Multi-Radio Channel Bonding

• US 20080320156A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Li-Ter, Leibow, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/144,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• 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

A number of embodiments concern a computer component for communicating data between a computer and a network. The computer component can include: (a) a dual band management component configured to receive first data from at least one of the computer and the network and configured to divide the first data info two or more portions; (b) a first network adapter electrically coupled to the dual band module and configured to transmit a first portion of the two or more portions in accordance with a first wireless standard; and (c) a second network adapter electrically coupled to the dual band module and configured to transmit a second portion of the two or more portions in accordance with a second wireless standard. The first wireless standard can be different from the second wireless standard. Other embodiments are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A computer component for communicating data between a computer and a network, the computer component comprising:

a dual band management component configured to receive first data from at least one of the computer and the network and configured to divide the first data into two or more portions;

a first network adapter electrically coupled to the dual band module and configured to transmit a first portion of the two or more portions in accordance with a first wireless standard; and

a second network adapter electrically coupled to the dual band module and configured to transmit a second portion of the two or more portions in accordance with a second wireless standard;

wherein;

the first wireless standard is different from the second wireless standard; and

the data comprises the first data.

2. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

a size of the first portion and the second portion of the two or more portions are proportional to a throughput of each of the first network adapter and the second wireless adapter; and

the dual band management component is further configured to provide to the first portion of the two or more portions to the first network adapter and provide the second portion of the two or more portions to the second network adapter.

3. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the first network adapter is configured to transmit the first portion of the two or more portions in accordance with an IEEE 802.11n standard; and

the first wireless standard is the IEEE 802.11n standard.

4. The computer component of claim 3, wherein:

the second network adapter is configured to transmit the second portion of the two or more portions in accordance with an IEEE 802.11b standard; and

the second wireless standard is the IEEE 802.11b standard.

5. The computer component of claim 3, wherein:

the second network adapter configured to transmit the second portion of the two or more portions in accordance with an IEEE 802.11g standard; and

the second wireless standard is the IEEE 802.11g standard.

6. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the first network adapter and the second network adapter are configured to transmit and receive over the same frequency band.

7. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the first network adapter is configured to transmit a first portion of the two or more portions over at least one frequency between, about 5,725 to 5,875 Megahertz.

8. The computer component of claim 7, wherein:

the second network adapter is configured to transmit the second portion of the two or more portions over at least one frequency between about 2,400 to 2,500 Megahertz.

9. The computer component of claim 7, wherein:

the second network adapter is configured to transmit the second portion of the two or more portions over at least one frequency between about 5,725 to 5,875 Megahertz.

10. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the computer component is a router.

11. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the computer component is a wireless access point.

12. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the computer component is a network interface card.

13. The computer component of claim 1, wherein:

the first network adapter is further configured to receive a first portion of second data in accordance with the first wireless standard;

the second network adapter is further configured to receive a second portion of second data in accordance with the second wireless standard; and

the data further comprises the second data.

14. The computer component of claim 13, wherein:

the first network adapter is configured to communicate the first portion of the second data to the dual band communications module;

the second network adapter is configured to communicate the second portion of the second data to the dual band communications module; and

the dual band management component is configured to assemble the second data based on the first portion of the second data received from the first network adapter and the second portion of the second data received from the second wireless adapter.

15. The computer component of claim 14, wherein:

the dual band management component comprises;

a network communications module configured to receive the first data from the at least one of the computer and the network;

a data disassembly module configured to divide the first data into the two or more portions of the first data;

an availability module configured to calculate available bandwidth of the first network adapter and the second network adapter and communicate the available bandwidth of the first network adapter and the second network adapter to the data disassembly module; and

a data communication module configured to communicate the first portion of the two or more portions of the first data to the first network adapter and the second portion of the two or more portions of the first data to the second network adapter,

a data assembly module configured to combine the first portion of the second data and the second portion of the second data to reconstruct a complete copy of the second data,

wherein;

the computer communications module is further configured to communicate the complete copy of the second data to the at least one of the computer and the network.

16. A network interface card adapted for coupling a computer to a network, the network interface card comprising:

a first wireless transmitter;

a second wireless transmitter;

a first wireless receiver;

a second wireless receiver; and

a dual band management component configured to communicate a first segment of first data to the first wireless transmitter and a second segment of the first data to the second wireless transmitter,

wherein;

the first wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the first segment of the first data in accordance with a first wireless standard;

the first wireless receiver is configured to wirelessly receive a first piece of a second data in accordance with the first wireless standard;

the second wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the second segment of the first data in accordance with a second wireless standard; and

the second wireless receiver is configured to wirelessly receive a second piece of the second data in accordance with a second wireless standard.

