Patent ID: 8488510
Filing Date: 2013-07-16
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A method of forming and communicating among a number of data carrier clusters in an environment including a plurality of data carriers, the method comprising: grouping each of at least a portion of the plurality of data carriers into one of the number of data carrier clusters based at least in part on a first signal parameter of a signal generated by each of the respective data carriers meeting at least one defined clustering criteria as determined by another of the plurality of data carriers grouped in the one of the number of data carrier clusters, each of the data carriers grouped in the one of the number of data carrier clusters operable to directly wirelessly communicate only with another data carrier grouped in the same data carrier cluster; and for each of the number of data carrier clusters, selecting at least one of the data carriers of the respective data carrier cluster as a bridge data carrier based at least in part on at least a first signal strength of the signal generated by the bridge data carrier exceeding the sum of at least a portion of first signal strengths of the other data carriers grouped in the same data carrier cluster as the bridge data carrier, the first signal strengths as determined by at least the portion of the data carriers in at least one other of the number of data carrier clusters, the bridge data carrier to provide wireless communications for the other data carriers in the respective data carrier cluster indirectly with the other data carriers of at least one other of the number of data carrier clusters.