Dynamically dedicated wireless local area network service for high definition video teleconferencing

• US 8,325,696 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diener, Neil Robert, Choudhury, Abhijit Kumar, Hart, Brian Donald, Stephenson, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGA, SORI A
• Application Number:
  US12/511,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/341
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

In an example embodiment described herein is an apparatus comprising a wireless transceiver and channel selection logic coupled to the wireless transceiver and operable to select an operating frequency for the wireless transceiver. The channel selection logic is configured to reserve a dedicated channel having a special identifier. The channel selection logic is configured to have the wireless transceiver advertise the dedicated service on a normal operating frequency. The channel selection logic is responsive to receiving a request from a wireless device via the wireless transceiver on the normal operating frequency to use the dedicated channel to switch to the dedicated channel and establish communications with the wireless device on the dedicated channel.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

channel selection logic coupled to the wireless transceiver and operable to select an operating frequency for the wireless transceiver;

wherein the channel selection logic is configured to reserve a second, dedicated channel for dedicated service having a special identifier;

wherein the channel selection logic is configured to have the wireless transceiver advertise the dedicated service on a first, non-dedicated, operating frequency;

wherein the channel selection logic is responsive to receiving a request from a wireless device via the wireless transceiver on the first, non-dedicated operating frequency to use the dedicated service and to switch to the dedicated channel and establish communications with the wireless device on the dedicated channel.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is further configured to verify the wireless client is authorized to use the dedicated service before establishing communications with the wireless device on the dedicated channel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is further configured to send a signal to other clients having previously established communications instructing the other clients to associate with another access point.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the signal comprises a list of neighboring access points.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is responsive to finishing communications with the wireless device on the dedicated channel to return to the first, non-dedicated operating channel and resume advertising the dedicated service on the first, non-dedicated operating frequency.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is configured to have the wireless transceiver listen to the dedicated channel for a predetermined time period before operating on the dedicated channel.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is further configured to establish communications with the wireless device on the dedicated channel by associating with the wireless device on the dedicated channel.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is configured to have the wireless transceiver periodically scan the dedicated channel for potential radar signals while operating on the first, non-dedicated operating frequency.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is in communication with an external device that scans the dedicated channel for radar signals;

and

wherein the channel selection logic switches to the dedicated channel responsive to receiving data from the external device indicating that the dedicated channel is free of potential radar signals.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second wireless transceiver, wherein the second wireless transceiver is configured to operate on the dedicated wireless transceiver;

and

wherein the channel selection logic switches to the second wireless transceiver to communicate with the wireless device on the dedicated channel.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is configured to scan the dedicated channel for potential radar signals;

and

wherein the channel selection logic selects a third channel as the dedicated channel responsive to determining potential radar signals have been received on the dedicated channel.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection logic is configured to delay switching to the dedicated channel until observing the client has one of a group consisting of a steady Received Signal Strength Indication for a predetermined time period and a Received Signal Strength Indication above a minimum threshold for the predetermined time period.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further comprising a second wireless transceiver operative on a second dedicated channel;

wherein the channel selection logic is responsive to receiving a second request from a second wireless device via the wireless transceiver on the first, non-dedicated operating frequency to use the dedicated channel to establish communications with the second wireless device on the second dedicated channel.

14. A method, comprising:

advertising on a first channel, a service set identifier associated with the first channel and a service set identifier associated with a second channel associated with a dedicated service;

receiving an association request from a client for the service set identifier associated with the second channel;

associating the client to the service set identifier associated with the second channel;

switching to the second channel responsive to associating the client to the service set identifier associated with the second channel associated with the dedicated service; and

establishing communications with the client on the second channel.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising sending a frame to remaining clients on the first channel to terminate communications with the remaining clients.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising sending data representative of neighboring access points to the remaining clients.

17. The method according to claim 14, the associating further comprising verifying the client is authorized to access the service set identifier associated with the second channel.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising performing a radar detection check on the second channel prior to establishing communications with the client on the second channel.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising sending a message to the client to switch to a third channel responsive to detecting radar to the second channel;

and

switching to the third channel after sending the message to the client to switch to the third channel.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein access to the second channel is limited to one device at a time.