Wlan Combo Access Point Device for Interface With WiMedia UWB Based Wireless USB and Software Layer Structure of Combo Access Point Device

• US 20090285189A1
• Filed: 11/23/2006
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, You-Jin, Huh, Jae-Doo
• Application Number:
  US12/086,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20090285189A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Provided is a combo access point (AP) device integrated with an WiMedia ultra wideband (UWB) based wireless universal serial bus (WUSB) and a wireless local area network (WLAN) AP. A combo AP device includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) AP block providing wire and wireless telecommunications interfaces, and a wireless universal serial bus (WUSB) block configured in one integral structure with the WLAN AP block and providing a ultra wideband (UWB) based wireless interface with WUSB devices using a WiMedia UWB interface mode. Configuring the combo AP device by matching the functions of the WLAN AP with the WiMedia UWB based WUSB interface can provide dual functions of the WUSB and the WLAN AP and allows personal computer users to easily access commonly shared WUSB devices.

Claims

1. A combo access point (AP) device comprising:

a wireless local area network (WLAN) AP block providing wire and wireless telecommunications interfaces; and

a wireless universal serial bus (WUSB) block configured in one integral structure with the WLAN AP block and providing a ultra wideband (UWB) based wireless interface with WUSB devices using a WiMedia UWB interface mode.

2. The combo AP device of claim 1, wherein the WLAN AP block comprises:

a radio frequency (RF) unit converting a signal to transmit and receive a corresponding data;

a modem that modulates and demodulates the corresponding data to a predetermined form;

a wireless media access control (MAC) engine performing MAC of stations interfaced with a WLAN block; and

a wire and wireless processor connected individually to the wireless MAC engine and the WUSB block and converting a signal to perform wire and wireless telecommunications for the corresponding data.

3. The combo AP device of claim 2, wherein the wire and wireless processor controls an operation of the WUSB block.

4. The combo AP device of claim 3, wherein the WUSB block comprises:

an antenna communicating with the WUSB devices using the WiNedia UWB wireless interface mode;

a WiMedia UWB physical layer converting a signal to transmit and receive a corresponding data received through the antenna;

a WiMedia UWB MAC unit performing MAC of the WUSB devices interfaced with the WiMedia UWB physical layer; and

a control logic and path unit controlling operations of the WiMedia UWB physical layer and the WiMedia UWB MAC unit according to the control by the wire and wireless processor.

5. The combo AP device of claim 4, wherein the WUSB block further comprises a buffer and memory unit buffering transmission and receiving of the corresponding data.

6. A combo AP device comprising:

a USB wireless interface block for a WiMedia UWB based telecommunications interface;

a LAN wireless interface block for a physical layer interface between a wire LAN and a wireless LAN through a WLAN; and

a wire interface block capable of interlocking with a wire network.

7. The combo AP device of claim 6, wherein the wire interface block allows personal computers to make an interface with an Internet network using an Internet interface mode and to make a wire interface with the combo AP device.

8. The combo AP device of claim 7, wherein the USB wireless interface block allows WUSB devices that are commonly usable to make an interface with the combo AP device based on an UWB based wireless interface mode.

9. The combo AP device of claim 8, further comprising a buffer and memory unit buffering functions of storing data temporarily and outputting the data to reduce data loss caused by a difference between an Internet based data speed and a WUSB based data speed.

10. The combo AP device of claim 9, wherein the LAN wireless interface block allows a personal computer to make an interface with the personal computer interfaced with the Internet network using a WLAN station based on a wireless interface mode of a physical layer mode provided by the IEEE 802.11 work group.

11. The combo AP device of claim 6, wherein the LAN wireless interface block comprises:

a RF unit converting a signal to transmit and receive a corresponding data;

a modem that modulates and demodulates the corresponding data to a predetermined form;

a wireless MAC engine performing MAC of other stations interfaced with a WLAN block; and

a wire and wireless processor connected individually to the wireless MAC engine and a WUSB block and converting a signal to perform wire and wireless telecommunications for the corresponding data.

12. The combo AP device of claim 11, wherein the wire and wireless processor controls an operation of the WUSB block.

13. The combo AP device of claim 12, wherein the USB wireless interface block comprises:

an antenna communicating with the WUSB devices using the UWB wireless interface mode;

a WiMedia UWB physical layer converting a signal to transmit and receive a corresponding data received through the antenna;

a WiMedia UWB MAC unit performing MAC of the WUSB devices interfaced with the WiMedia UWB physical layer; and

a control logic and path unit controlling operations of the WiMedia UWB physical layer and the WiMedia UWB MAC unit according to the control by the wire and wireless processor.

14. A software layer structure of a combo AP device comprising a WUSB interface block and a WLAN AP, the software layer structure comprising:

a lower layer comprising a WiMedia UWB physical layer, a WLAN physical layer and a wire physical layer;

a MAC layer comprising a WiMedia UWB MAC layer disposed above the WiMedia UWB physical layer, a WLAN MAC layer disposed above the WLAN physical layer and a wire MAC layer disposed above the wire physical layer;

a device driver layer disposed above the MAC layer;

a kernel layer disposed above the device driver layer;

a kernel network layer disposed above the kernel layer; and

a user application layer disposed above the kernel network layer.

15. A method for a WUSB interface in a WLAN based combo AP device configured to make an interface with a WUSB block using a WiMedia USB, the method comprising:

if a personal computer needs to use commonly shared WUSB devices through a WLAN,

making an interface with a WLAN physical layer of a predetermined software layer structure; and

making an interface with a WLAN MAC layer of the predetermined software layer structure;

if a data is to be transmitted,

transmitting the data to a WiMedia UWB MAC layer of the predetermined software layer structure from a device driver layer thereof; and

if a piece of control information is to be transmitted,

transmitting the piece of the control informnation to a kernel layer, a kernel network layer and a user application layer of the predetermined software layer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

if a personal computer needs to use commonly shared WUSB devices through a wire interface block,

making an interface with a wire physical layer of a predetermined software layer structure; and

making an interface with a wire MAC layer of the predetermined software layer structure;

if a data is to be transmitted,

transmitting the data to a WiMedia UWB MAC layer of the predetermined software layer structure from a device driver layer thereof; and

if a piece of control information is to be transmitted,

transmitting the piece of the control information to a kernel layer, a kernel network layer and a user application layer of the predetermined software layer.