WIRELESS HOME MESH NETWORK BRIDGING ADAPTOR

• US 20100202345A1
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Liu, Aixin, Patil, Abhishek, Nguyen, Djung N., Jing, Xiangpeng
• Granted Patent: US 8,964,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A network bridging adaptor and method for enabling nodes to access a multi-tier wireless home mesh network is described. The network bridging adaptor is adapted to operate in an ad hoc network having access restricted to only wireless nodes that are provided from a common entity. According to one embodiment of the invention, the network bridging adaptor comprises a housing; one or more ports positioned along a side of the housing to receive data from an electronic device; a first radio logic unit contained within the housing and adapted to transmit and receive messages in order to detect a presence of the ad hoc network; and a second radio logic unit contained within the housing and adapted to operate as an access point by establishing communications with nodes that are provided by an entity different than the common entity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communications between a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

discovering an ad hoc network having access restricted to wireless nodes that are provided from a common entity in response to activation of a network bridging adaptor, the network bridging adaptor including a first radio logic unit to transmit and receive messages in order to detect the ad hoc network and a second radio logic unit operating with functionality of an access point;

authenticating the network bridging adaptor before permitting the network bridging adaptor to join the ad hoc network; and

permitting a first node of the plurality of nodes to access the ad hoc network even though the first node is not provided from the common entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein both the first radio logic unit and the second radio logic unit are dual-band WiFi radios that operate on different channels from each other to avoid interference.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the network bridging adaptor comprises:

(1) transmitting a first message, the first message including (i) an encrypted pass-phrase being a pass-phrase encrypted with a public key of a wireless node of the ad hoc network, (ii) a checksum of the encrypted pass-phrase, (iii) a public key of the network bridging adaptor, and (iv) a checksum of the public key of the network bridging adaptor, and

(2) receiving a second message, the second message including a code to indicate whether the network bridging adaptor has been successfully authenticated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the authenticating the network bridging adaptor further comprises:

transmitting a third message from the network bridging adaptor, the third message including a first challenge text including a secret value combined with an extended service set identification (ESSID) of the ad hoc network; and

receiving a fourth message from the wireless node of the ad hoc network, the fourth message including a second challenge text including the secret value combined with a media access control (MAC) value of the wireless node.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

permitting a second node of the plurality of nodes to access the ad hoc network, the second node including an interconnect being physically connected to a port of the network bridging adaptor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc network restricting access to wireless nodes that are either manufactured or sold by the common entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first radio logic unit and the second radio logic unit is a single-band WiFi radio.

8. A network bridging adaptor adapted to operate in an ad hoc network having access restricted to only wireless nodes that are provided from a common entity, the network bridging adaptor comprising:

a housing;

at least one port positioned along a side of the housing to receive data from an electronic device;

a first radio logic unit to transmit and receive messages in order to detect a presence of the ad hoc network; and

a second radio logic unit to operate as an access point by establishing communications with nodes that are provided by an entity different than the common entity.

9. The network bridging adaptor of claim 8, wherein both the first radio logic unit and the second radio logic unit are dual-band WiFi radios that operate on different channels from each other to avoid interference.

10. The network bridging adaptor of claim 8, wherein the first radio logic unit to transmit and receive messages via a first antenna and the second radio logic unit to transmit and receive messages via a second antenna.

11. The network bridging adaptor of claim 8, wherein the first radio logic unit is a dual-band WiFi radio that operates on a different channels than the second radio logic unit to avoid interference.

12. The network bridging adaptor of claim 8, wherein both the first radio logic unit and the second radio logic unit are single-band WiFi radios that operate on different channels from each other to avoid interference.

13. The network bridging adaptor of claim 8, wherein the at least one port being a plurality of Ethernet ports.

14. A system comprising:

a one or more wireless nodes that are provided from a common entity and form an ad hoc network having restricted access; and

a network bridging adaptor including;

a housing,

at least one port positioned along a side of the housing to receive data from an electronic device,

a first radio logic unit to transmit and receive messages in order to detect a presence of the ad hoc network, and

a second radio logic unit to operate as an access point by establishing communications with nodes that are provided by an entity different than the common entity.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein both the first radio logic unit and the second radio logic unit of the network bridging adaptor are dual-band WiFi radios that concurrently operate on different channels from each other to avoid interference.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first radio logic unit of the network bridging adaptor to transmit and receive messages via a first antenna and the second radio logic unit to transmit and receive messages via a second antenna.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one port of the network bridging adaptor is a plurality of Ethernet ports.