Wireless callback access control for a LAN network access point

• US 6,954,438 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, David J., Morley, Kenneth S., Gratton, Dean Anthony, Thomas, Nick, Hickman, Graeme
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US09/790,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/328, 370/216, 370/242, 370/252, 370/278, 370/338, 370/244, 370/401, 370/480, 709/203, 709/208, 709/209, 709/210, 709/211, 709/249, 709/227, 364/570, 700/3, 714/6, 714/11, 714/43, 714/4, 714/2
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A master-slave switch method for reversing roles between nodes in a network environment when the traditional role reversal functionality as defined by the network specification is not implemented within the node is presented. A data terminal which does not support the traditional master-slave switch functionality, progresses as far as establishing an asynchronous connectionless (ACL) connection. The LAN access point then request a role switch, when the reversal of roles fails, the connection is aborted with device addresses of the participating entities being stored. The LAN access point then initiates the reestablishment of the connection in a master role with the data terminal assuming a slave role after verification of the device address of the LAN access point.

Claims

1. A method for reversing master-slave roles in a multi-user wireless network, comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating an outgoing connection from a data terminal to a network access point operating in a multi-user mode, said data terminal assuming a master role and said network access point assuming a slave role in said connection;

(b) said network access point requesting a master-slave switch;

(c) reporting connection failure to said data terminal and said network access point due to unsupported master-slave switch function in said data terminal;

(d) storing both a first device address of said network access point in said data terminal and a second device address of said data terminal in said network access point; and

(e) said network access point initiating an outgoing connection from said network access point to said data terminal identified by said second device address stored in said network access point, said network access point assuming said master role and said data terminal assuming said slave role.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said initiating connection steps are performed in accordance with Bluetooth specifications.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(a) prior to said initiating an outgoing connection from a data terminal step, said data terminal inquiring as to the identity of devices in the vicinity of said data terminal to learn of said first device address of said network access point.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of storing a first device address of said network access point in said data terminal further comprises the step of:

(a) activating a timeout in said data terminal to define an acceptable callback timeframe within which to accept an incoming connection from said network access point as a master-slave role reversal with said data terminal assuming said slave role and said network access point assuming said master role.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said storing step comprises the steps of:

(a) opening a record in both said data terminal and said network access point; and

(b) storing both a first Bluetooth device address of said network access point in said record in said data terminal and a second Bluetooth device address of said data terminal in said record of said network access point; and

(c) storing the Bluetooth clock of said data terminal in said record of said network access point.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said network access point initiating an outgoing connection from said network access point step comprises the step of:

(a) said network access point initiating an outgoing connection from said network access point to said data terminal identified by said second Bluetooth device address stored in said record of said network access point and said network access point using the Bluetooth clock to facilitate the connection to said data terminal, said network access point assuming said master role and said data terminal assuming said slave role.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said storing step further comprises the step of:

(a) storing both a link key of the connection between said network access point and said data terminal in said network access point and in said data terminal.

8. In a data terminal, a method for reversing master-slave roles in a multi-user wireless network, comprising:

(a) initiating an outgoing connection from said data terminal to a network access point operating in a multi-user mode, said data terminal assuming a master role and said network access point assuming a slave role in said connection;

(b) failing outgoing connection due to unsupported master-slave switch function in said data terminal;

(c) storing a first device address of said network access point in said data terminal; and

(d) receiving incoming connection from said network access point having an incoming device address matching said first device address stored in said data terminal, said data terminal assuming said slave role and said network access point assuming said master role in said incoming connection.

9. In a data terminal, the method as recited in claim 8, wherein said steps are performed in accordance with Bluetooth specifications.

10. In a data terminal, the method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(a) responding to a request from said network access point for a supported feature service record designating said data terminal as not supporting master-slave switch.

11. In a data terminal, the method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(a) prior to said initiating an outgoing connection from a data terminal step, said data terminal inquiring as to the identity of devices in the vicinity of said data terminal to learn of said first device address of said network access point.

12. In a data terminal, the method as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of storing a first device address of said network access point in said data terminal further comprises the step of:

(a) activating a timeout in said data terminal to define an acceptable callback timeframe within which to accept an incoming connection from said network access point as a master-slave role reversal with said data terminal assuming said slave role and said network access point assuming said master role.

13. In a data terminal, the method as recited in claim 8, wherein said storing step comprises the steps of:

(a) opening a record in said data terminal; and

(b) storing a first Bluetooth device address of said network access point in said record in said data terminal.

14. In a data terminal, the method as recited in claim 8, wherein said storing step further comprises the step of:

(a) storing a link key of the Bluetooth connection between said network access point and said data terminal in said data terminal.

15. A method for reversing roles in a master-slave network, comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating an outgoing connection from a data terminal to a network access point operating in a multi-user mode, said data terminal assuming a master role and said network access point assuming a slave role in said connection;

(b) terminating said outgoing connection;

(c) storing in said network access point a device address of said data terminal; and

(d) said network access point calling back said data terminal identified by said device address with an incoming connection to said data terminal.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said steps between said data terminal and said LAN access point are performed in accordance with Bluetooth specifications.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein prior to said terminating step, said method further comprises the steps of:

(a) said network access point requesting a master-slave switch; and

(b) reporting connection failure to said data terminal and said network access point due to lack of functional support in said data terminal of said master-slave switch.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

(a) prior to said initiating an outgoing connection from a data terminal step, said data terminal inquiring as to the identity of devices in the vicinity of said data terminal to learn of said first device address of said network access point.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the step of storing in said network access point a device address of said data terminal further comprises the step of:

(a) activating a timeout in said data terminal to define an acceptable callback timeframe within which to accept said incoming connection from said network access point as a master-slave role reversal with said data terminal assuming said slave role and said network access point assuming said master role.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said storing in said network access point a device address of said data terminal step comprises the steps of:

(a) opening a record in both said data terminal and said network access point; and

(b) storing both a first Bluetooth device address of said network access point in said record in said data terminal and a second Bluetooth device address of said data terminal in said record of said network access point;

(c) storing a Bluetooth clock of said data terminal in said record of said network access point.