Wireless adapter with auxiliary radio channel for advanced channel scanning
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wireless device, comprising:
- a first radio channel including transmit capabilities and receive capabilities respectively configured for transmission and reception of data, with a first access point in a wireless local area network, over a first channel associated with the first access point, wherein the transmission and reception of data over the first channel is implemented pursuant to a protocol for data transmission and reception as defined by a wireless standard, and wherein the wireless standard further defines a scanning protocol for searching for access points within the wireless local area network;
a second radio channel including only receive capabilities configured to scan, pursuant to the scanning protocol defined by the wireless standard, for a second access point over a second channel associated with the second access point, wherein the second radio channel (i) is separate from the first radio channel and (ii) does not include a transmitter due to the second radio channel including only receive capabilities, wherein the second radio channel is further configured to scan for the second access point pursuant to a configurable channel list, wherein the configurable channel list indicates (i) a first group of channels that are enabled to be scanned by the second radio channel, (ii) a second group of channels that are not enabled to be scanned by the second radio channel, and (iii) for each channel in the first group of channels, an indication of a corresponding time period for scanning the corresponding channel in the first group of channels, and wherein the second channel is included in the first group of channels; and
a controller configured to facilitate a handoff procedure to switch the transmission and reception of data over the first channel associated with the first access point to the second channel associated with the second access point.
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Abstract
A wireless device for wireless communication in a wireless area network. The wireless device includes a main radio channel for exchanging data with an access point in the wireless area network, as well as an auxiliary radio channel for scanning for availability of other access points in the wireless area network.
31 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A wireless device, comprising:
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a first radio channel including transmit capabilities and receive capabilities respectively configured for transmission and reception of data, with a first access point in a wireless local area network, over a first channel associated with the first access point, wherein the transmission and reception of data over the first channel is implemented pursuant to a protocol for data transmission and reception as defined by a wireless standard, and wherein the wireless standard further defines a scanning protocol for searching for access points within the wireless local area network; a second radio channel including only receive capabilities configured to scan, pursuant to the scanning protocol defined by the wireless standard, for a second access point over a second channel associated with the second access point, wherein the second radio channel (i) is separate from the first radio channel and (ii) does not include a transmitter due to the second radio channel including only receive capabilities, wherein the second radio channel is further configured to scan for the second access point pursuant to a configurable channel list, wherein the configurable channel list indicates (i) a first group of channels that are enabled to be scanned by the second radio channel, (ii) a second group of channels that are not enabled to be scanned by the second radio channel, and (iii) for each channel in the first group of channels, an indication of a corresponding time period for scanning the corresponding channel in the first group of channels, and wherein the second channel is included in the first group of channels; and a controller configured to facilitate a handoff procedure to switch the transmission and reception of data over the first channel associated with the first access point to the second channel associated with the second access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification