Method and System for Wireless Access Point Radios Integrated in a Cable

• US 20120170558A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forbes, Marcellus, Gonikberg, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,867,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless access point (AP) radio may be integrated in a cable. The cable may comprise one or more other integrated wireless AP radios. The cable may be communicatively coupled to a wireless controller and the wireless AP radio may receive power from the wireless controller via the cable. Feature information and/or configuration parameter settings may be received by the wireless AP radio from the wireless controller via the cable. The wireless AP radio may provide wireless communication services such as wireless access to a wired network for one or more client devices, based on the feature information and/or the configuration parameter settings. When one or more adjacent wireless AP radios in the cable become non-operational, the wireless AP radio may increase its transmission power to increase its coverage for covering at least a portion of coverage area associated with the one or more non-operational adjacent wireless AP radios.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless access point (AP) radio that is integrated in a cable, wherein said cable comprises one or more other integrated wireless AP radios sharing said cable, and said cable is communicatively coupled to a wireless controller;

receiving power from said wireless controller via said cable;

receiving feature information and/or configuration parameter settings from said wireless controller via said cable; and

providing wireless access and/or wireless communication services for one or more client devices that are communicatively coupled to said wireless AP radio based on said received feature information and/or said received configuration parameter settings.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising providing wireless access to a wired network which is connected to said wireless controller for said one or more client devices.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

receiving a data packet having a wireless format from each of said one or more client devices; and

transmitting said data packet having said wireless format to said wireless controller via said cable, wherein said wireless controller converts said data packet having said wireless format to generate a data packet having a wired format for transmitting to said wired network.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

receiving a data packet having a wireless format from said wireless controller via said cable, wherein said wireless controller has converted a data packet having a wired format to generate said data packet having said wireless format after receiving said data data packet having said wired format from said wired network; and

transmitting said data packet having said wireless format to each of said one or more client devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless controller identifies said wireless AP radio based on a media access control (MAC) address of said wireless AP radio.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising monitoring and/or verifying operations of one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in said cable.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising, when one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in said cable become non-operational, increasing transmission power of said wireless AP radio to increase a coverage of said wireless AP radio for covering at least a portion of coverage area associated with said one or more non-operational adjacent wireless AP radios.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving upgraded feature information and/or updated configuration parameter settings from said wireless controller via said cable.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more new cables that each comprises one or more new wireless AP radios are added to said cable to extend a total coverage area associated with said wireless AP radio and said one or more other wireless AP radios in said cable.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when said wireless AP radio integrated in said cable is defective, a section of said cable comprising said wireless AP radio is replaced by a new cable comprising one or more new wireless AP radios.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a wireless access point (AP) radio that is integrated in a cable, wherein said cable comprises one or more other integrated wireless AP radios sharing said cable, said cable is communicatively coupled to a wireless controller, and said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to;

receive power from said wireless controller via said cable;

receive feature information and/or configuration parameter settings from said wireless controller via said cable; and

provide wireless access and/or wireless communication services for one or more client devices that are communicatively coupled to said wireless AP radio based on said received feature information and/or said received configuration parameter settings.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to provide wireless access to a wired network which is connected to said wireless controller for said one or more client devices.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to:

receive a data packet having a wireless format from each of said one or more client devices; and

transmit said data packet having said wireless format to said wireless controller via said cable, and said wireless controller converts said data packet having said wireless format to generate a data packet having a wired format for transmitting to said wired network.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to:

receive a data packet having a wireless format from said wireless controller via said cable, and said wireless controller has converted a data packet having a wired format to generate said data packet having said wireless format after receiving said data data packet having said wired format from said wired network; and

transmit said data packet having said wireless format to each of said one or more client devices.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said wireless controller identifies said wireless AP radio based on a media access control (MAC) address of said wireless AP radio.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to monitor and/or verify operations of one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in said cable.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein, when one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in said cable become non-operational, said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to increase transmission power of said wireless AP radio to increase a coverage of said wireless AP radio for covering at least a portion of coverage area associated with said one or more non-operational adjacent wireless AP radios.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive upgraded feature information and/or updated configuration parameter settings from said wireless controller via said cable.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more new cables that each comprises one or more new wireless AP radios are added to said cable to extend a total coverage area associated with said wireless AP radio and said one or more other wireless AP radios in said cable.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein, when said wireless AP radio integrated in said cable is defective, a section of said cable comprising said wireless AP radio is replaced by a new cable comprising one or more new wireless AP radios.