Patent ID: 7209468

Claim:
A method of forming wireless data communication networks among a population of wireless transceivers, comprising the steps of: (a) assigning a first common designation to a first plurality of transceivers and assigning a second common designation to a second plurality of transceivers, the population including the first plurality of transceivers and the second plurality of transceivers; (b) for the first plurality of transceivers, forming a first ad hoc hierarchical network to facilitate communications between the first plurality of transceivers, including forming a hierarchical communication cluster by, (i) broadcasting, from a first transceiver of the first plurality of transceivers, a primary availability signal including an identifier representative of the first common designation assigned to the first plurality of transceivers, (ii) in response to receipt of the primary availability signal of said step (b)(i), transmitting, from one or more responding secondary transceivers of the first plurality of transceivers that are within range of the first transceiver of said step (b)(i), a registration signal including a secondary transceiver identifier, and (iii) storing at the first transceiver of said step (b)(i), up to a predetermined number, each secondary transceiver identifier of said step (b)(ii) that is received, (iv) wherein each secondary transceiver, for which the secondary transceiver identifier thereof is stored in said step (b)(iii), communicates directly with the first transceiver of said step (b)(i) thereby forming a communications cluster of the first ad hoc hierarchical network; and (c) for the second plurality of transceivers, forming a second ad hoc hierarchical network to facilitate communications between the second plurality of transceivers, including forming a hierarchical communication cluster by, (i) broadcasting, from a first transceiver of the second plurality of transceivers, a primary availability signal including an identifier representative of the second common designation assigned to the second plurality of transceivers, (ii) in response to receipt of the primary availability signal of said step (c)(i), transmitting, from one or more responding secondary transceivers of the second plurality of transceivers that are within range of the first transceiver of said step (c)(i), a registration signal including a secondary transceiver identifier, and (iii) storing at the first transceiver of said step (c)(i), up to a predetermined number, each secondary transceiver identifier of said step (c)(ii) that is received, (iv) wherein each secondary transceiver, for which the secondary transceiver identifier thereof is stored in said step (c)(iii), communicates directly with the first transceiver of said step (c)(i) thereby forming a communications cluster of the second ad hoc hierarchical network.