WIRELESS ETHERNET ADAPTER

• US 20090053999A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wiquest Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Shoemake, Matthew, Christison, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for providing wireless Ethernet connectivity over an UWB link includes providing an adapter coupled to an external network via an Ethernet port, monitoring, by the adapter, a plurality of communication channels in an UWB spectrum, establishing a wireless link on a preferred communication channel, and exchanging data between the adapter and a UWB-enabled device over the wireless link.

Claims

1. A method for providing wireless Ethernet connectivity over an ultra-wideband (UWB) link, the method comprising:

providing an adapter coupled to an external network via an Ethernet port;

monitoring, by the adapter, a plurality of communication channels in an UWB spectrum;

establishing a wireless link on a preferred communication channel; and

exchanging data between the adapter and an UWB-enabled device over the wireless link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred communication channel includes a communication channel with a least amount of usage.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

periodically checking the plurality of communication channels to determine whether a new communication channel has a least amount of usage;

switching to the new communication channel if it is determined that the new communication channel has the least amount of usage; and

notifying the UWB-enabled device of the switch to the new communication channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the external network includes the Internet and the Ethernet port includes a Gigabyte Ethernet port.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the exchanging data includes exchanging data utilizing OFDM signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured with a Physical (PHY) Layer for supporting data transmission speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising powering the adapter by a power connection of the Ethernet port.

8. An apparatus for providing wireless Ethernet connectivity over an ultra-wideband (UWB) link, the apparatus comprising an adapter coupled to an external network via an Ethernet port, the adapter including:

an RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio signals over the UWB link;

a PHY layer for configuring a plurality of communication channels in an UWB spectrum for the RF transceiver;

a Media Access Control (MAC) layer for providing a mechanism for addressing and channel access for the PHY layer; and

a memory having instructions for;

monitoring the plurality of communication channels in the UWB spectrum;

establishing a wireless link on a preferred communication channel; and

exchanging data from the external network with an UWB-enabled device over the wireless link.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the preferred communication channel includes a communication channel with a least amount of usage.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further includes instructions for:

periodically checking the plurality of communication channels to determine whether a new communication channel has a least amount of usage;

switching to the new communication channel if it is determined that the new communication channel has the least amount of usage; and

notifying the UWB-enabled device of the switch to the new communication channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the external network includes the Internet and the Ethernet port includes a Gigabyte Ethernet port.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an IP telephone that is operatively coupled to the adapter.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the PHY Layer is configured to support data transmission speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the adapter is powered by a power connection of the Ethernet port.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the RF transceiver transmits and receives OFDM signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the UWB-enabled device includes a laptop computer.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a plug adapted for connecting to an Ethernet port, receiving a power signal, and connecting to an external network via an Ethernet connection;

a processor coupled to the plug for receiving data from the external network and for processing the data for transmission over an UWB link; and

an antenna for transmitting the processed data over the UWB link.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor includes instructions for selecting, among a plurality of communication channels in an UWB spectrum, a preferred communication channel for the UWB link.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor includes instructions for switching to a new communication channel for the UWB link when it is determined that the new communication channel is preferred over a current communication channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processed data includes OFDM signals.