Patent ID: 8345695
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to: allow each of a plurality of devices of a network to communicate within a first geographic area with other devices proximate the device, each device also being capable of communicating from within the first geographic area to a second geographic area, external to the first geographic area, using an available communications service having access to the external second geographic area, wherein an entry of a device into the network includes the entering device: allow access to the second geographic area via a primary gateway device when communications are not disrupted; allow at least one of the devices to become a secondary gateway device when a signal from the primary gateway communication has been lost, wherein the secondary gateway device communicates from within the first geographic area to the second geographic area; allow each of at least some of the devices to become a non-gateway device that communicates from within the first geographic area with the secondary gateway device; and allow each non-gateway device to send data from the first geographic area to the second geographic area via the secondary gateway device using the communications service; and wherein each device includes network policing functionality for performing handshaking and registration between devices, such network policing functionality allowing the device to communicate with another device only if such another device can be authenticated to the device.