Method and system for improved communication network setup utilizing extended terminals

• US 8,640,217 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thawani, Manoj, Iyer, Mahesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYSZYNSKI, AUBREY H
• Application Number:
  US13/089,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 726/11, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for improved communication network setup utilizing extended terminals are presented. Aspects of the method may comprise configuring a wireless Ethernet terminal functioning as a client station by a configurator via a network. The configured wireless Ethernet terminal may wirelessly receives information from a wireless station, and communicate the wirelessly received information to at least one of a plurality of wired stations via at least one of a plurality of corresponding wired interfaces. Aspects of the system may comprise a collocated device functioning as a configurator that configures a wireless Ethernet terminal functioning as a client station via a network. The configured wireless Ethernet terminal may wirelessly receives information from a wireless station, and communicate the wirelessly received information to at least one of a plurality of wired stations via at least one of a plurality of corresponding wired interfaces.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information, the method comprising:

performing by one or more processors and/or circuits integrated within a wireless Ethernet terminal;

transcoding a header of a received wireless local area network (WLAN) frame to generate a local area network (LAN) header;

decrypting said received WLAN frame prior to said communicating of said LAN frame to a wired LAN station via a corresponding wired interface; and

communicating said LAN frame based on said generated LAN header.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a network layer destination address based on said decrypted said received WLAN frame.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising associating a port at said wireless Ethernet terminal corresponding to said determined network layer destination address.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising appending said generated LAN header to at least a portion of a WLAN physical layer service data unit to generate said LAN frame.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said received WLAN frame indicates a destination address that corresponds to an address within a basic service set (BSS) associated with said wireless Ethernet terminal.

6. A method for communicating information, the method comprising:

performing by one or more processors and/or circuits integrated within a wireless Ethernet terminal;

transcoding a header of a received local area network (LAN) frame to generate a wireless local area network (WLAN) header;

communicating a WLAN frame based on said generated WLAN header; and

encrypting said WLAN frame prior to said communicating of said WLAN frame to a wireless LAN station via a corresponding wireless interface.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising determining a network layer destination address based on said received LAN frame.

8. The method according to claim 6, comprising associating a MAC address of a collocated device corresponding to said determined network layer destination address.

9. The method according to claim 6, comprising appending said generated WLAN header to at least a portion of a LAN physical layer service data unit to generate said WLAN frame.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said received LAN frame indicates a destination address that corresponds to an address within a basic service set (BSS) associated with a wireless station.

11. A system for communicating information, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a wireless Ethernet terminal, said one or more circuits being operable to;

transcode a header of a received wireless local area network (WLAN) frame to generate a local area network (LAN) header, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to decrypt said received WLAN frame prior to said communicating of said LAN frame to a wired LAN station via a corresponding wired interface; and

communicate a LAN frame based on said generated LAN header.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine a network layer destination address based on said decrypted said received WLAN frame.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to associate a port at said wireless Ethernet terminal corresponding to said determined network layer destination address.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to append said generated LAN header to at least a portion of a WLAN physical layer service data unit to generate said LAN frame.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said received WLAN frame indicates a destination address that corresponds to an address within a basic service set (BSS) associated with said wireless Ethernet terminal.

16. A system for communicating information, the method comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a wireless Ethernet terminal, said one or more circuits being operable to;

transcode a header of a received local area network (LAN) frame to generate a wireless local area network (WLAN) header; and

communicate a WLAN frame based on said generated WLAN header, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to encrypt said WLAN frame prior to said communicating of said WLAN frame to a wireless LAN station via a corresponding wireless interface.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine a network layer destination address based on said received LAN frame.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to associate a MAC address of a collocated device corresponding to said determined network layer destination address.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to append said generated WLAN header to at least a portion of a LAN physical layer service data unit to generate said WLAN frame.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein said received LAN frame indicates a destination address that corresponds to an address within a basic service set (BSS) associated with a wireless station.