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Patent Title: Maintaining a desired separation or distribution in a moving cluster of machines using a time multiplexed global positioning system

Assignee: IBM
Patent Number: US6236936
Issue Date: 05-22-2001
Application Number:
File Date:01-28-1999

Abstract: A method for maintaining a desired distribution of a moving cluster of machines is described. At each machine, the location of the machine is determined via a global positioning system calculation. Next, each machine determines a cell corresponding to the determined location. Each machine broadcasts a message at a time slice allocated for the cell. A controller, either centrally located or on the machines themselves, receives the broadcasted messages from a plurality of machines. The controller uses the received broadcasted messages to determine the locations of the plurality of machines. By matching the determined locations of the machines against a desired distribution of machines within the cluster, it determines whether the determined locations adequately match the desired distribution. If not, it issuing commands to respective machines to bring the cluster into compliance with the desired distribution.

Notes:

Link to USPTO

IBM Pledge dated 1/11/2005