GENERIC CLIENT FOR COMMUNICATION DEVICES
First Claim
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1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
- a processor configured to operate multiple virtual network interfaces that communicate simultaneously over a common wireless physical interface with different wireless networks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure
A Generic Client (GC) operates multiple virtual network interfaces that communicate simultaneously to different networks. Each virtual interface is capable of independent communication over an associated network through the same physical interface. In one implementation, the GC provides simultaneous communication with both infrastructure and ad-hoc networks in compliance with the IEEE 802.11 protocol. The GC provides these dual modes of operation by instantiating different infrastructure and ad-hoc virtual interfaces.
57 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a processor configured to operate multiple virtual network interfaces that communicate simultaneously over a common wireless physical interface with different wireless networks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A communication method, comprising:
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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; and 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. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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.
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15. The method according to claim 14 including instantiating another virtual interface for 802.11 Wireless Distribution System (WDS) communication between two Access Points (APs).
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16. The method according to claim 13 including instantiating a proprietary virtual interface for communicating with the 802.11 infrastructure and ad-hoc virtual interfaces.
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17. The method according to claim 10 including 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.
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18. The method according to claim 10 including using a same 802.11 transceiver for transferring data with both the first and second virtual interface.
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19. The method according to claim 10 including:
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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.
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20. The method according to claim 10 including:
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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.
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21. The method according to claim 10 including using a layer-2 neighbor discovery scheme for identifying devices communicating with the first and second virtual interface.
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22. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a generic client that operates a first layer-2 software interface for communicating using an 802.11 infrastructure mode and at the same time operates a second layer-2 software interface for communicating using an 802.11 ad-hoc mode. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
Specification