Patents
US 9258722 B2: Method and apparatus for reliable communications in underground and hazardous areas
- Granted
- 2016-02-09
- Filed
- 2014-10-22 application 14521081
- Type
- Utility · 9 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reliable wireless voice, data and location communication for deployment in underground, industrial and other hazardous environments using a wireless mesh network. The network includes protocol for dispatch operation, emergency operation, remote supervision, remote status, asset control, machine state of health and operational management. The architecture is based on localized clusters of autonomous nodes capable of ad hoc interconnection with nearby nodes and connection to gateway nodes. The resulting network is an ad hoc mesh topology comprised of fixed mesh nodes with approximately 50% coverage overlap between nodes. This provides a reliable communication network for mobile nodes carried by personnel and sensor nodes that are fixed or mobile that supports voice, data and tracking/situation awareness. Each cluster of nodes transfers digital voice and data to gateway nodes either directly or through multi-hop transactions.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg160209.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Wireless Technologies, Inc. 7 patents | US company or organization | Lynchburg, VA | INNOVATIVE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. SEC filer EXACT medium confidence: identical full name, one of each nationally | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul E. Schmidt | Forest, VA | 4 | Person page FUZZY medium confidence | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| James E. Silverstrim | Forest, VA | 5 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Luke Koleszar | Lynchburg, VA | 6 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| H04W | Wireless communication networks | H04W24/02 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| G01D | Measuring not specially adapted for a specific variable; arrangements for measuring two or more variables not covered in a single other subclass; tariff metering apparatus; measuring or testing not otherwise provided for | G01D21/00 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-11-19 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | KOLESZAR, LUKE signed 2015-10-13 SILVERSTRIM, JAMES EDWARD signed 2015-10-13 SCHMIDT, PAUL E. signed 2015-11-10 | INNOVATIVE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. LYNCHBURG, VA | 37084/392 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.