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 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.