Patent ID: 8090317

Claim:
A first personal portable device to interact with a wireless network having a topology having a first point-to-point link to directly connect the first personal portable device to a second personal portable device, the first personal portable device comprising: a first processor; a first wireless transceiver operable by the first processor to enable communications across the wireless network with the second personal portable device; a first storage accessible to the first processor in which is stored a first routine comprising a sequence of instructions, that when executed by the first processor, causes the first processor to: store within the first personal portable device an indication of a first extent of interaction of the first personal portable device with the wireless network; receive through the first wireless transceiver an indication of a second extent of interaction of the second personal portable device with the wireless network; compare the first and second extents of interaction on a recurring basis; and cooperate with at least one processor of at least one other personal portable device within the wireless network to move the first personal portable device from occupying one position within the topology of the wireless network to occupying a different position within the topology of the network in response to a result of a comparison between the first and second extents of interaction; and wherein the first and second extents of interaction are measured as one of a group consisting of: relative portions of a time period during which each of the first and second personal portable devices are within the wireless network such that each of the first and second personal portable devices are each accessible to at least one other personal portable device through the network; and relative portions of a time period during which each of the first and second personal portable devices exchange data with at least one other personal portable device through the network.