Blue-tooth assisted wireless local area network (WLAN) home network systems

• US 20050186906A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hussmann, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method, device, and system use Bluetooth-assisted communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The method includes communicating with a wireless network using a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, establishing an inactive mode based on communication activity with the wireless network, communicating with the wireless network using a Bluetooth interface, and establishing an active mode based on communication activity with the wireless network. The inactive mode disables the WLAN interface and the active mode enables the WLAN interface.

Claims

1. A method for Bluetooth-assisted communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:

communicating with a wireless network using a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface;

establishing an inactive mode based on communication activity with the wireless network, wherein the inactive mode disables the WLAN interface;

communicating with the wireless network using a Bluetooth interface; and

establishing an active mode based on communication activity with the wireless network, wherein the active mode enables the WLAN interface.

2. The method claim 1, wherein communicating with the wireless network using a Bluetooth interface comprises communicating still-alive messages with the wireless network within required periods of time to stay a member of the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an active mode based on communication activity with the wireless network comprises triggering the WLAN interface into active mode when a connection set-up request is received by the Bluetooth interface from the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an active mode based on communication activity with the wireless network comprises initiating a communication requiring activity of the WLAN interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an inactive mode based on communication activity with the wireless network comprises determining that communication activity over a certain time period does not need communication capacities of a WLAN.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a home wireless network connecting a plurality of devices located at a personal residence.

7. A device having Bluetooth-assisted communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, the device comprising:

a Bluetooth interface that communicates with a wireless network using the Bluetooth protocol;

a WLAN interface that communicates with the wireless network using the WLAN protocol; and

a software unit coupled to the Bluetooth interface and the WLAN interface and having programmed instructions to disable the WLAN interface in an inactive mode and to enable the WLAN interface in an active mode, the software unit having programmed instructions used to determine whether the device is in active mode or inactive mode.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the WLAN protocol comprises IEEE 802.11a, b, org.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the software unit determines the device is in inactive mode when communication needs are less than a pre-determined communication capability.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein in the pre-determined communication capability is approximately a maximum Bluetooth protocol capability.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising a signaling interface between the Bluetooth interface and the WLAN interface, wherein the WLAN interface is triggered into active mode when a connection set-up request is received via the Bluetooth interface.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the Bluetooth interface 2 communicates still-alive messages with the wireless network within required periods of time to stay a member of the network during the inactive mode.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the software unit triggers the high rate interface into active mode when a connection set-up request is received by the Bluetooth interface from the wireless network.

14. A system for Bluetooth-assisted communication in a wireless network, the system comprising:

a number of devices communicating over a wireless network;

a Bluetooth communication channel; and

a high rate communication channel,

wherein at least one of the number of the devices includes a Bluetooth interface, a high rate interface, and a software unit coupled to the Bluetooth interface and the high rate interface, the software unit disabling the high rate interface in an inactive mode and enabling the high rate interface in an active mode, the software unit further determining whether the device is in active mode or inactive mode.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the Bluetooth interface communicates still-alive messages with the wireless network within required periods of time to stay a member of the network during the inactive mode.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the software unit triggers the high rate interface into active mode when a connection set-up request is received by the Bluetooth interface from the wireless network.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless network is a wireless local area network.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the Bluetooth communication channel is a control channel during the inactive mode.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising an internet protocol IP bridge that performs multicast filtering to protect devices attached through Bluetooth from Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) messages.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the number of devices including the Bluetooth interface, the high rate interface, and the software unit are mobile devices.