Local area network having multiple channel wireless access
DCFirst Claim
1. An access point for communicatively coupling a first roaming wireless device and a second roaming wireless device to a wired link, the access point comprising:
- a control circuit;
a wired transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit and that communicatively couples to the wired link;
a first wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the first wireless transceiver operating on a first wireless communication channel to communicatively couple with the first roaming wireless device;
a second wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the second wireless transceiver operating on a second wireless communication channel to communicatively couple with the second roaming device; and
the control circuit accommodates communications between the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication network having at least one access point supports wireless communication among a plurality of wireless roaming devices via a first and a second wireless channel. The access point comprises a first and a second transceiver. The first and second transceivers operate on the first and second wireless channels, respectively. Each of the plurality of wireless roaming devices are capable of communicating on the first and second wireless channel. In one embodiment, the first wireless channel is used to exchange data, while the second channel is used to manage such exchanges as well as access to the first channel. In an alternate embodiment, both channels are used to support communication flow, however the first channel supports a protocol that is more deterministic than that of the second channel. Allocation of ones of the plurality of wireless roaming devices from one channel to the next may occur per direction from the access point. It may also result from decisions made by each of the wireless roaming devices made independent of the access point. For example, a decision may be made based on the data type being transferred or based on the current channel load. Such factors may also be used by the access point for allocation determinations. In addition, allocation may be based on the type of roaming device involved, such as allocating peripherals to a slower channel.
53 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An access point for communicatively coupling a first roaming wireless device and a second roaming wireless device to a wired link, the access point comprising:
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a control circuit; a wired transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit and that communicatively couples to the wired link; a first wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the first wireless transceiver operating on a first wireless communication channel to communicatively couple with the first roaming wireless device; a second wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the second wireless transceiver operating on a second wireless communication channel to communicatively couple with the second roaming device; and the control circuit accommodates communications between the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A communication network comprising:
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a wired LAN; a plurality of access points coupled via the wired LAN, each of the plurality of access points comprising; a control circuit; a wired transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit and that communicatively couples to the wired LAN; a first wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit and operates on a first wireless communication channel; a second wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit and operates on a second wireless communication channel; and the control circuit accommodates communications between the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver; a first roaming wireless device comprising a third wireless transceiver that operates on the first wireless communication channel; and a second roaming wireless device comprising a fourth wireless transceiver that operates on the second wireless communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A communication system, comprising:
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a plurality of access points, each of the plurality of access points comprising; a control circuit; a wired transceiver that communicatively couples the control circuit to a wired LAN; a first wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the first wireless transceiver operating pursuant to a substantially deterministic, time bounded wireless communication protocol; and a second wireless transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the second wireless transceiver operating pursuant to a substantially non-deterministic contention access wireless communication protocol; and a plurality of roaming wireless devices that each wirelessly communicate with at least one of the first and second wireless transceivers.
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30. An access point for establishing communications with a wired link, the access point comprising:
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a PCMCIA interface adapted to modularly receive a plurality of wireless transceivers for operating on independent wireless communication channels; a wired transceiver operable on the wired link; interface circuitry operable to communicate with wireless transceivers modularly received via the PCMCIA interface and with the wired transceiver; and processing circuitry coupled to the interface circuitry to control communications by the wireless transceivers modularly received via the PCMCIA interface and by the wired transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A communication system, comprising:
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a plurality of access points adapted to be coupled via a wired LAN, each of the plurality of access points comprising; a control circuit; a wired transceiver adapted to communicatively couple the control circuit to a wired LAN; and a wireless transceiver system that is communicatively coupled to the control circuit, the wireless transceiver system adapted to contemporaneously operate on first and second communication channels; and a plurality of roaming wireless devices, each adapted to wirelessly communicate with the wireless transceiver system using at least one of the first and second communication channels.
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37. An access point for establishing communications with a wired link, the access point comprising:
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an interface system for modularly receiving a plurality of wireless transceivers for operating on independent wireless communication channels; interface circuitry operable to communicate with wireless transceivers modularly received via the interface system; and processing circuitry that couples to the interface circuitry to control communications effected by wireless transceivers modularly received via the interface system. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. An access point for establishing communications with a wired link, the access point comprising:
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receiving means for modularly receiving a plurality of wireless transceivers for operating on independent wireless communication channels; interface means for communicating with wireless transceivers modularly received by the receiving means; and processing means coupled to the interface means for controlling communications by wireless transceivers modularly received by the receiving means.
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Specification