Method, apparatus and system for extending wireless network coverage

• US 20050124329A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yadav, Satyendra
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for extending wireless network coverage is generally presented. In this regard, an extender agent is introduced to determine whether a wireless communication(s) was intended for a client(s) on an extended coverage network serviced by a client receiving the communication.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether a wireless communication(s) received by a client was intended for a client(s) on an extended coverage network serviced by the client receiving the communication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively forwarding the communication(s) intended for the client(s) on the extended coverage network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein forwarding the communication(s) intended for the client(s) on the extended coverage network comprises:

transmitting the communication(s) as received.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein forwarding the communication(s) intended for the client(s) on the extended coverage network comprises:

translating the communication(s) between a primary network and the extended coverage network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein translating the communication(s) between a primary network and the extended coverage network comprises:

utilizing a network address translation (NAT) table(s) to determine for which client on the extended coverage network the communication(s) was intended.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein translating the communication(s) between a primary network and the extended coverage network comprises:

translating the communication(s) between a first network protocol and a second network protocol.

7. An electronic appliance, comprising:

one or more dipole antenna(e);

one or more wireless network interface(s), coupled with the one or more dipole antenna(e), to communicate with other devices; and

an extender engine coupled with the wireless network interface(s), the extender engine to function as a client to a first access point and the extender engine to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s).

8. The electronic appliance of claim 7, wherein the extender engine to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s) comprises:

the extender engine to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network.

9. The electronic appliance of claim 8, wherein the extender engine to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network comprises:

the extender engine to transmit the communication(s) as received.

10. The electronic appliance of claim 8, wherein the extender engine to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network comprises:

the extender engine to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network.

11. The electronic appliance of claim 10, wherein the extender engine to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network comprises:

the extender engine to utilize a network address translation (NAT) table(s) to determine for which client(s) the communication(s) was intended.

12. The electronic appliance of claim 10, wherein the extender engine to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network comprises:

the extender engine to translate the communication(s) between a first network protocol and a second network protocol.

13. A storage medium comprising content which, when executed by an accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to function as a client to a first access point and to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s).

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the content to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s) comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the content to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to transmit the communication(s) as received.

16. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the content to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the content to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to utilize a network address translation (NAT) table(s) to determine for which client(s) the communication(s) was intended.

18. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the content to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to translate the communication(s) between a first network protocol and a second network protocol.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more dipole antenna(e);

one or more wireless network interface(s), coupled with the dipole antenna(e), to communicate with other devices; and

control logic coupled with the wireless network interface(s), the control logic to function as a client to a first access point and the control logic to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s).

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control logic to function as a second access point complies with the IEEE 802.11 specification.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising the control logic to create two or more virtual networks.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising the control logic to time-share one wireless network interface between two or more virtual networks.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control logic to time-share utilizes one or more of 802.11 RTS/CTS and CTS-To-Self techniques.