to one or more channel
performance metrics relating to the first communication
channel.
[0300] 33. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0301] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0302] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for comparing a data block delivery failure
rate relating to a first communication channel against a failure
rate threshold relating to the first communication channel.
[0303] 34. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0304] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0305] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for implementing a specific positional model
to represent both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic
radiator; and [0306] transistor-based circuitry having an
event-sequencing structure configured for causing the second device
to display an indication of the specific positional model.
[0307] 35. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0308] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0309] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling a result to a user via a fourth
device, the result being an indication of whether or not the access
request data satisfies the first security protocol.
[0310] 36. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0311] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0312] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for transmitting user data via an ad hoc
network that includes the second device.
[0313] 37. The communication management system of any of the above
SYSTEM CLAUSES, the one or more articles of manufacture
comprising:
[0314] the transistor-based circuitry having the event-sequencing
structure configured for signaling the decision whether or not to
provide the first network access service via the third device
responsive to whether or not the access request data in the
wireless signal satisfies the first security protocol including
[0315] transistor-based circuitry having an event-sequencing
structure configured for displaying via a mobile device at least
some of a map that depicts a cost-indicative service boundary
relating to a prospective intercommunication, the mobile device
being the second device.
[0316] 38. (Independent) A communication management method
comprising: obtaining via a first device configuration data
establishing a first security protocol; obtaining via a second
device a wireless signal containing access request data;
[0317] signaling a decision whether or not to provide a first
network access service via a third device responsive to whether or
not the access request data in the wireless signal satisfies the
first security protocol; and
[0318] signaling a decision whether or not to provide a second
network access service via the third device responsive to whether
or not the access request data satisfies a second security
protocol, the third device implementing a firewall between the
first network access service and the second network access
service.
[0319] 39. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0320] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0321] causing a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a handheld
device as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state
of a temperature sensor in the handheld device, the handheld device
being the second device.
[0322] 40. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0323] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0324] causing a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a portable
device as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state
of a battery in the portable device, the portable device being the
second device.
[0325] 41. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0326] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0327] causing a data component of a wireless
signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a mobile
device as an automatic and conditional response to a control
component of the wireless signal, the mobile device being the
second device.
[0328] 42. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0329] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0330] causing first content of a wireless
signal to pass either through a first memory of a particular device
or through a second memory of the particular device selected as an
automatic and conditional response to whether or not second content
of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion, the particular
device being the second device.
[0331] 43. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0332] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0333] causing a first core to draw from a first
data queue of a mobile device, the mobile device being the third
device; and [0334] signaling a decision whether or not to cause a
second core to draw from the first data queue of the mobile device
as an automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data
volume of the first data queue crossing a backlog threshold.
[0335] 44. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0336] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0337] causing a mobile device that includes a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to receive a configuration
component of a first wireless signal, the configuration component
causing the FPGA to implement a sorting module, the mobile device
being the third device; and [0338] causing the sorting module to
process a data component of a second wireless signal after the
configuration component of the first wireless signal causes the
FPGA to implement the sorting module.
[0339] 45. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0340] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0341] causing a mobile device that includes a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to receive a configuration
component of a first wireless signal, the configuration component
causing the FPGA to implement a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
module; and [0342] causing the FFT module to process a data
component of a second wireless signal after the configuration
component of the first wireless signal causes the FPGA to implement
the FFT module, the mobile device being the third device.
[0343] 46. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0344] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0345] causing a configurable core in a first
core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a particular
device, the particular device being the third device; and [0346]
signaling a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core
to draw from the first data queue of the particular device in a
second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response
to an indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing
a volume threshold.
[0347] 47. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0348] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0349] causing a configurable core in a first
core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a particular
device, the particular device being the third device; and [0350]
signaling a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core
to draw from the first data queue of the particular device in a
second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response
to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the particular
device.
[0351] 48. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0352] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0353] causing a configurable core in a first
core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of a particular
device, the particular device being the third device; and [0354]
signaling a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core
to draw from the first data queue of the particular device in a
second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response
to a charging state of a battery in the particular device.
[0355] 49. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0356] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0357] detecting a series of service region
departure events.
[0358] 50. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0359] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0360] incrementally decreasing a dataflow
through a wireless communication channel comprising the second
device and the third device.
[0361] 51. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0362] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0363] signaling a decision whether or not to
transmit any user data via a first communication channel comprising
the second device and the third device.
[0364] 52. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0365] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0366] signaling a decision whether or not to
adjust a latency threshold for user data passing via a first
communication channel in response to one or more channel
performance metrics relating to the first communication
channel.
[0367] 53. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0368] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0369] comparing a data block delivery failure
rate relating to a first communication channel against a failure
rate threshold relating to the first communication channel.
[0370] 54. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0371] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0372] implementing a specific positional model
to represent both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic
radiator; and [0373] causing the second device to display an
indication of the specific positional model.
