Reconfigurable access point
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- an interconnect;
a device coupled to a first end of the interconnect, the device including at least one component to recover information from an incoming wireless signal and to determine whether the information is processed at the device, the at least one component includes a first media access control (MAC) component to analyze the information by analyzing a type field of a first MAC frame to determine (i) whether return communications in response to the incoming wireless signal are to be handled by the device or (ii) whether return communications in response to the incoming wireless signal are to be handled by a switch; and
the switch coupled to a second end of the interconnect and remotely located from the device, the switch including at least one component to recover the information and subsequently process the information for transmission over a wired network.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In general, one embodiment of the invention relates to a method of operation where the type of an incoming Media Access Control (MAC) frame is initially determined. Based on such determination, the MAC frame is processed locally at an access point if the MAC frame is one of a first group of MAC frames. Otherwise, the MAC frame is processed remotely at a switch communicatively coupled to the access point.
26 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A system, comprising:
-
an interconnect; a device coupled to a first end of the interconnect, the device including at least one component to recover information from an incoming wireless signal and to determine whether the information is processed at the device, the at least one component includes a first media access control (MAC) component to analyze the information by analyzing a type field of a first MAC frame to determine (i) whether return communications in response to the incoming wireless signal are to be handled by the device or (ii) whether return communications in response to the incoming wireless signal are to be handled by a switch; and the switch coupled to a second end of the interconnect and remotely located from the device, the switch including at least one component to recover the information and subsequently process the information for transmission over a wired network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method comprising:
-
providing an access point including at least one component for wireless signal transmission and reception and for Media Access Control (MAC) processing of frames having a first predetermined type and subtype, the frames having the first predetermined type and subtype require an inflexible response time; providing a switch physically separated from the access point and including at least one component responsible for MAC processing of frames having a second predetermined type and subtype other than the first predetermined type and subtype, the frames having the second predetermined type and subtype allow for a more flexible response time than the response time required for the frames having the first predetermined type and subtype; and coupling the access point to the switch using an interconnect, the interconnect to enable the at least one component of the switch to perform MAC processing of frames having the second predetermined type and subtype that are received by the access point where the at least one component of the access point do not perform any MAC processing of the frames having the second predetermined type and subtype. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system comprising:
-
an access point to detect a wireless signal, recover a media access control (MAC) frame, process the MAC frame if the MAC frame is one of a first group of predetermined types and subtypes, and encapsulate the MAC frame into a frame for transmission when the MAC frame is one of a second group of predetermined types and subtypes differing from the first group of predetermined types and subtypes; a switch in communication with and physically separated from the access point, the switch including at least one component to receive the frame, recover the MAC frame from the frame, and process the MAC frame if the MAC frame is one of the second group of predetermined types and subtypes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification