MULTIPLE PROTOCOL WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS IN A WLAN

• US 20100142505A1
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moorti, R. Tushar, Hansen, Christopher J., Fischer, Matthew J., Trachewsky, Jason A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• 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]

Abstract

A method for multiple protocol wireless communications begins by determining protocols of wireless communication devices within a proximal region. The method then continues by determining whether the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of a like protocol. The method continues by, when the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are not of a like protocol, selecting a protocol of the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on a protocol ordering to produce a selected protocol. The method continues by utilizing the selected protocol by the wireless communication devices within the proximal region to set up a wireless communication within the proximal region.

Claims

1. A method for multiple protocol wireless communications in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprises:

determining a protocol for each of a wireless communication device within a proximal region;

determining whether the protocol for each of the wireless communication device within the proximal region are of a like protocol;

when the protocol for each of the wireless communication device within the proximal region are not of a like protocol, selecting a protocol of the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on a protocol ordering to produce a selected protocol; and

utilizing the selected protocol by the wireless communication devices within the proximal region to set up a wireless communication within the proximal region.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the wireless communication is set up using the selected protocol, utilizing, by a wireless communication device of the wireless communication devices, the selected protocol for a data transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol ordering comprises:

an ordering of the protocols based on legacy ordering of wireless communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol ordering comprises:

an ordering of the protocols based on a transmission efficiency ordering of the protocols.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximal region comprises at least one of:

coverage area of a basic service set;

coverage area of an ad-hoc network; and

coverage area of the basic service set and at least a portion of at least one neighboring basic service set.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected protocol comprises at least one of:

a first frame format that includes a legacy header and a Media-Specific Access Control (MAC) layer partitioning field;

a second frame format that includes a physical (PHY) layer backward compatible header; and

a third frame format that includes a current version header and the MAC layer partitioning field.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the protocols comprises:

determining frequency band of use of each of the wireless communication devices; and

based on the frequency band, determining wireless local area network communication format of each of the wireless communication devices.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

monitoring data transmissions within the proximal region for unacknowledged data transmissions;

comparing the unacknowledged data transmission with a transmission failure threshold;

when the comparing the unacknowledged data transmission with the transmission failure threshold is unfavorable, selecting another one of the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on the protocol ordering to produce another selected protocol; and

utilizing the another selected protocol by the wireless communication devices within the proximal region to set up the wireless communication within the proximal region.

9. A method for a wireless communication device to participate in multiple protocol wireless communications, the method comprises:

affiliating with an access point utilizing a protocol of the wireless communication device;

receiving a selected protocol from the access point;

determining whether the selected protocol and the protocol of the wireless communication device are of a like protocol; and

when the selected protocol and the protocol of the wireless communication device are not of the like protocol;

utilizing the selected protocol to set up a wireless communication; and

utilizing the protocol of the wireless communication device for the wireless communication.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected protocol comprises at least one of:

a first frame format that includes a legacy header and a Media-Specific Access Control (MAC) layer partitioning field;

a second frame format that includes a physical (PHY) layer backward compatible header; and

a third frame format that includes a current version header and the MAC layer partitioning field.

11. A wireless local area network (WLAN) comprises:

at least one access point; and

a plurality of wireless communication devices;

wherein each of the least one access points includes a processing module and memory, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

determining a protocol for each of the plurality of wireless communication devices within a proximal region of the access point;

determining whether the protocol for each of the plurality of wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of a like protocol; and

when the protocols of the plurality of wireless communication devices within the proximal region are not of a like protocol, selecting a protocol of the protocols of the plurality of wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on a protocol ordering to produce a selected protocol; and

wherein each of the plurality of wireless communication devices includes a station processing module and station memory, wherein the station memory includes operational instructions that cause the station processing module to utilize the selected protocol within the proximal region to set up a wireless communication within the proximal region.

12. The WLAN of claim 11, wherein the station memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the station processing module to:

when the wireless communication is set up using the selected protocol, utilize the selected protocol for a data transmission.

13. The WLAN of claim 11, wherein the protocol ordering comprises:

an ordering of the protocols based on legacy ordering of wireless communication devices.

14. The WLAN of claim 11, wherein the protocol ordering comprises:

an ordering of the protocols based on a transmission efficiency ordering of the protocols.

15. The WLAN of claim 11, wherein the proximal region comprises at least one of:

coverage area of a basic service set;

coverage area of an ad-hoc network; and

coverage area of the basic service set and at least a portion of at least one neighboring basic service set.

16. The WLAN of claim 11, wherein the selected protocol comprises at least one of:

a first frame format that includes a legacy header and a Media-Specific Access Control (MAC) layer partitioning field;

a second frame format that includes a physical (PHY) layer backward compatible header; and

a third frame format that includes a current version header and the MAC layer partitioning field.

17. The WLAN of claim 11, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module of the access point to determine the protocols by:

determining frequency band of use of each of the wireless communication devices; and

based on the frequency band, determining wireless local area network communication format of each of the wireless communication devices.

18. The WLAN of claim 11 further comprises:

the memory further including operational instructions that cause the processing module of the access point to;

monitor data transmissions within the proximal region for unacknowledged data transmissions;

compare the unacknowledged data transmission with a transmission failure threshold; and

when the comparing the unacknowledged data transmission with the transmission failure threshold is unfavorable, select another one of the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on the protocol ordering to produce another selected protocol; and

the station memory further including operational instructions that cause the station processing module to utilize the another selected protocol to set up the wireless communication within the proximal region.