Method and apparatus for connecting a wireless LAN to a wired LAN
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A node for communication in a network, comprising:
- wireless network adapter means for sending data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and receiving data by wireless communication from such nodes;
monitoring means for monitoring data which are received by said wireless adapter means, to extract from said data identifying information which identifies other network nodes and internetworking nodes whose data are received; and
storage means for storing the identifying information;
means for determining whether the storage means has in storage identifying information for no internetworking node, one internetworking node or more than one internetworking node wherein if the means for determining determines that the storage means has in storage identifying information for at least one internetworking node, and that it is not already associated with an internetworking node, it selects one of the internetworking nodes for which the storage means has identifying information and causes a means for sending data to send a request for association to the selected one internetworking node.
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Abstract
An internetworking node for providing internetworking services for mobile wireless nodes. Each mobile wireless node is associated with at the most one internetworking node. Each mobile wireless node selects which internetworking node it will associate with. The internetworking node will then act for all wireless nodes associated to it in relaying messages between wireless nodes or between a wired Local Area Network (LAN) and the wireless nodes.
191 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A node for communication in a network, comprising:
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wireless network adapter means for sending data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and receiving data by wireless communication from such nodes; monitoring means for monitoring data which are received by said wireless adapter means, to extract from said data identifying information which identifies other network nodes and internetworking nodes whose data are received; and storage means for storing the identifying information; means for determining whether the storage means has in storage identifying information for no internetworking node, one internetworking node or more than one internetworking node wherein if the means for determining determines that the storage means has in storage identifying information for at least one internetworking node, and that it is not already associated with an internetworking node, it selects one of the internetworking nodes for which the storage means has identifying information and causes a means for sending data to send a request for association to the selected one internetworking node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An internetworking node for use in a network including wireless network adapter means for sending data by wireless communication to other nodes in the network and receiving data by wireless communication from such nodes;
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wired LAN adapter means for sending data along a wired LAN to other wired nodes on said wired LAN and receiving data from other wired nodes along the wired LAN, and means for interconverting such data between a format suited to be sent or received by said wired LAN adapter means and a format adapted to be sent or received by said wireless network adapter means, whereby said internetworking node can receive data from said wired LAN and transmit it by wireless communication, and can receive data by wireless communication and transmit it along the wired LAN; means for broadcasting periodically, through said wireless network adapter means, identifying information which identifies that it is an internetworking node; means for sending, with each data message sent by the internetworking node through the wireless network adapter means, identifying information which identifies that it is an internetworking node; monitoring means for monitoring data which are received by said wireless adapter means, to extract from said data identifying information which identifies other network nodes whose data are received; storage means for storing the identifying information; and means for accepting associating requests from other nodes; and
second storage means for retaining a list of all other nodes which have become associated with the said internetworking node by sending an association request which said internetworking node has accepted. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for communication in a network, comprising:
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sending data by wireless communication from a first node in the network to other nodes in the network and receiving data by wireless communication from such nodes; monitoring data which are received to extract from said data identifying information which identifies other network nodes whose data are received; storing the identifying information; monitoring data which are received to extract identifying information from which it can be determined whether each other node whose data has been received is identified in such information as an internetworking node, and storing the identifying information which indicates whether such other node has been identified as an internetworking node; determining whether there is, in storage, identifying information for no internetworking node, one internetworking node or more than one internetworking node; and if it is determined that there is in storage identifying information for at least one internetworking node, then determining whether the first node is already associated with an internetworking node, and, if not, selecting one of the internetworking nodes for which identifying information has been stored and then sending a request for association to the selecting internetworking node. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for communicating in a network having an internetworking node including the steps of:
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sending data message by wireless communication from the internetworking node in the network to other nodes in the network and receiving data message by wireless communication from such nodes; sending, with each data message sent by the internetworking node, identifying information that identify said internetworking node and the fact that the internetworking node is an internetworking node; broadcasting periodically identifying information that identifies the said internetworking node and identifies the fact that it is an internetworking node; sending data message via a wired LAN adapter means along a wired LAN to other wired nodes on said wired LAN and receiving data from other wired nodes along the wired LAN, and capable of interconverting such data between a format suited to be sent or received by said wired LAN adapter means of the node, whereby said internetworking node can receive data from said wired LAN and transmit it by wireless communication, and can receive data by wireless communication and transmit it along the wired LAN; monitoring data which are received to extract from aid data identifying information which identifies the other network nodes whose data are received; storing the identify information; and accepting association requests from other nodes and storing in a list of associated nodes, all nodes for which such association requests have been accepted. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for communication in a network including an internetworking node sending data along a wired LAN to other wired nodes on said wired LAN and receiving data from other wired nodes along the wired LAN, and means for interconverting such data between a format suited to be sent or received by said wired LAN adapter means and a format adapted to be sent or received by said wireless network adapter means, whereby said internetworking node can receive data from said wired LAN and transmit it by wireless communication, and can receive data by wireless communication and transmit it along the wired LAN;
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sending data by wireless communication from the networking node in the network to other nodes in the network and receiving data by wireless communication from such nodes; broadcasting periodically identifying information which identifies the internetworking node; sending, with each data message sent by the node, identifying information which identifies the internetworking node; monitoring data which are received to extract from said data identifying information which identifies the other network nodes whose data are received; storing the identifying information; and
maintaining a list of all other nodes from which such messages have been received within a specified interval, determining whether each new message received comes from a node on the list, and responding when a message comes from a node not on the list to add the node to the list. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification