Direct link setup mechanisms for wireless LANs

• US 20080069047A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Goel, Sandesh, Yee, James, Chen, James Chieh-Tsung, Kopikare, Milind
• Granted Patent: US 8,432,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area 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

Abstract

Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise a communication circuit to establish an infrastructure mode wireless connection with a wireless client through a wireless access point, and to establish a direct link setup (DLS) mode wireless connection with the wireless client; and a control circuit to select either infrastructure mode or DLS mode for communication with the wireless client based on at least one characteristic of the infrastructure mode and DLS mode wireless connections; wherein the communication circuit exchanges frames of data with the wireless client using the selected mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communication circuit to establish an infrastructure mode wireless connection with a wireless client through a wireless access point, and to establish a direct link setup (DLS) mode wireless connection with the wireless client; and

a control circuit to select either infrastructure mode or DLS mode for communication with the wireless client based on at least one characteristic of the infrastructure mode and DLS mode wireless connections;

wherein the communication circuit exchanges frames of data with the wireless client using the selected mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the wireless connections comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a quality of service of the wireless connections;

a power consumption of the wireless connections;

a received signal strength of the wireless connections;

a time required to send a frame over the wireless connections;

a maximum data rate of the wireless connections; and

a packet loss rate of the wireless connections.

3. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the communication circuit receives a message from the wireless access point that identifies the media access control (MAC) address of the wireless client; and

wherein the control circuit identifies the wireless client based on the message.

4. The apparatus of claim 3:

wherein the message indicates whether the wireless client is capable of establishing a DLS connection.

5. The apparatus of claim 3:

wherein, before receiving the message from the wireless access point, the communication circuit transmits a further message to the wireless access point that identifies one or more data stream types supported by the apparatus; and

wherein the message received from the wireless access point identifies the wireless client only when the wireless client supports the one or more data stream types supported by the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the control circuit identifies the wireless client by collecting destination media access control (MAC) addresses in frames transmitted by the wireless access point.

7. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the control circuit, after selecting DLS mode for the wireless client, selects infrastructure mode for the wireless client in response to an event.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of:

a received signal strength of a DLS connection with the wireless client falls below a predetermined threshold; and

the control circuit detects no frames addressed to the wireless client during a predetermined interval.

9. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the control circuit determines proximity information for the wireless client, and selects the wireless client for DLS mode communications based on the proximity information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the communication circuit establishes the infrastructure mode wireless connection on a first channel;

wherein the communication circuit establishes the DLS mode wireless connection on a second channel; and

wherein the control circuit selects the second channel when selecting DLS mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the control circuit causes the apparatus to enter a power-save mode;

wherein the communication circuit receives beacon signals from the wireless access point while the apparatus is in the power-save mode; and

wherein after every Nth beacon, wherein N>

0, the control circuit causes the apparatus to leave the power-save mode, then the communication circuit communicates with the wireless client when DLS mode has been selected using the DLS mode connection, and then the control circuit causes the apparatus to enter the power-save mode again.

12. The apparatus of claim 11:

wherein the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receives the beacon signals, leaves the power-save mode when the control circuit causes the apparatus to leave the power-save mode, and enters the power-save mode when the control circuit causes the apparatus to enter the power-save mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 11:

wherein the communication circuit transmits a message to the wireless access point informing the wireless access point that the apparatus is entering the power-save mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the communication circuit and the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receive beacon signals from the wireless access point;

wherein the control circuit establishes a communications schedule with the wireless client according to the beacon signals;

wherein the control circuit causes the apparatus to leave a power-save mode, and then the communication circuit establishes a DLS connection with the wireless client, according to the communications schedule; and

wherein the wireless client leaves the power-save mode, and establishes a DLS connection with the apparatus, according to the communications schedule.

15. The apparatus of claim 14:

wherein the communication circuit transmits a message to the wireless access point informing the wireless access point that the apparatus is entering the power-save mode.

16. A media access controller (MAC) comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

17. An integrated circuit comprising the MAC of claim 16.

18. A wireless device comprising the integrated circuit of claim 17.

19. The wireless device according to claim 18, wherein the wireless device is compliant with all or part of IEEE standard 802.11, including draft and approved amendments 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g, 802.11i, 802.11k, 802.11n, 802.11v, and 802.11w.

