Support for multiple access point switched beam antennas

• US 20060046730A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rahman, Shamim Akbar, Briancon, Alain Charles Louis, Zaki, Maged
• Granted Patent: US 7,355,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A plurality of virtual wireless networks are defined. Each of the plurality of virtual wireless networks has a different set of requirements. A node is capable of producing a plurality of antenna beams or patterns. Each virtual wireless network is associated with a unique group of the antenna beams or patterns. Users of each of the virtual wireless networks communicate using the antenna beams or patterns associated with that virtual wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for segregating virtual wireless networks, the method comprising;

defining a plurality of virtual wireless networks, each of the plurality of virtual wireless networks having a different set of requirements;

providing a node capable of producing a plurality of antenna beams or patterns;

associating each virtual wireless network with a unique group of the antenna beams or patterns; and

communicating with users of each of the virtual wireless networks using the antenna beams or patterns associated with that virtual wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each beam or pattern is only associated with a single one of the virtual wireless networks.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the node is an access point having an antenna array.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each virtual wireless network, identifying users of that virtual wireless network; and

dynamically shaping the antenna beams or patterns so that users of one of the virtual wireless networks are within the antenna beam or pattern associated with that one virtual wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each virtual wireless network has a unique extended service set identification (ESSID).

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each antenna beam or pattern is associated with a unique ESSID.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein each ESSID has a set of antenna beams or patterns and a set of any ESSID does not have an antenna from the set of any other ESSID.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein an antenna beam or pattern of the antenna beams or patterns supports multiple virtual wireless networks.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein requirements of the different set of requirements includes at least one of quality of service (QoS), security, air interface, data type, provider, provider service, coverage area, signal to noise ratio (SNR) threshold, smart antenna/no smart antenna, power control and station behavior.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the node sending broadcast information to users of all the virtual wireless networks using an omni-directional transmission.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the node sending broadcast information to user of one of the virtual wireless networks over that wireless network.

12. The method of claim 1 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), the method further comprising performing radio resource management on each V-WLAN separately.

13. The method of claim 1 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), the method further comprising performing radio resource management on each V-WLAN and performing radio resource management across all V-WLANs.

14. The method of claim 1 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), the method further comprising performing radio resource management across all V-WLANs.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the node is an access point, the method further comprising providing a plurality of access points and defining a virtual access point as including a plurality of physical access points supporting a single virtual wireless network.

16. An access point comprising;

a connection configured to transfer data associated with a plurality of virtual wireless networks, each of the plurality of virtual wireless networks having a different set of requirements;

an antenna array capable of producing a plurality of antenna beams or patterns, each of the virtual networks associated with an antenna beam or pattern;

a virtual wireless network segregation device for segregating the transferred data by the virtual wireless networks; and

a transceiver for communicating with users of each of the virtual wireless networks using the antenna beams or patterns associated with that virtual wireless network.

17. The access point of claim 16 wherein each beam or pattern is only associated with a single one of the virtual wireless networks.

18. The access point of claim 16 further wherein each virtual wireless network has a unique extended service set identification (ESSID).

19. The access point of claim 18 wherein each antenna beam or pattern is associated with a unique ESSID.

20. The access point of claim 18 wherein each ESSID has a set of antenna beams or patterns and a set of any ESSID does not have an antenna from the set of any other ESSID.

21. The access point of claim 16 wherein requirements of the different set of requirements includes at least one of quality of service (QoS), security, air interface, data type, provider, provider service, coverage area, signal to noise ratio (SNR) threshold, smart antenna/no smart antenna, power control and station behavior.

22. The access point of claim 16 wherein the antenna array sends broadcast information to users of all the virtual wireless networks using an omni-directional transmission.

23. The access point of claim 16 wherein the antenna array sends broadcast information to user of one of the virtual wireless networks over that wireless network.

24. The access point of claim 16 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), wherein the access point performing radio resource management on each V-WLAN separately.

25. The access point of claim 16 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), wherein the access point performing radio resource management on each V-WLAN and performing radio resource management across all V-WLANs.

26. The access point of claim 16 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), wherein the access point further comprising performing radio resource management across all V-WLANs.

