Maintaining multiple, simultaneous wireless network connections using a single radio

• US 8,165,044 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mahajan, Saurabh, Mandhana, Taroon, Abhishek, Abhishek, Desai, Mitesh K., Kuehnel, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Eunsook
• Application Number:
  US11/874,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing simultaneous virtual connections with multiple wireless networks. A plurality of ports in a hardware driver may be each associated with a corresponding wireless network and maintain a unique MAC state relative to other ports. Each port may have a corresponding virtual NIC that communicates directly with the radio hardware via a hardware virtualization layer that multiplexes communication between the virtual NICs and the radio hardware. Simultaneous virtual connections may be made with one or more infrastructure networks or adhoc networks, and/or the computer may function as an access point for one or more of the networks.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a processor for executing instructions;

a set of computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, form a single operating system for the computer, the operating system for controlling operations of the computer;

a radio constructed and arranged to send and receive wireless signals for communication with at least one device in a wireless network;

a plurality of ports, each of the ports being respectively associated with a corresponding unique wireless network and maintaining a MAC state that is unique from other ports associated with a wireless network, the port handling signals regarding wireless signals to be sent by the radio to, and wireless signals received from, the wireless network associated with the port; and

a hardware interface that includes the plurality of ports and includes;

a plurality of virtual NICs that are respectively associated with a wireless network and a port, each of the virtual NICs being adapted to send and receive signals for the corresponding port regarding wireless communications on the wireless network; and

a hardware virtualization layer that multiplexes connections between the virtual NICs and the radio to allow direct communication between the virtual NICs and the radio;

wherein the computer is adapted to maintain a simultaneous virtual connection with two or more wireless networks via the radio.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the MAC state is defined at least in part by a MAC address that is unique from MAC addresses associated with other ports associated with a respective wireless network.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is adapted to maintain a simultaneously active connection with the two or more wireless networks on a same channel.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is adapted to send and/or receive wireless signals on a first network on a first channel, and then send and/or receive wireless signals on a second network on the first channel or on a second channel without disconnecting from the first network.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein computer is adapted to function as an access point for at least one of the wireless networks.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein the two or more wireless networks include a first wireless network that requires authentication of the computer to enable communication in the first wireless network, and the computer is adapted to communicate with the first network, then communicate with a second wireless network, then communicate again with the first wireless network without performing an authentication procedure for a second time.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein the two or more wireless networks includes at least one infrastructure network or adhoc network.

8. A network miniport driver for a computer, comprising:

a hardware interface that is adapted to communicate directly with radio hardware to provide control signals to the radio hardware and to receive information regarding wireless signals received by the radio hardware from one or more wireless networks, the hardware interface including;

a plurality of ports that are each associated with a unique wireless network, each of the ports maintaining a MAC state that is different from the MAC state of other ports;

a plurality of virtual NICs that are each respectively associated with a wireless network and the corresponding port, each of the virtual NICs being adapted to send and receive signals for the corresponding port regarding wireless communications on the wireless network; and

a hardware virtualization layer that multiplexes connections between virtual NICs and the radio hardware to allow direct communication between a virtual NIC and the radio hardware.

9. The driver of claim 8, wherein the MAC state is defined at least in part by a MAC address that is unique from MAC addresses associated with other ports of the hardware interface.

10. The driver of claim 8, wherein the driver is adapted to maintain a simultaneously active connection with the two or more wireless networks, which each correspond to a respective port, on a same channel.

11. The driver of claim 8, wherein the driver is adapted to send and/or receive wireless signals on a first network on a first channel via the radio hardware, and then send and/or receive wireless signals on a second network on the first channel or a second channel via the radio hardware without disconnecting from the first network.

12. The driver of claim 8, wherein one of the ports is adapted to function as an access point for the corresponding wireless network.

13. The driver of claim 8, wherein the wireless network for one of the ports requires authentication of the computer to enable communication in the first wireless network, and the driver is adapted to provide communication with the first network, then provide communication with a second wireless network, then provide communication again with the first wireless network without performing an authentication procedure for a second time.

14. The driver of claim 8, wherein the two of more wireless networks includes at least one infrastructure network, an IEEE 802.11 network, or adhoc network.

15. The driver of claim 8, wherein the hardware virtualization layer controls which of the virtual NICs and associated port is actively connected to the radio hardware.

16. The driver of claim 8, wherein the port sends information to the radio hardware via the hardware virtualization layer regarding information to be included in wireless signals to be sent to the corresponding wireless network, a channel on which the radio hardware is to communicate with the wireless network, and/or authentication settings for the wireless network.

17. A method of managing communication of a computer with multiple wireless networks, the computer including radio hardware for sending and receiving communications with the wireless networks, the method comprising:

creating a plurality of ports that are each associated with a unique wireless network, each of the ports maintaining a MAC state that is different from the MAC state of other ports;

providing a plurality of virtual NICs that are each respectively associated with a corresponding port and wireless network, each of the virtual NICs being adapted to send and receive signals for the corresponding port regarding wireless communications on the wireless network; and

providing a hardware virtualization layer that multiplexes connections between the virtual NICs and the radio hardware to allow direct communication between a virtual NIC and the radio hardware.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

maintaining a simultaneous virtual connections with the multiple wireless networks, each of the wireless networks corresponding to a respective port.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

conducting simultaneous active communications with two or more wireless networks on a same channel using the same radio hardware.