FACILITATING VIRTUAL PERSONAL AREA NETWORKS

• US 20130138786A1
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ji, Lusheng, Wang, Jia, Miller, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a coordinator device having a memory, and a controller. The memory can have computer instructions, which when executed by the controller, causes the controller to facilitate establishing a first virtual personal area network with a first sensor by executing computer instructions associated with a first application profile, and facilitate establishing a second virtual personal area network with a second sensor by executing computer instructions associated a second application profile. The first application profile can be defined by a first protocol specification, while the second application profile can be defined by a second protocol specification. The first protocol specification can also be operationally distinct from the second protocol specification. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A coordinator device, comprising:

a memory; and

a controller, wherein the memory comprises computer instructions, which when executed by the controller, causes the controller to;

facilitate establishing a first virtual personal area network with a first sensor by executing computer instructions associated with a first application profile;

facilitate establishing a second virtual personal area network with a second sensor by executing computer instructions associated a second application profile;

wherein the first application profile is defined by a first protocol specification;

wherein the second application profile is defined by a second protocol specification; and

wherein the first protocol specification is operationally distinct from the second protocol specification.

2. The coordinator device of claim 1, wherein the first protocol specification and the second protocol specification conform to standards promulgated by the ZigBee Alliance, and wherein the coordinator device comprises a communications interface comprising a physical layer and a medium access control layer, and wherein the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network share the medium access control layer and the physical layer of the communications interface to communicate with the first sensor and the second sensor.

3. The coordinator device of claim 2, wherein the memory comprises a first storage device and a second storage device, wherein the controller comprises a first processor and a second processor.

4. The coordinator device of claim 3, wherein the first processor is coupled to the first storage device, and wherein the first storage device comprises computer instructions, which when executed by the first processor, causes the first processor to control the medium access control layer and the physical layer of the communications interface for communicating with the first and second sensors.

5. The coordinator device of claim 4, wherein the second processor is coupled to the second storage device, and wherein the second storage device comprises computer instructions, which when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor to control the first virtual personal area network according to the first application profile and the second virtual personal area network according to the second application profile.

6. The coordinator device of claim 5, wherein the first processor, the first storage device and the communications interface are housed in a first housing assembly of a first communication device, and wherein the second processor and the second storage are housed in a second housing assembly of a second communication device.

7. The coordinator device of claim 6, wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are physically decoupled.

8. The coordinator device of claim 7, wherein the first communication device is communicatively coupled to the second communication device over one of a wireless interface or a wired interface.

9. The coordinator device of claim 8, wherein the first communication device is configured to manage communications between the second communication device and the first and second sensors.

10. The coordinator device of claim 9, wherein the second communication device is configured to manage the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network.

11. The coordinator device of claim 2, wherein the memory, the controller and the communications interface are centrally housed in a housing assembly as a single operational unit.

12. The coordinator device of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises computer instructions, which when executed by the controller, causes the controller to:

detect a router communicatively coupled to a third virtual personal area network; and

facilitate establishing communications with the router to enable communications between the third virtual personal area network and at least one of the first virtual personal area network, or the second virtual personal area network, or both.

13. The coordinator device of claim 12, wherein the router is configured to execute computer instructions associated with least one of the first application profile, or the second application profile, or both to enable communications with at least one of the first virtual personal area network, or the second virtual personal area network, or both, and wherein the first application profile and the second application profile correspond to two of a Home Automation application profile, a Smart Energy profile application profile, a Telecommunications application profile, a Health Care application profile, a Remote Control application profile, a Building Automation application profile, a Retail Services application profile, an Input Device application profile, a Telecom Services application profile, a 3D Sync application profile, a Network Devices application profile, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:

facilitate establishing a first virtual personal area network according to a first application profile, wherein the first virtual personal area network is configured to communicate with at least one of a plurality of first sensors operating according to a first type of application defined by the first application profile;

facilitate establishing a second virtual personal area network according to a second application profile, wherein the second virtual personal area network is configured to communicate with at least one of a plurality of second sensors operating according to a second type of application defined by the second application profile;

facilitate establishing communications between the first virtual personal area network and the at least one of the plurality of first sensors by way of a physical layer and a medium access control layer; and

facilitate establishing communications between the second virtual personal area network and the at least one of the plurality of second sensors by way of the physical layer and the medium access control layer.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of first sensors is communicatively incompatible with the second virtual personal area network due to the at least one of the plurality of first sensors conforming only to the first application profile.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of second sensors is communicatively incompatible with the first virtual personal area network due to the at least one of the plurality of second sensors conforming only to the second application profile.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, comprising computer instructions that cause the at least one processor to:

detect a router coupled to a third virtual personal area network; and

facilitate establishing communications with the router to enable communications between the third virtual personal area network and at least one of the first virtual personal area network, or the second virtual personal area network, or both.

18. A method, comprising:

facilitating establishing from a computing device a first virtual personal area network operating according to a first application profile;

facilitating establishing from the computing device a second virtual personal area network operating according to a second application profile;

facilitating establishing from the computing device communications between the first virtual personal area network and a first device over a communications interface;

facilitating establishing from the computing device communications between the second virtual personal area network and a second device over the communications interface;

wherein the first device is communicatively incompatible with the second virtual personal area network due to the first device conforming to operations defined by the first application profile; and

wherein the second device is communicatively incompatible with the first virtual personal area network due to the second device conforming to operations defined by the second application profile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first device is a first sensor, and wherein the second device is a second sensor, and wherein the communications interface comprises a medium access control layer, and a physical layer shared by the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising arbitrating usage of the communications interface when the first virtual personal area network and the first virtual personal area network are simultaneously requesting usage of the communications interface.