Generic client for communication devices

• US 10,104,717 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Inventors: Gurevich, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Christine
• Application Number:
  US14/290,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless communication device can include a processor to operate multiple virtual network interfaces that communicate simultaneously over a common wireless physical interface with different wireless networks. A first virtual network interface can be an infrastructure virtual interface to communicate over a first infrastructure network, and a second virtual network interfaces can be an ad-hoc interface to communicate over a second ad-hoc network. Another virtual network interfaces can be a Station (STA) infrastructure interface to communicate with an Access Point (AP) over a first infrastructure wireless network, and another virtual network interface can be a AP infrastructure interface to communicate with a STA over a second infrastructure wireless network. Another virtual network interface can be a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) interface to allow the AP infrastructure interface to communicate with another Access Point.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a processor configured to operate multiple virtual network interfaces that are configured to communicate simultaneously over a common wireless physical interface with different wireless networks, wherein a first one of the multiple virtual network interfaces is an infrastructure virtual interface that is configured to communicate over a first infrastructure network and a second one of the multiple virtual network interfaces is an ad-hoc interface that is configured to communicate over a second ad-hoc network, wherein one of the multiple virtual network interfaces is a Station (STA) infrastructure interface that is configured to communicate with an Access Point (AP) over a first infrastructure wireless network and another one of the multiple virtual network interfaces is a AP infrastructure interface that is configured to communicate with a STA over a second infrastructure wireless network, and wherein one of the multiple virtual network interfaces is a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) interface that is configured to allow the AP infrastructure interface to communicate with another Access Point.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the multiple virtual network interfaces are further configured to operate at layer-2 of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) standard.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the multiple virtual network interfaces are further configured to communicate through a routing process operating at layer-3 of the OSI standard.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to read headers in received data frames to identify the different wireless networks and then forward the received data frames to one of the virtual network interfaces associated with the identified wireless networks.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the headers identify data sent by a Station (STA) over a 802.11 infrastructure network, data sent by an Access Point (AP) over a 802.11 infrastructure network, and data sent from a STA over a 802.11 ad-hoc network.

6. A communication method, comprising:

instantiating a first virtual interface for transferring data using a first communication mode;

instantiating a second virtual interface at the same time that the first virtual interface is instantiated for transferring data using a second communication mode;

transferring data using the first communication mode with the first virtual interface and transferring data using the second communication mode with the second virtual interface through the same physical interface;

instantiating a first wireless infrastructure Access Point (AP) virtual interface for communicating with an external client in an infrastructure mode;

instantiating a second Wireless Distribution System (WDS) interface for communicating with an external AP; and

receiving data from the external client with the first AP virtual interface, routing the data to the second WDS interface, and sending the data to the external AP through the WDS interface.

7. The communication method of claim 6, further comprising:

instantiating one of the virtual interfaces as an 802.11 infrastructure Access Point (AP) virtual interface; and

instantiating another one of the virtual interfaces as an 802.11 infrastructure Station (STA) virtual interface.

8. The communication method of claim 7, further comprising instantiating another virtual interface for 802.11 Wireless Distribution System (WDS) communication between two Access Points (APs).

9. The communication method of claim 6, further comprising operating the first virtual interface and the second virtual interface at layer-2 of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) standard and using routing or bridging at layer-3 or layer-2 of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) standard to transfer data between the first and second virtual interface.

10. The communication method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a frame over a wireless communication network;

selecting an infrastructure station (STA), infrastructure Access Point (AP), or ad-hoc virtual interface for processing the frame according to identifiers in the frame; and

processing the frame with the selected virtual interface.