Access point to access point range extension

• US 7,187,925 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shen, Hui, Abhishek, Abhishek, Ayyagari, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming; William D.
• Application Number:
  US11/102,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 455/422.1, 455/426.1
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

An architecture and methods for extending the depth of a WLAN to a four-level hierarchal access point structure including wireless access points. The wireless access points in the WLAN can be networked by scanning for a network, collecting one or more packets that identify the network from one or more access points, each packet including an address identifying an ancestry of the access points to an ancestral wired access point; and applying an access point selection algorithm to configure a parent access point. The architecture includes a scanning object configured to issue a scan request to a network interface and collect access point data; a selection object configured to filter and sort the collected access point data; an authentication state machine configured to perform authentication and validate; and an association state machine configured to compose a packet including hierarchical data indicative of access point ancestry to a conventional access point.

Claims

1. A method for an access point in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:

receiving one or more data packets;

if the data packet is destined for one of a station in a local cell and a child access point (CAP) associated with the wired access point, forwarding the data packet;

if the data packet is destined for a CAP or a station outside the local cell;

determining the hierarchical location of the CAP or station within the LAN, the WLAN including a hierarchical access point structure; and

altering the data packet according the location of the CAP or station in the hierarchical access point structure.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a type of the one or more data packets, the type including one of a unicast data packet, a multicast data packet, a management-type packet, and an authenticated packet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the altering the data packet includes constructing one of a three or four address packet header to identify two or more access points required to route the data packet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the access point in the WLAN is a wireless access point.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein if the data packet is destined for a CAP, the data packet is further destined for a station within the local cell.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving one or more data packets;

if the data packet is destined for one of a station in a local cell and a child access point (CAP) associated with the wired access point, forwarding the data packet;

if the data packet is destined for a CAP or a station outside the local cell;

determining the hierarchical location of the CAP or station within the LAN, the WLAN including a hierarchical access point structure; and

altering the data packet according the location of the CAP or station in the hierarchical access point structure.