METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIFI ACCESS POINT UTILIZING FULL SPECTRUM CAPTURE

• US 20130273956A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Gallagher, Timothy, Ling, Curtis, Trerise, Alan, Seendripu, Kishore
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A WiFi access point (AP) includes a receive radio frequency (RF) front end and a baseband processor that controls operation of the receive RF front end. The RF front end captures signals over a wide spectrum that includes a plurality of WiFi frequency bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and channelizes one or more WiFi channels from the captured signals. The baseband processor combines a plurality of blocks of WiFi channels to create one or more aggregated WiFi channels. The receive RF front end may be integrated on a first integrated circuit and the baseband processor may be integrated on a second integrated circuit. The first and second integrated circuits may be integrated on a single package. The RF front end and the baseband processor may be integrated on a single integrated circuit. The WiFi access point comprises a routing module that is communicatively coupled to the baseband processor.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a WiFi access point comprising a receive radio frequency (RF) front end and a baseband processor, said baseband processor being operable to control operation of said receive RF front end;

capturing, by said receive RF front end, signals over a wide spectrum comprising one or more WiFi frequency bands;

channelizing, by said receive RF front end, one or more WiFi channels from said captured signals; and

combining, by said baseband processor, a plurality of blocks of WiFi channels to create one or more aggregated WiFi channels.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of WiFi frequency bands comprise a 2.4 GHz WiFi frequency band and a 5 GHz WiFi frequency band.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said receive RF front end is integrated on a first integrated circuit and said baseband processor is integrated on a second integrated circuit.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit are integrated on a single package.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said receive RF front end and said baseband processor are integrated on a single integrated circuit.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said WiFi access point comprises a routing module that is communicatively coupled to said baseband processor.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising diversity processing, by said baseband processor, said channelized one or more WiFi channels.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising controlling, by said baseband processor:

assignment of one of said one or more aggregated WiFi channels as a dedicated channel for handling traffic for a WiFi enabled communication device; and

dynamic reassignment of said assigned one of said one or more aggregated WiFi channels as a dedicated channel for handling traffic for another WiFi enabled communication device.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising controlling, by said baseband processor, duty cycling of communication traffic across a plurality of said aggregated WiFi channels.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said WiFi access point comprises a transmit RF front end that is operable to transmit signals over a wide spectrum comprising said one or more WiFi frequency bands.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a WiFi access point, said one or more circuits comprising a receive radio frequency (RF) front end and a baseband processor, said one or more circuits being operable to;

control operation of said receive RF front end;

capture signals over a wide spectrum comprising one or more WiFi frequency bands;

channelize one or more WiFi channels from said captured signals; and

combine a plurality of blocks of WiFi channels to create one or more aggregated WiFi channels.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of WiFi frequency bands comprise a 2.4 GHz WiFi frequency band and a 5 GHz WiFi frequency band.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said receive RF front end is integrated on a first integrated circuit and said baseband processor is integrated on a second integrated circuit.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit are integrated on a single package.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said receive RF front end and said baseband processor are integrated on a single integrated circuit.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits comprise a routing module, said routing module being communicatively coupled to said baseband processor.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to diversity process said channelized one or more WiFi channels.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control:

assignment of one of said one or more aggregated WiFi channels as a dedicated channel for handling traffic for a WiFi enabled communication device; and

dynamic reassignment of said assigned one of said one or more aggregated WiFi channels as a dedicated channel for handling traffic for another WiFi enabled communication device.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control duty cycling of communication traffic across a plurality of said aggregated WiFi channels.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits in said WiFi access point comprises a transmit RF front end that is operable to transmit signals over a wide spectrum comprising said one or more WiFi frequency bands