TRANSMITTING IP PACKETS ORIGINATING IN A WIRELESS STATION WHEN THE IP PACKETS ARE DESTINED FOR DELIVERY TO MULTIPLE DESTINATIONS VIA AN ACCESS POINT

• US 20170019829A1
• Filed: 07/13/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gainspan Corporation (Telit Communications PLC)
• Original Assignee: Gainspan Corporation (Telit Communications PLC)
• Inventors: Vyas, Pankaj, Batra, Vishal
• Granted Patent: US 10,270,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4629 using multilayer switching, e.g. layer 3 switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/36 by determining packet size, e.g. maximum transfer unit [MTU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A wireless station of a wireless network generates a single layer-2 frame containing multiple layer-3 packets in its payload. Each of the multiple layer-3 packets is destined to a corresponding different destination. The wireless station transmits the layer-2 frame to an access point (AP) of the wireless network. The AP receives the layer-2 frame, disassembles the payload into individual layer-3 packets, and transmits each of the individual layer-3 packets separately towards the corresponding destinations. In an embodiment, the wireless network is according to IEEE 802.11 standards, each layer-3 packet is an IP packet, and the layer-2 frame is a MAC frame.

Claims

1. A method performed in a wireless station of a wireless network, said method comprising:

generating a single layer-2 frame containing a plurality of layer-3 packets, with each layer-3 packet of said plurality of layer-3 packets being destined to a corresponding destination of a plurality of destinations; and

transmitting said single layer-2 frame to an access point (AP) of said wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless network is according to IEEE 802.11 standards, each layer-3 packet is an IP packet and said single layer-2 frame is a medium access control (MAC) frame.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of said IP packets contains an IP destination address of the corresponding destination.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said generating generates a sequence of layer-3 packets at respective times instances of a sequence of time instances, and includes only some of said sequence of IP packets as said plurality of layer-3 packets without violating a maximum transmission unit (MTU) specified by said wireless network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said generating includes only those of said sequence of IP packets which are formed before expiration of a timer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said AP upon receiving said MAC frame containing said header, disassembles said payload into individual IP packets, and transmits each IP packet towards a corresponding destination.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said wireless station associates with said AP to join said wireless network by exchanging a sequence of messages,

wherein a first message of said sequence of messages sent by said wireless station to said AP contains a field for said wireless station to indicate that multiple IP packets would be contained in subsequent MAC frames, wherein said disassembling and transmitting of each IP packet are performed by said AP in response to said first message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said MAC frame contains a header and a payload, said header indicating that said payload contains multiple IP packets, wherein said disassembling and transmitting of each IP packet are performed by said AP in response to said header indicating that said payload contains multiple IP packets.

9. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions in a wireless station, wherein execution of said one or more instructions by one or more processors contained in said wireless station enables said wireless station to perform the actions of:

generating a single layer-2 frame containing a plurality of layer-3 packets, with each layer-3 packet of said plurality of layer-3 packets being destined to a corresponding destination of a plurality of destinations; and

transmitting said single layer-2 frame to an access point of said wireless network.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein said wireless network is according to IEEE 802.11 standards, each layer-3 packet is an IP packet and said single layer-2 frame is a medium access control (MAC) frame.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein each of said IP packets contains an IP destination address of the corresponding destination.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein said generating generates a sequence of layer-3 packets at respective times instances of a sequence of time instances, and includes only some of said sequence of IP packets as said plurality of layer-3 packets without violating a maximum transmission unit (MTU) specified by said wireless network.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 12, wherein said generating includes only those of said sequence of IP packets which are formed before expiration of a timer.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein said AP upon receiving said MAC frame containing said header, disassembles said payload into individual IP packets, and transmits each IP packet towards a corresponding destination.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 14, wherein said wireless station associates with said AP to join said wireless network by exchanging a sequence of messages,

wherein a first message of said sequence of messages sent by said wireless station to said AP contains a field for said wireless station to indicate that multiple IP packets would be contained in subsequent MAC frames, wherein said disassembling and transmitting of each IP packet are performed by said AP in response to said first message.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 14, wherein said MAC frame contains a header and a payload, said header indicating that said payload contains multiple IP packets, wherein said disassembling and transmitting of each IP packet are performed by said AP in response to said header indicating that said payload contains multiple IP packets.

17. An access point (AP) of a wireless network, said AP comprising:

a processing block, a memory, and a transmitter circuit,

said memory to store instructions which when retrieved and executed by said processing block causes said STA to perform the actions of;

receiving a single layer-2 frame containing multiple layer-3 packets in a payload of said single layer-2 frame, wherein each of said multiple layer-3 packets is destined to a different destination;

disassembling said payload into individual layer-3 packets; and

transmitting each of said individual layer-3 packets separately towards a corresponding destination.

18. The AP of claim 17, wherein said wireless network is according to IEEE 802.11 standards, each layer-3 packet is an IP packet and said single layer-2 frame is a medium access control (MAC) frame.

19. The AP of claim 18, wherein said single layer-2 frame is transmitted by a wireless station, wherein said wireless station associates with said AP to join said wireless network by exchanging a sequence of messages,

wherein a first message of said sequence of messages sent by said wireless station to said AP contains a field for said wireless station to indicate that multiple IP packets would be contained in subsequent MAC frames, wherein said disassembling and transmitting of each IP packet are performed by said AP in response to said first message.

20. The AP of claim 18, wherein said MAC frame contains a header and a payload, said header indicating that said payload contains multiple IP packets, wherein said disassembling and transmitting of each IP packet are performed by said AP in response to said header indicating that said payload contains multiple IP packets.