20. An apparatus comprising:

communication means for establishing an infrastructure mode wireless connection with a wireless client through a wireless access point, and for establishing a direct link setup (DLS) mode wireless connection with the wireless client; and

control means for selecting either infrastructure mode or DLS mode for communication with the wireless client based on at least one characteristic of the infrastructure mode and DLS mode wireless connections;

wherein the communication means exchanges frames of data with the wireless client using the selected mode.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one characteristic of the wireless connections comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a quality of service of the wireless connections;

a power consumption of the wireless connections;

a received signal strength of the wireless connections;

a time required to send a frame over the wireless connections;

a maximum data rate of the wireless connections; and

a packet loss rate of the wireless connections.

22. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the communication means receives a message from the wireless access point that identifies the media access control (MAC) address of the wireless client; and

wherein the control means identifies the wireless client based on the message.

23. The apparatus of claim 22:

wherein the message indicates whether the wireless client is capable of establishing a DLS connection.

24. The apparatus of claim 22:

wherein, before receiving the message from the wireless access point, the communication means transmits a further message to the wireless access point that identifies one or more data stream types supported by the apparatus; and

wherein the message received from the wireless access point identifies the wireless client only when the wireless client supports the one or more data stream types supported by the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the control means identifies the wireless client by collecting destination media access control (MAC) addresses in frames transmitted by the wireless access point.

26. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the control means, after selecting DLS mode for the wireless client, selects infrastructure mode for the wireless client in response to an event.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of:

a received signal strength of a DLS connection with the wireless client falls below a predetermined threshold; and

the control means detects no frames addressed to the wireless client during a predetermined interval.

28. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the control means determines proximity information for the wireless client, and selects the wireless client for DLS mode communications based on the proximity information.

29. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the communication means establishes the infrastructure mode wireless connection on a first channel;

wherein the communication means establishes the DLS mode wireless connection on a second channel; and

wherein the control means selects the second channel when selecting DLS mode.

30. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the control means causes the apparatus to enter a power-save mode;

wherein the communication means receives beacon signals from the wireless access point while the apparatus is in the power-save mode; and

wherein after every Nth beacon, wherein N>

0, the control means causes the apparatus to leave the power-save mode, then the communication means communicates with the wireless client when DLS mode has been selected using the DLS mode connection, and then the control means causes the apparatus to enter the power-save mode again.

31. The apparatus of claim 30:

wherein the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receives the beacon signals, leaves the power-save mode when the control means causes the apparatus to leave the power-save mode, and enters the power-save mode when the control means causes the apparatus to enter the power-save mode.

32. The apparatus of claim 30:

wherein the communication means transmits a message to the wireless access point informing the wireless access point that the apparatus is entering the power-save mode.

33. The apparatus of claim 20:

wherein the communication means and the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receive beacon signals from the wireless access point;

wherein the control means establishes a communications schedule with the wireless client according to the beacon signals;

wherein the control means causes the apparatus to leave a power-save mode, and then the communication means establishes a DLS connection with the wireless client, according to the communications schedule; and

wherein the wireless client leaves the power-save mode, and establishes a DLS connection with the apparatus, according to the communications schedule.

34. The apparatus of claim 33:

wherein the communication means transmits a message to the wireless access point informing the wireless access point that the apparatus is entering the power-save mode.

35. A media access controller (MAC) comprising the apparatus of claim 20.

36. An integrated circuit comprising the MAC of claim 35.

37. A wireless device comprising the integrated circuit of claim 36.

38. The wireless device according to claim 37, wherein the wireless device is compliant with all or part of IEEE standard 802.11, including draft and approved amendments 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g, 802.11i, 802.11k, 802.11n, 802.11v, and 802.11w.

39. A method comprising:

establishing an infrastructure mode wireless connection with a wireless client through a wireless access point, and establishing a direct link setup (DLS) mode wireless connection with the wireless client; and

selecting either infrastructure mode or DLS mode for communication with the wireless client based at least one characteristic of the infrastructure mode and DLS mode wireless connections; and

then

exchanging frames of data with the wireless client using the selected mode.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one characteristic of the wireless connections comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a quality of service of the wireless connections;

a power consumption of the wireless connections;

a received signal strength of the wireless connections;

a time required to send a frame over the wireless connections;

a maximum data rate of the wireless connections; and

a packet loss rate of the wireless connections.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

identifying the wireless client by receiving a message from the wireless access point that identifies the MAC address of the wireless client.

