Personal area network data encapsulation in WLAN communications

• US 7,940,751 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, CHANDRAHAS B
• Application Number:
  US11/871,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 370/354, 370/342
• US Class Current: 370/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An integrated circuit radio transceiver and associated method comprises a multi-mode device operable to support personal area network communications as well as traditional wireless local area network communications. In one embodiment, IEEE 802.11 protocol IBSS communications are used to transport Bluetooth communication data packets. In another embodiment, a direct link comprising direct packet transfers without beaconing is performed between the multi-mode device and another multi-mode device. Thus, the multi-mode device is operable to establish traditional BSS communications with an Access Point in addition to establishing peer-to-peer communications with another multi-mode device to transport the Bluetooth communications over the 802.11 IBSS communication link or over an IEEE 802.11 direct communication link.

Claims

1. An apparatus for encapsulating communications of one protocol and for transmitting encapsulated communications utilizing a different protocol in a peer-to-peer configuration, comprising:

a circuitry operable to break a data packet of a second communication protocol into a plurality of fragments, in which the data packet provides a master-slave communication with a device within the peer-to-peer configuration; and

a circuitry operable to encapsulate the fragments to generate a plurality of first protocol packets that contain the encapsulated fragments and to transmit the first protocol packets to the device using a first communication protocol, wherein each first protocol packet contains a fragment number, a common second protocol packet ID and a second protocol channel ID.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first communication protocol is a 802.11(n) communication protocol and the first protocol packets are transmitted over a plurality of communication channels according to the 802.11(n) communication protocol.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each fragment is encapsulated in a frame body portion of a respective first protocol packet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second communication protocol is Bluetooth communication protocol.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first protocol is one of 802.11, 802.16 or 802.20 communication protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first communication protocol is WiMedia.

7. A method for encapsulating communications of one protocol and for transmitting encapsulated communications utilizing a different protocol in a peer-to-peer configuration, comprising:

breaking a data packet of a second communication protocol into a plurality of fragments, in which the data packet provides a master-slave communication with a device within the peer-to-peer configuration;

encapsulating the fragments to generate a plurality of first protocol packets that contain the encapsulated fragments; and

transmitting the first protocol packets to the device using a first communication protocol, wherein each first protocol packet contains a fragment number, a common second protocol packet ID and a second protocol channel ID.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein when transmitting the first protocol packets, the first communication protocol uses a 802.11(n) communication protocol and the first protocol packets are transmitted over a plurality of communication channels according to the 802.11(n) communication protocol.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein each fragment is encapsulated in a frame body portion of a respective first protocol packet.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second communication protocol is Bluetooth communication protocol.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first communication protocol is one of 802.11, 802.16 or 802.20 communication protocol.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first communication protocol is WiMedia.