27. The access point of claim 16 wherein the plurality of antenna beams or patterns are adjustable in the azimuth plane, elevation plane, or combination of both planes in regards to boresight angles relative to both planes in the case of beam forming, and power contour in both planes in the case of patterns.

28. The access point of claim 16 wherein the plurality of antenna beams or patterns communicate over differing distance.

29. The access point of claim 16 wherein the plurality of antenna beams or patterns include a plurality of omni-directional patterns in an azimuth and differing vertical angular displacements.

30. The access point of claim 29 wherein the plurality of omni-directional patterns communicate to differing distances from the access point.

31. An access point comprising;

means for transfering data associated with a plurality of virtual wireless networks, each of the plurality of virtual wireless networks having a different set of requirements;

means for producing a plurality of antenna beams or patterns, each of the virtual networks associated with an antenna beam;

means for segregating the transferred data by the virtual wireless networks; and

means for communicating with users of each of the virtual wireless networks using the antenna beams or patterns associated with that virtual wireless network.

32. The access point of claim 31 wherein each beam or pattern is only associated with a single one of the virtual wireless networks.

33. The access point of claim 31 further wherein each virtual wireless network has a unique extended service set identification (ESSID).

34. The access point of claim 33 wherein each antenna beam or pattern is associated with a unique ESSID.

35. The access point of claim 33 wherein each ESSID has a set of antenna beams or patterns and a set of any ESSID does not have an antenna from the set of any other ESSID.

36. The access point of claim 31 wherein requirements of the different set of requirements includes at least one of quality of service (QoS), security, air interface, data type, provider, provider service, coverage area, signal to noise ratio (SNR) threshold, smart antenna/no smart antenna, power control and station behavior.

37. The access point of claim 31 wherein the means for producing a plurality of antenna beams or patterns sends broadcast information to users of all the virtual wireless networks using an omni-directional transmission.

38. The access point of claim 31 wherein means for producing a plurality of antenna beams or patterns sends broadcast information to user of one of the virtual wireless networks over that wireless network.

39. The access point of claim 31 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), wherein the access point performing radio resource management on each V-WLAN separately.

40. The access point of claim 31 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), wherein the access point performing radio resource management on each V-WLAN and performing radio resource management across all V-WLANs.

41. The access point of claim 31 for use in a wireless local area network and each virtual wireless network is a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN), wherein the access point further comprising performing radio resource management across all V-WLANs.

42. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

at least one antenna for receiving and transmitting data;

a virtual wireless network decision device for transferring data of a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN) of the WTRU, the WTRU V-WLAN having an extended service set identification (ESSID) and is uniquely associated with an antenna beam or pattern.

43. The WTRU of claim 42 for extending a range of the V-WLAN by communicating between an access point and another WTRU of the V-WLAN.

44. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving and transmitting data;

means for transferring data of a virtual wireless local area network (V-WLAN) of the WTRU, the WTRU V-WLAN having an extended service set identification (ESSID) and is uniquely associated with an antenna beam or pattern.

45. The WTRU of claim 44 for extending a range of the V-WLAN by communicating between an access point and another WTRU of the V-WLAN.

46. An integrated circuit comprising;

an input configured to transfer data associated with a plurality of virtual wireless networks, each of the plurality of virtual wireless networks having a different set of requirements;

an output configured to produce messages for radiation in a plurality of antenna beams or patterns, each of the virtual networks associated with an antenna beam or pattern;

a virtual wireless network segregation device for segregating the transferred data by the virtual wireless networks; and

a transceiver for communicating with users of each of the virtual wireless networks using the antenna beams or patterns associated with that virtual wireless network.

47. A method for adding a new service to a basic service set, the method comprising:

determining whether the new service can be supported by one of a plurality of existing virtual access points, each virtual access point being associated with different antenna beams or pattern; and

based on the determination, adding the new service to a selected one of the existing virtual access points or creating a new virtual access point for the new service.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising configuring the selected one of the existing virtual access points or the new virtual access point to optimize a beam steering or pattern algorithm.

49. The method of claim 47 further comprising having a radio resource management control unit of the selected one of the existing virtual access points or the new virtual access point check station behavior, supported features and version of the standard for wireless transmit receive units of the new service.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the determining whether the new service can be supported by one of the existing virtual access points and the adding or the creating is controlled by a master radio resource manager of the access point