42. The method of claim 41:

wherein the message indicates whether the wireless client is capable of establishing a DLS connection.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

before receiving the message from the wireless access point, transmitting a further message to the wireless access point that identifies one or more data stream types;

wherein the message received from the wireless access point identifies the wireless client only when the wireless client supports the one or more data stream types.

44. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

identifying the wireless client by collecting destination MAC addresses in frames transmitted by the wireless access point.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

after selecting DLS mode for the wireless client, selecting infrastructure mode for the wireless client in response to an event.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of:

a received signal strength of a DLS connection with the wireless client falls below a predetermined threshold; and

no frames addressed to the wireless client are detected during a predetermined interval.

47. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

determining proximity information for the wireless client; and

selecting the wireless client for DLS mode communications based on the proximity information.

48. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

establishing the infrastructure mode wireless connection on a first channel;

establishing the DLS wireless connection on a second channel; and

selecting the second channel when selecting DLS mode.

49. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

entering a power-save mode;

receiving beacon signals from the wireless access point while in the power-save mode; and

after every Nth beacon, wherein N>

0, leaving the power-save mode, then communicating with the wireless client when DLS mode has been selected using DLS connections, and then entering the power-save mode again.

50. The method of claim 49:

wherein the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receives the beacon signals, leaves the power-save mode when the method leaves the power-save mode, and enters power-save mode when the method enters the power-save mode.

51. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving beacon signals from the wireless access point, wherein the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receives the beacon signals from the wireless access point;

establishing a communications schedule with the wireless client according to the beacon signals; and

leaving a power-save mode, and establishing a DLS connection with the wireless client, according to the communications schedule;

wherein the wireless client leaves the power-save mode, and establishes the DLS connection, according to the communications schedule.

52. A computer program executable on a processor, comprising:

instructions for establishing an infrastructure mode wireless connection with a wireless client through a wireless access point, and for establishing a direct link setup (DLS) mode wireless connection with the wireless client; and

instructions for selecting either infrastructure mode or DLS mode for communication with the wireless client based at least one characteristic of the infrastructure mode and DLS mode wireless connections; and

then

instructions for exchanging frames of data with the wireless client using the selected mode.

53. The computer program of claim 52, wherein the at least one characteristic of the wireless connections comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a quality of service of the wireless connections;

a power consumption of the wireless connections;

a received signal strength of the wireless connections;

a time required to send a frame over the wireless connections;

a maximum data rate of the wireless connections; and

a packet loss rate of the wireless connections.

54. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

instructions for identifying the wireless client according to a message received from the wireless access point that identifies the MAC address of the wireless client.

55. The computer program of claim 54:

wherein the message indicates whether the wireless client is capable of establishing a DLS connection.

56. The computer program of claim 54, further comprising:

instructions for transmitting a further message to the wireless access point that identifies one or more data stream types before receiving the message from the wireless access point;

wherein the message received from the wireless access point identifies the wireless client only when the wireless client supports the one or more data stream types.

57. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

instructions for identifying the wireless client by collecting destination MAC addresses in frames transmitted by the wireless access point.

58. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

instructions for selecting infrastructure mode for the wireless client in response to an event after selecting DLS mode for the wireless client.

59. The computer program of claim 52, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of:

a received signal strength of a DLS connection with the wireless client falls below a predetermined threshold; and

no frames addressed to the wireless client are detected during a predetermined interval.

60. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

instructions for determining proximity information for the wireless client; and

instructions for selecting the wireless client for DLS mode communications based on the proximity information.

61. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

instructions for establishing the infrastructure mode wireless connection on a first channel;

instructions for establishing the DLS wireless connection on a second channel; and

instructions for selecting the second channel when selecting DLS mode.

62. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

instructions for entering a power-save mode, wherein beacon signals are received from the wireless access point while in the power-save mode; and

instructions for, after every Nth beacon, wherein N>

0, leaving the power-save mode, then communicating with the wireless client when DLS mode has been selected using DLS connections, and then entering the power-save mode again.

63. The computer program of claim 62:

wherein the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receives the beacon signals, leaves the power-save mode when the computer program leaves the power-save mode, and enters power-save mode when the computer program enters the power-save mode.

