Scheme and algorithm to form direct links

• US 7,570,972 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Quinn, Liam B., Roesle, Chad P., Pirzada, Fahd
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong; Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US10/958,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20060073847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/450, 455/454, 455/502, 455/552.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/436, 370/324, 370/350, 370/503, 370/311
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

In a wireless network having an access point (AP) station and a first client station communicating over a selectable channel, the first client station includes a memory operable to store parameters corresponding to a mode of operation of the first client station. Infrastructure parameters correspond to an infrastructure mode and ad-hoc parameters correspond to an ad-hoc mode. The first client station includes a control device operable to switch the mode of operation in response to a request. The control device switches the first client to operate in the ad-hoc mode using the selectable channel while maintaining association with the AP in the infrastructure mode. Switching the mode includes writing the infrastructure parameters to the memory and reading the ad-hoc parameters from the memory.

Claims

1. A wireless network system having an access point (AP) station and a first client station communicating over a selectable channel, the first client station comprising:

a memory;

a plurality of wireless parameters corresponding to a plurality of wireless modes of operation of the first client station, wherein the plurality of wireless parameters comprise a plurality of infrastructure parameters that correspond to an infrastructure mode and a plurality of ad-hoc parameters that correspond to an ad-hoc mode; and

a control device that is operable to switch the wireless mode of operation of the first client station in response to a request, wherein in response to a request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the infrastructure mode to the ad-hoc mode, the control device stores a current set of the plurality of infrastructure parameters in the memory, retrieves an initial set of the plurality of ad-hoc parameters from the memory, loads the initial set of ad-hoc parameters, and switches the wireless mode of operation of the first client station to the ad-hoc mode, wherein in response to a request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the ad-hoc mode to the infrastructure mode, the control device loads the current set of the plurality of infrastructure parameters stored in the memory and switches the wireless mode of operation of the first client station to the infrastructure mode and wherein operation in the infrastructure mode enables wireless communication between the AP and the first client station using the selectable channel and operation in the ad-hoc mode enables a direct wireless communication between the first client station and a second client station using the selectable channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to the request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the infrastructure mode to the ad-hoc mode, the control device performs an ad-hoc modification to at least one message field that comprises a modification to a header field, a subfield, and an address field, and wherein in response to the request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the ad-hoc mode to the infrastructure mode, the control device performs an infrastructure modification to at least one message field that comprises a modification to a header field, a subfield, and an address field.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second client station is located within a communicable range of the first client station, wherein the first and second client stations are configured to be substantially similar.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein operation in the infrastructure mode disables a direct wireless communication between the first and second client station.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch from the ad-hoc mode to the infrastructure mode occurs in response to a completion of a direct communication between the first and second client stations.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second client station is included in the network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second client station is excluded from the network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the current set of the plurality of the infrastructure parameters include service set identifier (SSID), operating mode, transmit rate, channel, receiver media access control (MAC) address, beacon interval, and security, wherein the operating mode is set as the infrastructure mode.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the initial set of the plurality of the ad-hoc parameters include service set identifier (SSID), operating mode, transmit rate, channel, receiver media access control (MAC) address, beacon interval, and security, wherein the operating mode is set as the ad-hoc mode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading of the initial set of ad-hoc parameters enables the ad-hoc mode.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the AP is in compliance with the IEEE 802.11 wireless networking standard.

12. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:

a processor;

a communications device coupled to the processor and operable to communicate via a selectable channel with a wireless network having an access point (AP) station;

a memory coupled to the processor and the communications device;

a plurality of wireless parameters corresponding to a plurality of wireless modes of operation of the communications device, wherein the plurality of wireless parameters comprise a plurality of infrastructure parameters that correspond to an infrastructure mode and a plurality of ad-hoc parameters that correspond to an ad-hoc mode;

wherein the communications device is operable to switch the wireless mode of operation of the communications device in response to a request from the processor, wherein in response to a request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the infrastructure mode to the ad-hoc mode, the communications device stores a current set of the plurality of infrastructure parameters in the memory, retrieves an initial set of the plurality of ad-hoc parameters from the memory, loads the initial set of ad-hoc parameters, and switches the wireless mode of operation of the first client station to the ad-hoc mode, wherein in response to a request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the ad-hoc mode to the infrastructure mode, the control device loads the current set of the plurality of infrastructure parameters stored in the memory and switches the wireless mode of operation of the first client station to the infrastructure mode and wherein operation in the infrastructure mode enables wireless communication between the AP and the communications device using the selectable channel and operation in the ad-hoc mode enables a direct wireless communication between the communications device and a second IHS using the selectable channel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein in response to the request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the infrastructure mode to the ad-hoc mode, the control device performs an ad-hoc modification to at least one message field that comprises a modification to a header field, a subfield, and an address field, and wherein in response to the request to switch the wireless mode of operation from the ad-hoc mode to the infrastructure mode, the control device performs an infrastructure modification to at least one message field that comprises a modification to a header field, a subfield, and an address field.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the AP is in compliance with the IEEE 802.11 wireless networking standard.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor switches the wireless mode of operation of the communications device from the ad-hoc mode to the infrastructure mode by reloading the current set of infrastructure parameters saved in the memory, the switch occurring in response to a completion of a direct wireless communication between the communications device and the second IHS.