Claims
- 1. A mesh network mobile unit, comprising:
a communications arrangement operable to provide two-way communication between the unit and a mesh network; a regeneration arrangement operable to receive and retransmit signals between other mesh network mobile units and the mesh network; a power receiving arrangement operable to receive power from a power source, wherein the power source is selected from either an internal power source or an external power source; and a power utilization arrangement operable to alternatively enable or disable the regeneration arrangement depending upon the selected power source.
- 2. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the power utilization arrangement disables the function of the regeneration arrangement when an internal power source is selected.
- 3. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 2, wherein the internal power source is a rechargeable battery.
- 4. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the power utilization arrangement enables the function of the regeneration arrangement when an external power source is selected.
- 5. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 4, wherein the external power source is a vehicle battery.
- 6. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 4, wherein the external power source is a wall power outlet.
- 7. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the power utilization arrangement disables the function of the regeneration arrangement when a low capacity external power source is selected.
- 8. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 7, wherein the low capacity external power source is a solar power source.
- 9. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the power utilization arrangement further comprises a selection arrangement that receives a user input to override the power utilization arrangement.
- 10. The mesh network mobile unit of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter that transmits information indicating the selected power source to the mesh network, thereby facilitating the updating of routing tables in the mesh network.
- 11. A mesh network, comprising:
a network infrastructure including at least one access point; and at least one mobile unit in communication with the access point, wherein the mobile unit comprises:
a communications arrangement operable to provide two-way communication between the unit and the access point; a regeneration arrangement operable to receive and retransmit signals between other mesh network mobile units and the access point; a power receiving arrangement operable to receive power from a power source, wherein the power source is selected from either an internal power source or an external power source; and a power utilization arrangement operable to alternatively enable or disable the regeneration arrangement depending upon the selected power source.
- 12. The mesh network of claim 11, wherein the power utilization arrangement disables the function of the regeneration arrangement when an internal power source is selected.
- 13. The mesh network of claim 11, wherein the power utilization arrangement enables the function of the regeneration arrangement when an external power source is selected.
- 14. The mesh network of claim 11, wherein the mobile unit further comprises a transmitter that transmits information indicating the selected power source to the access point, thereby facilitating the updating of routing tables in the mesh network.
- 15. The mesh network of claim 11, wherein the network infrastructure further comprises a plurality of routing tables, at least one of which includes information that indicates the selected power source for the mobile unit.
- 16. A method of operating a mesh network mobile unit, wherein the unit is in two-way communication with a mesh network and wherein the unit is operable to regenerate signals between other mesh network mobile units and the mesh network, the method comprising:
selecting either an internal power source or an external power source; and disabling the regeneration function depending upon the selected power source.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein selecting the internal power source functionally disables the regeneration arrangement.
- 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting information indicating the selected power source to the mesh network and updating routing tables in the mesh network.
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising routing signals based on the selected power source of the unit.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to copending, commonly assigned, and concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “MESH NETWORK MOBILE UNIT WITH POSITIONING SYSTEM” (Attorney Docket No. 020366-086900US), by Thomas Schwengler, Patrick L. Perini, and Brian Arend, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.