Abstract: A node selecting method is characterized by comprising a first step of reserving a communication band on a route by seeking a communication route from a source node to a destination node through intermediate nodes by use of an ad-hoc on-demand distance vector (AODV) algorithm in a mobile ad-hoc network; a second step of storing information on communication bandwidth of a link route connecting each pair of neighboring intermediate nodes on the communication route in the intermediate nodes; and a third step of collecting information on available communication bandwidth of the communication route and transmitting it to the source node when a route reply is made from the destination node on the communication route toward the source node.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data in a data transmission system comprising a first node and a plurality of second nodes, the first node being arranged to address the second nodes in a predetermined order, and each second node being arranged to transmit data to the first node immediately after having been addressed by the first node; the method comprising: if a second node has data to transmit to the first node and another second node in the order did not transmit data to the master in its previous opportunity to do so, forwarding at least some of the data from the said second node to the said other second node for transmission to the master via the said other second node.

Abstract: A method of operating a frequency hopping spread spectrum, preferably a Bluetooth piconet, comprising a central node and dependent nodes which communicate over a time division duplexed, frequency hopping channel, alternate time-wise frequency/time slots being allocated for central node and dependent node transmission, wherein a first of said dependent nodes is not permitted to transmit in a frequency/time slot which immediately succeeds, time-wise, a frequency/time slot in which the central node transmitted to another of said dependent nodes, comprising the steps of: the central node maintaining a black-list of worse-performing frequency bands in the channel, and transmitting a dummy packet in a frequency/time slot immediately preceding, time-wise, a frequency/time slot allocated for possible dependent node transmission at a frequency band which is black-listed.

Abstract: A messaging system comprising: a portable communication device capable of wirelessly receiving text messages over a telephony network; a telephony device capable of communicating with the telephony network to send text messages to the portable communication device, and including a local signal receiver for receiving signals over a local wireless communication medium; and a monitoring unit comprising a monitoring device capable of detecting an event and configured to generate a paging initiation signal when the event is detected; and a short-range wireless signal transmitter responsive to the paging initiation signal to transmit a message triggering signal indicative of the event to the telephony device over the local wireless communication medium; the telephony device being arranged to transmit a text message indicative of the event to the portable communication device in response to receiving the message triggering signal from the triggering unit.

Abstract: A local data provision system comprising: a plurality of transmitters each located at a respective entity having a limited range of physical utility, and each transmitter being arranged repeatedly or on demand to transmit wirelessly a signal carrying data indicating the presence of the respective entity over a range substantially coterminous with the range of utility of that entity: and a personal information unit comprising a user interface for signalling information to a user and a receiver arranged to receive the availability data and to cause the user interface to signal information to the user in dependence on the received availability data.