Virtual wireless local area networks
First Claim
1. A method for operating multiple virtual wireless networks using a common distribution system comprising:
- providing portals from said distribution system to a plurality of local area network servers, each portal being associated with a tag for identifying messages for an associated local area network;
providing at least one access point coupled to said distribution system, said access point including a memory;
providing a wireless service set identification for each of said local area networks associated with said portals;
providing mobile units having a service set identification associating said mobile units with one of said portals;
providing data in said access point memory associating said service set identifications and tags associated with said portals;
operating said mobile units to associate with at least one access point, said association including communicating a service set identification from said mobile unit to said access point;
operating said mobile unit to communicate data to said associated access point, said communication including said service set identification of said mobile unit; and
operating said access point to relay data messages from said associated mobile unit via said distribution system to said portal corresponding to the local area network associated with said service set identification, said relaying including verifying that said service set identification is associated with a local area message tag of said message in said access point memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating multiple virtual wireless networks using a common distribution system. Multiple radio frequency side networks are attached to multiple wired networks through a single access point. In this way messages may be sent between a mobile unit and a local area network. The mobile units and the local area networks are associated with identifiers which are used to route a sent message. The messages are sent from a mobile unit to a corresponding access point, which compares the identifier of the mobile unit with stored identifiers in its memory and assigns tags to the messages according to the intended local area network. The tagged messages are then sent from the access point to the distribution system that routes the message to the corresponding portal and to the local area network.
37 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for operating multiple virtual wireless networks using a common distribution system comprising:
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providing portals from said distribution system to a plurality of local area network servers, each portal being associated with a tag for identifying messages for an associated local area network; providing at least one access point coupled to said distribution system, said access point including a memory; providing a wireless service set identification for each of said local area networks associated with said portals; providing mobile units having a service set identification associating said mobile units with one of said portals; providing data in said access point memory associating said service set identifications and tags associated with said portals; operating said mobile units to associate with at least one access point, said association including communicating a service set identification from said mobile unit to said access point; operating said mobile unit to communicate data to said associated access point, said communication including said service set identification of said mobile unit; and operating said access point to relay data messages from said associated mobile unit via said distribution system to said portal corresponding to the local area network associated with said service set identification, said relaying including verifying that said service set identification is associated with a local area message tag of said message in said access point memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for operating multiple virtual wireless networks using a common distribution system comprising:
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providing portals from said distribution system to a plurality of local area network servers, each portal being associated with a tag for identifying messages for an associated local area network; providing at least one access point coupled to said distribution system, said access point including a memory; providing a realm identification for each of said local area networks associated with said portals; providing mobile units having a realm identification associating said mobile units with one of said portals; providing data in said access point memory associating said realm identifications and tags associated with said portals; operating said mobile units to associate with at least one access point, said association including communicating a realm identification from said mobile unit to said access point; operating said access point to associate with said mobile unit and associate said mobile unit with one of said tags associated with said portals in said access point memory; and operating said access point to relay data messages from said associated mobile unit via said distribution system to said portal corresponding to the local area network associated with said service set identification, said relaying including providing a local area message tag in said message corresponding to said portal associated with said mobile unit.
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5. A system for providing multiple virtual wireless networks comprising:
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a distribution system; a plurality of portals coupled to said distribution system each corresponding to at least one network, each portal being associated with at least one tag for identifying messages for an associated network; a plurality of mobile units each having a service set identification associating said mobile unit with one of said networks; at least one access point coupled to said distribution system, said access point including a memory having data associating said service set identifications and tags; wherein said mobile units are arranged to associate with at least one access point, said association including communicating a service set identification from said mobile unit to said access point and to communicate data to said associated access point, said communication including said service set identification of said mobile unit; and wherein said access point are arranged to relay data messages from said associated mobile unit via said distribution system with a local area message tag to said portal corresponding to the local area network associated with said service set identification and arranged to verify that said service set identification is associated with said local area message tag of said message in said access point memory. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A system for providing multiple virtual wireless networks comprising:
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a distribution system; a plurality of portals coupled to said distribution system each corresponding to at least one network, each portal being associated with at least one tag for identifying messages for an associated network; a plurality of mobile units each having a realm identification associating said mobile unit with one of said networks; at least one access point coupled to said distribution system, said access point including a memory having data associating said realm identifications and said tags; wherein said mobile units are arranged to associate with at least one access point, said association including communicating a realm identification from said mobile unit to said access point and to communicate data to said associated access point; and wherein said access point are arranged to relay data messages from said associated mobile unit via said distribution system with a local area message tag to said portal corresponding to the local area network associated with said realm identification in said access point memory.
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Specification