Patent ID: 7188026

Claim:
A hierarchical floating car data network, comprising: a central server; a plurality of fixed egress points that each comprise a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio and a communication link to the central server, wherein the WLAN radio of each fixed egress point transmits a beacon signal; and a participating vehicle network that comprises a first on-board equipment carried in a first vehicle and a second on-board equipment carried in a second vehicle, wherein the first on-board equipment and the second on-board equipment each comprise a WLAN radio and a locate position module, and wherein the WLAN radios in the first and the second on-board equipments operate in an enhanced ah-hoc communication mode when not in range of the beacon from one of the plurality of fixed egress points and dynamically switch to an infrastructure mode upon the detection of the beacon from one of the plurality of fixed egress points.