Physical layer repeater with selective use of higher layer functions based on network operating conditions
First Claim
1. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:
- a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block and a demodulator; and
a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to;
selectively conduct a higher layer function during operation in addition to the physical layer repeating operation, the higher layer function including;
processing first information from at least a demodulated portion of the packet; and
determining a manner in which the packet is handled during the repeating operation based on the first information.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A physical layer frequency translating repeater (600, 700) for use in a wireless network includes signal processor (710-714) coupled with a signal processing bus (711), a processor (627) and a memory (650). The physical layer repeater conducts physical layer repeating and selectively conducts layer 2 and possibly layer 3 functions depending on network conditions and other factors. A demodulator (623) can extract address information such as media access control (MAC) addressing to enable packets to be redirected, terminated, stored and forwarded, if necessary, based on network conditions.
64 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:
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a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block and a demodulator; and a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to; selectively conduct a higher layer function during operation in addition to the physical layer repeating operation, the higher layer function including; processing first information from at least a demodulated portion of the packet; and determining a manner in which the packet is handled during the repeating operation based on the first information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the signal associated with the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:
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a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block, and a demodulator; and a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to; process a first one of a plurality of symbols of the signal associated with the packet on a symbol-by-symbol basis to form a first processed symbol; and regenerate and transmit the first processed symbol associated with the packet after at least a symbol interval to form a regenerated symbol prior to completing the processing of all of the plurality of symbols of the signal associated with the packet. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A physical layer repeater for conducting a physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation in an environment associated with a wireless network, the physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet and transmitting the signal associated with the packet without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the physical layer repeater comprising:
a digital baseband section including a digital signal processing block and a demodulator, and a processor coupled to and controlling the digital baseband section, the processor configured to; process the signal associated with the packet on a sample-by-sample basis to generate a signal sample; and transmit the signal sample prior to completing the processing of the signal associated with the packet. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A system for conducting repeater operations in a wireless network environment including a network client, the system comprising:
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a first physical layer repeater for conducting a first physical layer repeating operation in the wireless network environment, the first physical layer repeating operation including receiving a signal associated with a packet on a first wireless channel and transmitting the signal associated with the packet on a second wireless channel without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the first physical layer repeater performing higher layer operations in connection with the first physical layer repeating operation; and a second physical layer repeater for conducting a second physical layer repeating operation in the wireless network environment, the second physical layer repeating operation including receiving the signal associated with the packet on the first wireless channel and transmitting the signal associated with the packet on the second wireless channel without modification of one or more of a source address and a destination address contained in the packet, the second physical layer repeater performing higher layer operations in connection with the second physical layer repeating operation, wherein the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater are configured to communicate using a inter-repeater protocol to establish one or more parameters for coordinating which of;
the first physical layer repeater, the second physical layer repeater, and the first physical layer repeater and the second physical layer repeater will conduct the receiving the signal associated with the packet on the first wireless channel and the transmitting the signal associated with the packet on the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification