Wireless network virtual station address translation with external data source

• US 20060234636A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies Singapore Sales Pte Ltd (Keysight Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Communication Machinery Cormporatic
• Inventors: Bechdol, Jeff A., Miller, Douglas M., Balmy, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type

Abstract

A method and system for the capture of data files transmitted over a wired network by a data traffic generator. The mapping and/or translation of network addressing data contained within the captured data frames is such that the frames, when transferred over the wireless medium, appear to have originated from one of a population of emulated wireless stations. The mapping and/or translation of network addressing data contained in data frames received over the wireless medium directed to a specific emulated wireless station is such that the frames, when transmitted over the wired network, appear to be destined for the data traffic generator. The mapping and/or translation function is applied as frames traverse the boundary between the external data source network interface and the wireless network interface.

Claims

1. A method of testing a wireless system or device, comprising:

defining a population of emulated virtual wireless stations configured as to capture and forward data traffic generated by or addressed to an external data traffic generator; and

performing address translation between the emulated virtual wireless stations and counterpart data streams to and from the external data traffic generator.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual wireless stations are further configured to capture data traffic at either layer 2 or layer 3 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.

3. The method in of claim 1 further comprising:

performing address translation to map external data traffic addressed to the virtual wireless stations;

establishing wireless communication sessions between the virtual wireless stations and a wireless system under test; and

passing data frames between an external load generator and the wireless system under test.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

translating the address of an incoming frame originating from the external data traffic generator to the address of a one of the virtual wireless stations; and

transmitting the incoming frame as a wireless data frame over a wireless medium to a wireless device under test.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a frame from a wireless device under test

translating the virtual wireless station address of the frame received from the wireless device under test to an address recognizable by the external data traffic generator; and

transmitting the received frame as an ethernet frame to the external data traffic generator.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

searching an address translation table for a MAC source address of the an incoming frame, the searching including

locating a matching table entry in the address translation table

confirming that the emulated virtual wireless station is configured for layer 2 data capture, and is in a state that allows for data flow,

preparing the incoming frame for transmission over a wireless medium and passing the prepared incoming frame to a wireless network interface.

7. The method in of claim 6 wherein the incoming frame is prepared for translation as a wireless data frame.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

searching an address translation table for a MAC source address of an incoming frame, the searching including

checking whether there is a matching table entry in the address translation table

if no matching table entry is found in the address translation table,

examining a header field of the incoming frame for an encapsulated IP packet, and,

if a matching IP packet is found,

searching the address translation table for an IP destination

address of the incoming frame; and

if a matching table entry is found in the address translation table and the matching table entry indicates that the corresponding emulated virtual wireless station is configured for layer 3 data capture and is in a state that allows for data flow,

rewriting a MAC destination address of the incoming frame to an external host'"'"'s MAC address for the emulated virtual wireless station;

preparing the incoming frame for transmission, and

passing the incoming frame to the external data network interface for transmission.

9. A system comprising:

a data traffic generator configured to generate frames for transmission over an ethernet link and receive data frames transmitted to it over the ethernet link;

a load generator including

a collection of emulated wireless stations, each wireless station configured to prepare data for transmission to a wireless device over a wireless medium; and

an address translator configured to

translate a source address of an ethernet frame originated by the data traffic generator to the address of one of the emulated wireless stations; and

translate a destination address of a wireless data frame addressed to a virtual wireless station corresponding to a data stream originated by the data traffic generator to the address established for use by the data stream.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

each emulated wireless station is further configured to receive wireless data frames from the wireless device; and

the address translator is further configured to translate a first address of the wireless data frame received from the wireless device to a second address of the load generator.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the load generator further includes an address translation table to store the addresses of the emulated wireless stations.