[0374] 55. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0375] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0376] signaling a result to a user via a fourth
device, the result being an indication of whether or not the access
request data satisfies the first security protocol.
[0377] 56. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0378] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0379] transmitting user data via an ad hoc
network that includes the second device.
[0380] 57. The communication management method of any of the above
METHOD CLAUSES further comprising:
[0381] the signaling the decision whether or not to provide the
first network access service via the third device responsive to
whether or not the access request data satisfies the first security
protocol including [0382] displaying via a mobile device at least
some of a map that depicts a cost-indicative service boundary
relating to a prospective intercommunication, the mobile device
being the second device.
[0383] 58. (Independent) A communication management method
comprising:
[0384] establishing both a wireless communication channel via a
first device and from a second device and a wireless communication
channel from the second device and via a third device; and
[0385] signaling a decision of how much user data to transmit via
the wireless communication channel from the second device and via
the third device responsive to an indication that a data block
delivery failure rate of the wireless communication channel via the
first device and from the second device exceeds a failure rate
threshold.
[0386] 59. The communication management method of CLAUSE 58 further
comprising:
[0387] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 38.
[0388] 60. (Independent) A communication management method
comprising:
[0389] obtaining at a first device an identifier of a second
device; and
[0390] causing the first device to display a Boolean indication
whether or not the second device is within a wireless local area
network communication range of a third device without a
bidirectional interpersonal communication existing between the
first device and the second device.
[0391] 61. The communication management method of CLAUSE 60 further
comprising:
[0392] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 38.
[0393] 62. (Independent) A communication management method
comprising:
[0394] obtaining a Boolean indication of whether or not a first
device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold
within a recent time interval, the recent time interval being less
than an hour; and
[0395] signaling an availability to participate in a bidirectional
interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on the
Boolean indication whether or not the first device exceeded the
wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the recent
time interval and partly based on a Boolean indication of the first
device being within a wireless communication range of a second
device.
[0396] 63. The communication management method of CLAUSE 62 further
comprising:
[0397] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 38.
[0398] 64. (Independent) A communication management method
comprising:
[0399] obtaining an indication of a first wireless communication
service having been provided within a first service region by a
first device at an earlier time; and
[0400] signaling a decision whether or not to indicate the first
wireless communication service being operative within the first
service region as an automatic and conditional response to an
indication from a second device of the first wireless communication
service having been operative within the first service region or
not at a later time.
[0401] 65. The communication management method of CLAUSE 64 further
comprising:
[0402] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 38.
[0403] 66. (Independent) A system comprising:
[0404] means for performing the operation(s) of any one or more of
the above METHOD CLAUSES.
[0405] 67. (Independent) An article of manufacture comprising:
[0406] one or more physical media configured to bear a
device-detectable implementation of a method including at least
[0407] obtaining via a first device configuration data establishing
a first security protocol;
[0408] obtaining via a second device a wireless signal containing
access request data;
[0409] signaling a decision whether or not to provide a first
network access service via a third device responsive to whether or
not the access request data in the wireless signal satisfies the
first security protocol; and
[0410] signaling a decision whether or not to provide a second
network access service via the third device responsive to whether
or not the access request data satisfies a second security
protocol, the third device implementing a firewall between the
first network access service and the second network access
service.
[0411] 68. The article of manufacture of CLAUSE 67 in which a
portion of the one or more physical media comprises:
[0412] one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit a
binary sequence manifesting one or more device-executable
instructions configured to perform the operation(s) of any one or
more of the above METHOD CLAUSES.
[0413] 69. (Independent) An article of manufacture comprising:
[0414] one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable
output manifesting an occurrence of
[0415] obtaining via a first device configuration data establishing
a first security protocol;
[0416] obtaining via a second device a wireless signal containing
access request data;
[0417] signaling a decision whether or not to provide a first
network access service via a third device responsive to whether or
not the access request data in the wireless signal satisfies the
first security protocol; and
[0418] signaling a decision whether or not to provide a second
network access service via the third device responsive to whether
or not the access request data satisfies a second security
protocol, the third device implementing a firewall between the
first network access service and the second network access
service.
[0419] 70. The article of manufacture of CLAUSE 69 in which a
portion of the one or more physical media comprises:
[0420] one or more signal-bearing media bearing at least one binary
sequence from an event-sequencing structure configured to perform
the operation(s) of any one or more of the above METHOD
CLAUSES.
[0421] All of the patents and other publications referred to above
are incorporated herein by reference generally--including those
identified in relation to particular new applications of existing
techniques--to the extent not inconsistent herewith (in each
respective latest edition, where applicable). While various system,
method, article of manufacture, or other embodiments or aspects
have been disclosed above, also, other combinations of embodiments
or aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of
the above disclosure. The various embodiments and aspects disclosed
above are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated in the
final claim set that follows.
* * * * *
References