LAN ACCESS BY ULTRA-WIDEBAND SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070183424A1
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Ametsitsi, Julius
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/323 in the physical layer [OSI layer 1]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An ultra-wideband (UWB) system and method provide a local area network (LAN) and/or LAN access. LAN access versions of the UWB system includes an emulator layer and bridge that allow data to be transmitted between a LAN-UWB hybrid device and a LAN network switch, such as an IEEE 802 network switch, through in part a UWB node of a UWB WPAN that can receive UWB super-frames from the LAN-UWB hybrid device. In some implementations the LAN-UWB hybrid device uses WiFi protocol layers above the emulator layer and a WiNet Peer IP PAL layer below the emulator layer.

Claims

1. A system for an infrastructure data network configured to support network traffic at least other than peer-to-peer network traffic based on a first network protocol, the system comprising:

a first device including;

a first portion configured to generate infrastructure network addressing instructions according to a second network protocol, the infrastructure network addressing instructions being other than peer-to-peer network addressing instructions; and

a second portion configured to place the infrastructure network addressing instructions into an ultra-wideband super-frame; and

a second device including;

a first portion configured to receive the super-frame based upon ultra-wideband addressing;

a second portion configured to extract the infrastructure network addressing instructions from the ultra-wideband super-frame and provide the infrastructure network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol; and

a third portion coupled to the infrastructure network to provide the infrastructure network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol to the infrastructure network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the third portion of the second device includes a bridge.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the first device includes a WPAN UWB MAC layer and a UWB physical layer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the first device includes a LAN protocol emulator and a peer IP PAL.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the peer IP PAL is a WiNet peer IP PAL.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first protocol is of the IEEE 802.3 family of protocols and the second protocol is of the IEEE 802.11 family of protocols.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first protocol is of the IEEE 802.3 family of protocols and the second protocol is of the IEEE 802.3 family of protocols.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the infrastructure network addressing instructions are contained within at least one data packet.

9. A system comprising:

an infrastructure data network configured to support network traffic at least other than peer-to-peer network traffic based on a first network protocol, the infrastructure data network including a network switch;

a first device including;

a first portion configured to generate infrastructure network addressing instructions according to a second network protocol, the infrastructure network addressing instructions being other than peer-to-peer network addressing instructions; and

a second portion configured to place the infrastructure network addressing instructions into an ultra-wideband super-frame;

a second device including;

a first portion configured to receive the super-frame based upon ultra-wide band addressing;

a second portion configured to extract the network addressing instructions from the super-frame and provide the network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol; and

a third portion coupled to the infrastructure network to provide the network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol to the switch of the infrastructure network; and

a third device including;

a first portion configured to receive the network addressing instructions according to first network protocol from the switch;

a second portion configured to generate ultra-wideband addressing extract the network addressing instructions from the super-frame and provide the network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol; and

a third portion coupled to the infrastructure network to provide the network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol to the switch of the infrastructure network.

10. A method for an infrastructure data network configured to support network traffic at least other than peer-to-peer network traffic based on a first network protocol, the method comprising:

from a first device generating infrastructure network addressing instructions according to a second network protocol, the infrastructure network addressing instructions being other than peer-to-peer network addressing instructions;

with the first device placing the infrastructure network addressing instructions into an ultra-wideband super-frame;

with a second device receiving the super-frame based upon ultra-wideband addressing;

with the second device extracting the infrastructure network addressing instructions from the ultra-wideband super-frame and providing the infrastructure network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol; and

with the second device providing the infrastructure network addressing instructions according to the first network protocol to the infrastructure network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first protocol is of the IEEE 802.3 family of protocols and the second protocol is of the IEEE 802.11 family of protocols.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first protocol is of the IEEE 802.3 family of protocols and the second protocol is of the IEEE 802.3 family of protocols.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the infrastructure network addressing instructions are contained within at least one data packet.