Patent ID: 6934540

Claim:
A method of forming a wireless data communication network among transceivers, each transceiver including a designation with a first plurality of transceivers having a first common designation and a second plurality of transceivers having a second common designation different from the first common designation, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming an ad hoc hierarchical network for each of the first plurality and second plurality of transceivers; and (b) communicating to an external network from each transceiver of each ad hoc hierarchical network by, (i) establishing a communication link between each transceiver in a level of the ad hoc hierarchical network, other than the highest level, with a transceiver in the next higher level of the ad hoc hierarchical network such that transceivers pass communications upward in the ad hoc hierarchical network; and (ii) establishing a communication link between a transceiver in the highest level of the ad hoc hierarchical network and an external network access transceiver, such that communications from transceivers in the ad hoc hierarchical network are passed through the transceiver in the highest level of the ad hoc hierarchical network to the external network access transceiver.