Patent ID: 8103212

Claim:
A method of operating a relay device deployment system comprising the following steps: a. mounting a deployer to a mobile platform, wherein the deployer functions as a node in an ad hoc telecommunications network with a base station unit; b. activating one of a plurality of relay devices stowed in the deployer via an infrared data association (IrDA) transceiver; c. monitoring with the deployer the highest signal strength of the network with a path back to the base station unit apart from the signal emanating from the stowed, activated relay device; d. providing configuration parameters from the deployer to the activated relay device via the IrDA transceiver and deploying the activated relay device from the deployer to a surface over which the mobile platform is moving when the highest signal strength of the network with a path back to the base station unit reaches a threshold value; e. transmitting instructions from the deployer to the deployed relay device to upwardly rotate a pair of antennas on the deployed relay device such that the antennas are substantially parallel with the ambient gravity vector; and f. repeating steps b through e until all relay devices stowed in the deployer have been deployed.