17. A computer component for communicating data between a computer and a network, the computer component comprising:

a dual band management component configured to receive first data from at least one of the computer and the network and configured to divide the first data into two or more portions;

a first network adapter electrically coupled to the dual band module and configured to transmit a first portion of the two or more portions in accordance with a first wireless standard over a first frequency band and

a second network adapter electrically coupled to the dual band module and configured to transmit a second portion of the two or more portions in accordance with the first wireless standard over a second frequency band;

wherein;

the first wireless standard is different from the second wireless standard; and

the data comprises the first data.

18. A network interface card adapted for coupling a computer to a network, the network interface card comprising:

a first wireless transmitter;

a second wireless transmitter;

a first wireless receiver;

a second wireless receiver; and

a dual band management component configured to communicate a first segment of first data to the first wireless transmitter and a second segment of the first data to the second wireless transmitter,

wherein;

the first wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the first segment of the first data in accordance with a first wireless standard over a first frequency band;

the first wireless receiver is configured to wirelessly receive a first piece of a second data in accordance with the first wireless standard over the first frequency band;

the second wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the second segment of the first data in accordance with the first wireless standard over a second frequency band; and

the second wireless receiver is configured to wirelessly receive a second piece of the second data in accordance with the first wireless standard over the second frequency band.

19. The network interface card of claim 18, wherein:

the first wireless transmitter is configured to transmit over at least one frequency between about 5,725 to 5,875 Megahertz;

the first wireless receiver is configured to receive over at least one frequency between about 5,725 to 5,875 Megahertz; and

the first frequency band is about 5,725 to 5,875 Megahertz.

20. The network interface card of claim 19, wherein:

the second wireless transmitter is configured to transmit over at least one frequency between about 2,400 to 2,500 Megahertz;

the second wireless receiver is configured to receive over at least one frequency between about 2,400 to 2,500 Megahertz; and

the second frequency band is about 2,400 to 2,500 Megahertz.

21. The network interface card of claim 18, wherein:

the dual band management component comprises;

a computer communications module configured to receive first data from one or more computer programs, the one or more computer programs are executed on the computer;

a data disassembly module configured to divide the first data into at least the first segment and the second segment;

a bandwidth calculation module configured to calculate available bandwidth of the first wireless transmitter and the second wireless transmitter and communicate the available bandwidth of the first wireless transmitter and the second wireless transmitter to the data disassembly module; and

a data communication module configured to communicate the first segment of the first data to the first wireless transmitter and the second segment of the second data to the second wireless transmitter,

wherein;

the data disassembly module is configured to divide the first data such that the relative size of the first segment to the second segment is proportional to the available bandwidth of the first transmitter and the second transmitter respectively.

22. The network interface card of claim 21, wherein:

the dual band management component further comprises;

a data assembly module configured to combine a second piece and first piece of the second data to reconstruct a complete copy of the second data,

wherein;

the dual band management component is further configured to receive the first piece of the second data from the first wireless receiver and the second piece of the second data from the second wireless receiver; and

the computer communications module is further configured to communicate the complete copy of the second data to the one or more computer programs.

23. A method of transmitting data between two electronic devices, the method comprising:

receiving first data from a first one of the two electronic devices;

dividing the first data into at least a first segment and a second segment;

transmitting the first segment in accordance with a first wireless standard to a second one of the two electronic devices; and

transmitting the second segment in accordance with a second wireless standard to the second one of the two electronic devices.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein:

transmitting the first segment comprises;

communicating the first segment in accordance with the first wireless standard using a first network adapter to the second one of the two electronic devices; and

transmitting the second segment comprises;

communicating the second segment in accordance with the second wireless standard using a second network;

adapter to the second one of the two electronic devices.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving third data in accordance with the first wireless standard from the second one of the two electronic devices;

receiving fourth data in accordance with the second wireless standard from the second one of the two electronic devices;

combining the third data and fourth data into fifth data; and

communicating the fifth data to the first one of the two electronic devices.

26. A method of transmitting data between two electronic devices, the method comprising:

receiving first data from a first one of the two electronic devices;

dividing the first data into at least a first segment and a second segment;

transmitting the first segment in accordance with a first wireless standard over a first frequency band to a second one of the two electronic devices; and

transmitting the second segment in accordance with the first wireless standard over a second frequency band to the second one of the two electronic devices.