Patent ID: 7613458

Claim:
An adhoc multi-hopping wireless communications network comprising: a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled within the adhoc wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is capable of operating in an operational state comprising one of: an off state, an active and relay state, wherein in the active and relay state, a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits data packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node receives and transmits a relay of data packets addressed to at least one other node, and an active and non-relay state, wherein in the active and non-relay state a node receives data packets addressed to the node and transmits packets sourced by the node, and further wherein the node does not relay data packets address to any other node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes further operates to receive one or more economic credits for relaying one or more packets, wherein each of the plurality of nodes includes an associated current number of economic credits and an associated maximum number of economic credits, and further wherein the operational state of a node is set to an active and non-relay state when the associated current number of credits is at least equal to the maximum number of economic credits.