Personal area network implementation within an infrastructure network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- providing access and user authentication at a single wireless access point (AP) to a local area network (LAN) via a Wireless LAN (WLAN) to an at least one wireless device upon receiving a LAN access request from a first wireless device;
determining at a second wireless device that a personal area network (PAN) segment needs to be established;
transmitting a PAN segment establishment request by the second wireless device directly to the AP wherein communication using the WLAN employs an authentication protocol that is different from the PAN;
establishing the requested PAN segment at the AP, wherein the PAN segment is active concurrently with the active LAN coverage;
receiving a PAN segment establishment response from the AP indicating that a PAN segment has been established;
detecting at the AP a request to join the PAN by at least one other wireless device that is currently in direct communication with AP;
joining at the AP the at least one other wireless device to the PAN segment; and
transmitting a PAN segment packet directly from the AP to the at least one other wireless device within the PAN segment, the PAN segment packet including a PAN segment ID field identifying the established PAN segment, wherein the PAN segment is different from the LAN.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless device is capable of communicating within a local area network (LAN) and a personal area network (PAN) concurrently, using a single wireless networking module or circuit. A wireless access point within an infrastructure-based network is used to manage the creation, maintenance, and termination of PANs within the LAN framework.
17 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
providing access and user authentication at a single wireless access point (AP) to a local area network (LAN) via a Wireless LAN (WLAN) to an at least one wireless device upon receiving a LAN access request from a first wireless device; determining at a second wireless device that a personal area network (PAN) segment needs to be established; transmitting a PAN segment establishment request by the second wireless device directly to the AP wherein communication using the WLAN employs an authentication protocol that is different from the PAN; establishing the requested PAN segment at the AP, wherein the PAN segment is active concurrently with the active LAN coverage; receiving a PAN segment establishment response from the AP indicating that a PAN segment has been established; detecting at the AP a request to join the PAN by at least one other wireless device that is currently in direct communication with AP; joining at the AP the at least one other wireless device to the PAN segment; and transmitting a PAN segment packet directly from the AP to the at least one other wireless device within the PAN segment, the PAN segment packet including a PAN segment ID field identifying the established PAN segment, wherein the PAN segment is different from the LAN. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An apparatus comprising:
-
a radio frequency (RF) transceiver subsystem; and a controller coupled to the RF transceiver subsystem, the controller is configured to; provide an active Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) coverage to at least one wireless device, wherein the apparatus provides access and user authentication to a local area network (LAN) upon receiving an LAN access request from a first wireless device; receive a PAN segment establishment request directly from a second wireless device, via the RF transceiver subsystem while actively providing the WLAN coverage, wherein the second wireless device determines that a personal area network (PAN) segment needs to be established; establish the requested PAN segment, wherein the PAN segment is active concurrently with the active WLAN coverage and the WLAN employs an authentication protocol that is different from the PAN; transmit a PAN segment establishment response to the second wireless device indicating that a PAN segment has been established; detect a request to join a PAN from an at least one other wireless device that is currently in direct communication with the RF transceiver subsystem; join the at least one other wireless device to the PAN segment; and transmit directly cause a PAN segment packet from the apparatus to the at least one other wireless device within the PAN segment, via the RF transceiver subsystem, the PAN segment packet including a PAN segment ID field identifying the established PAN segment, wherein the PAN segment is different from the LAN. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An article comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing platform, operate to:
-
provide an active Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) coverage to at least one wireless device, wherein a single wireless access point (AP) provides access and user authentication to a local area network (LAN) upon receiving an LAN access request from a first wireless device; receive a PAN segment establishment request directly from a second wireless device via an RF transceiver subsystem for the single wireless access point (AP), wherein communication using said WLAN employs an authentication protocol that is different from said PAN; establish the requested PAN segment, wherein the PAN is active concurrently with the active WLAN coverage, transmit a PAN segment establishment response to the second wireless device indicating that a PAN segment has been established; detect a request to join a PAN from an at least one other wireless device that is currently in direct communication with the AP; join the at least one other wireless device to the PAN segment; and transmit directly a PAN segment packet from the AP to the at least one other wireless device within the PAN segment, via the RF transceiver subsystem, the PAN segment packet including a PAN segment ID field identifying the established PAN segment, wherein the PAN segment is different from the LAN. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. A system comprising:
-
at least one dipole antenna; a radio frequency (RF) transceiver subsystem coupled to the at least one dipole antenna; and a controller coupled to the RF transceiver subsystem, the controller is configured to; provide an active Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) coverage to an at least the device, wherein the controller provides access and user authentication to a local area network (LAN) upon receiving a LAN access request from a first wireless device; receive a PAN segment establishment request directly from a second wireless device via the RF transceiver subsystem while actively providing said WLAN coverage, wherein the second wireless device determines that a personal area network (PAN) segment needs to be established; establish the requested PAN segment, wherein the PAN is active concurrently with the active WLAN coverage; transmit a PAN segment establishment response to the second wireless device indicating that a PAN segment has been established; detect a request to join a PAN of an at least one other wireless device that is currently in direct communication with said apparatus; join the at least one other wireless device to the PAN segment; and transmit directly a PAN segment packet from the apparatus to the at least one other wireless device within the PAN segment, via the RF transceiver subsystem, the PAN segment packet including a PAN segment ID field identifying the established PAN segment, wherein the PAN segment is different from the LAN. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A method comprising:
-
providing access and user authentication at a single wireless access point (AP) to a local area network (LAN) via a Wireless LAN (WLAN) to an at least one wireless device upon receiving a LAN access request from a first wireless device; receiving a PAN segment establishment request directly from a second wireless device at said AP, initiating a new PAN segment in response to said PAN segment establishment request, wherein the PAN segment is active concurrently with the active LAN coverage, and wherein communication using the WLAN employs an authentication protocol that is different from the PAN; transmitting a PAN segment establishment response directly to said second wireless device from said AP indicating that said new PAN segment has been established;
detecting at the AP a request to join the PAN by at least one other wireless device that is currently in direct communication with said AP; andtransmitting a beacon signal directly from said AP having identification information identifying said new PAN segment; wherein said PAN segment is different from said LAN. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
Specification