Method, apparatus and system for extending wireless network coverage

• US 7,336,923 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yadav, Satyendra
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/727,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20050124329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/426.1, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/436, 455/444, 455/448, 455/462, 455/464, 455/417, 370/338, 370/331, 370/466
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for extending wireless network coverage is generally presented. In this regard, an extender agent is introduced to determine whether a wireless communication(s) was intended for a client(s) on an extended coverage network serviced by a client receiving the communication.

Claims

1. An electronic appliance, comprising:

one or more dipole antenna(e);

one or more wireless network interface(s), coupled with the one or more dipole antenna(e), to communicate with other devices; and

an extender engine coupled with the wireless network interface(s), the extender engine to function as a client to a first wireless network access point and the extender engine to function as a second wireless network access point to one or more other client(s), including performing one or more functions chosen from the group consisting of beacon, client connection table maintenance, client authentication, and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) service;

wherein the extender engine functions as a second access point to one or more other client(s) sends and receives communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network; and

wherein the extender engine sends and receives communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network translates the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network; and

wherein the extender engine translates the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network translates the communication(s) between a first network protocol and a second network protocol.

2. The electronic appliance of claim 1, wherein the extender engine to send and receive communications between client(s) on an e˜

tcnded coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network comprises;

the extender engine to transmit the communication(s) as received.

3. The electronic appliance of claim 1, wherein the extender engine to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network comprises:

the extender engine to utilize a network address translation (NAT) table(s) to determine for which client(s) the communication(s) was intended.

4. A storage medium comprising content which, when executed by an accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to function as a client to a first wireless network access point and to function as a second wireless network access point to one or more other client(s), including performing one or more functions chosen from the group consisting of:

beacon, client connection table maintenance, client authentication, and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) service;

wherein said accessing machine comprises;

one or more dipole antenna(e);

one or more wireless network interface(s), coupled with the one or more dipole antenna(e), to communicate with other devices; and

an extender engine coupled with the wireless network interface(s), the extender engine to function as a client to a first wireless network access point and the extender engine to function as a second wireless network access point to one or more other client(s), and

wherein the extender engine to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s) sends and receives communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network; and

wherein the extender engine sends and receives communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network translates the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network; and

wherein the extender engine translates the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network translates the communication(s) between a first network protocol and a second network protocol.

5. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the content to send and receive communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to transmit the communication(s) as received.

6. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the content to translate the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network comprises content which, when executed by the accessing machine, causes the accessing machine to utilize a network address translation (NAT) table(s) to determine for which client(s) the communication(s) was intended.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more dipole antenna(e);

one or more wireless network interface(s), coupled with the dipole antenna(e), to communicate with other devices; and

control logic extender engine coupled with the wireless network interface(s) , the control logic extender engine to function as a client to a first wireless network access point and the control logic extender engine to function as a second wireless network access, point to one or more other client(s), including performing one or more functions chosen from the group consisting of;

beacon, client connection table maintenance, client authentication, and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) service;

wherein the extender engine to function as a second access point to one or more other client(s) sends and receives communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network; and

wherein the extender engine sends and receives communications between client(s) on an extended coverage network and resource(s) on a primary network translates the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network; and

wherein the extender engine translates the communication(s) between the primary network and the extended coverage network translates the communication(s) between a first network protocol and a second network protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control logic extender engine to function as a second access point complies with the IEEE 802.11 specification.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising the control logic extender engine to create two or more virtual networks.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising the control logic extender engine to time-share one wireless network interface between two or more virtual networks.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control logic extender engine to time-share utilizes one or more of 802.11 RTS/CTS and CTS-To-Self techniques.