64. The computer program of claim 52, further comprising:

wherein beacon signals are received from the wireless access point, and wherein the wireless client, when DLS mode has been selected, receives the beacon signals from the wireless access point;

instructions for establishing a communications schedule with the wireless client according to the beacon signals; and

instructions for leaving a power-save mode, and establishing a DLS connection with the wireless client, according to the communications schedule;

wherein the wireless client leaves the power-save mode, and establishes the DLS connection, according to the communications schedule.

65. A wireless access point comprising:

a communications circuit to communicate with a plurality of wireless clients; and

a memory to store addresses of the wireless clients;

wherein the communications circuit comprises a transmitter to transmit a message to at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the message comprises the addresses of the wireless clients, and identifies the wireless clients that are capable of direct link setup (DLS) mode communications.

66. The wireless access point of claim 65:

wherein the addresses of the wireless clients are media access control (MAC) addresses.

67. The wireless access point of claim 65:

wherein the communications circuit comprises a receiver to receive a further message from the at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the further message comprises a request for the addresses of the wireless clients; and

wherein the transmitter transmits the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients in response to the further message.

68. The wireless access point of claim 65:

wherein the communications circuit comprises a receiver to receive one or more further messages from one or more of the wireless clients, wherein each of the further messages indicates one or more data stream types supported by the respective one of the one or more wireless clients; and

wherein the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients includes only the addresses of wireless clients supporting the data stream types supported by the wireless client to which the message is transmitted.

69. A wireless access point comprising:

communications means for communicating with a plurality of wireless clients; and

memory means for storing addresses of the wireless clients;

wherein the communications means comprises transmitter means for transmitting a message to at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the message comprises the addresses of the wireless clients, and identifies the wireless clients that are capable of direct link setup (DLS) mode communications.

70. The wireless access point of claim 69:

wherein the addresses of the wireless clients are media access control (MAC) addresses.

71. The wireless access point of claim 69:

wherein the communications means comprises receiver means for receiving a further message from the at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the further message comprises a request for the addresses of the wireless clients; and

wherein the transmitter means transmits the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients in response to the further message.

72. The wireless access point of claim 69:

wherein the communications means comprises receiver means for receiving one or more further messages from one or more of the wireless clients, wherein each of the further messages indicates one or more data stream types supported by the respective one of the one or more wireless clients; and

wherein the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients includes only the addresses of wireless clients supporting the data stream types supported by the wireless client to which the message is transmitted.

73. A method for a wireless access point, the method comprising:

communicating with a plurality of wireless clients;

storing addresses of the wireless clients; and

transmitting a message to at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the message comprises the addresses of the wireless clients, and identifies the wireless clients that are capable of direct link setup (DLS) mode communications.

74. The method of claim 73:

wherein the addresses of the wireless clients are media access control (MAC) addresses.

75. The method of claim 73, further comprising:

receiving a further message from the at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the further message comprises a request for the addresses of the wireless clients; and

transmitting the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients in response to the further message.

76. The method of claim 73, further comprising:

receiving one or more further messages from one or more of the wireless clients, wherein each of the further messages indicates one or more data stream types supported by the respective one of the one or more wireless clients; and

wherein the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients includes only the addresses of wireless clients supporting the data stream types supported by the wireless client to which the message is transmitted.

77. A computer program executable on a processor for a wireless access point, the computer program comprising:

instructions for communicating with a plurality of wireless clients;

instructions for storing addresses of the wireless clients; and

instructions for transmitting a message to at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the message comprises the addresses of the wireless clients, and identifies the wireless clients that are capable of direct link setup (DLS) mode communications.

78. The computer program of claim 77:

wherein the addresses of the wireless clients are media access control (MAC) addresses.

79. The computer program of claim 77, further comprising:

wherein the wireless access point receives a further message from the at least one of the wireless clients, wherein the further message comprises a request for the addresses of the wireless clients;

instructions for transmitting the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients in response to the further message.

80. The computer program of claim 77:

wherein the wireless access point receives one or more further messages from one or more of the wireless clients, wherein each of the further messages indicates one or more data stream types supported by the respective one of the one or more wireless clients; and

wherein the message comprising the addresses of the wireless clients includes only the addresses of wireless clients supporting the data stream types supported by the wireless client to which the message is transmitted.