Method and system for wireless access point radios integrated in a cable

• US 8,867,508 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forbes, Marcellus, Gonikberg, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, JUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/984,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20120170558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 370/203, 370204-215, 370229-240, 370310-337, 370338-350, 370351-394, 370/395.1, 370/395.3, 370/395.4, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370431-457, 370458-463, 370464-497
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless access point (AP) radio may be integrated in a cable. The cable may comprise one or more other integrated wireless AP radios. The cable may be communicatively coupled to a wireless controller and the wireless AP radio may receive power from the wireless controller via the cable. Feature information and/or configuration parameter settings may be received by the wireless AP radio from the wireless controller via the cable. The wireless AP radio may provide wireless communication services such as wireless access to a wired network for one or more client devices, based on the feature information and/or the configuration parameter settings. When one or more adjacent wireless AP radios in the cable become non-operational, the wireless AP radio may increase its transmission power to increase its coverage for covering at least a portion of coverage area associated with the one or more non-operational adjacent wireless AP radios.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless access point (AP) radio that is fully contained within a cable, wherein the cable contains one or more other wireless AP radios that are fully contained in the cable, and the cable is communicatively coupled to a wireless controller;

receiving power by the wireless AP radio from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable;

receiving feature information and configuration parameter settings by the wireless AP radio from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable;

providing wireless access and wireless communication services by the wireless AP radio for one or more client devices that are communicatively coupled to the wireless AP radio based on the received feature information and the received configuration parameter settings; and

when one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in the cable become non-operational, increasing transmission power of the wireless AP radio to increase a coverage of the wireless AP radio to cover at least a portion of coverage area associated with the one or more adjacent wireless AP radios.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising providing wireless access to a wired network which is connected to the wireless controller for the one or more client devices.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

receiving a data packet having a wireless format from each of the one or more client devices; and

transmitting the data packet having the wireless format to the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable, wherein the wireless controller converts the data packet having the wireless format to generate a data packet having a wired format for transmitting to the wired network.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

receiving a data packet having a wireless format from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable, wherein the wireless controller has converted a data packet having a wired format to generate the data packet having the wireless format after receiving the data packet having the wired format from the wired network; and

transmitting the data packet having the wireless format to each of the one or more client devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless controller identifies the wireless AP radio based on a media access control (MAC) address of the wireless AP radio.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising monitoring and verifying operations of one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in the cable by a direct connection within the cable.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising supporting at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operating standard.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving upgraded feature information and updated configuration parameter settings from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more new cables that each comprises one or more new wireless AP radios are added to the cable to extend a total coverage area associated with the wireless AP radio and the one or more other wireless AP radios in the cable.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the wireless AP radio integrated in the cable is defective, a section of the cable comprising the wireless AP radio is replaced by a new cable comprising one or more new wireless AP radios.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and circuits for use in a wireless access point (AP) radio that is fully contained within a cable, wherein the cable comprises one or more other integrated wireless AP radios that are fully contained within the cable, the cable is communicatively coupled to a wireless controller, and the one or more processors and circuits are configured to;

receive power from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable;

receive feature information and configuration parameter settings from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable;

provide wireless access and wireless communication services for one or more client devices that are communicatively coupled to the wireless AP radio based on the received feature information and the received configuration parameter settings; and

when one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in the cable become non-operational, increase transmission power of the wireless AP radio to increase a coverage of the wireless AP radio to cover at least a portion of coverage area associated with the one or more non-operational adjacent wireless AP radios.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors and circuits are operable to provide wireless access to a wired network which is connected to the wireless controller for the one or more client devices.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the one or more processors and circuits are operable to:

receive a data packet having a wireless format from each of the one or more client devices; and

transmit the data packet having the wireless format to the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable, and the wireless controller converts the data packet having the wireless format to generate a data packet having a wired format for transmitting to the wired network by a direct connection within the cable.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the one or more processors and circuits are operable to:

receive a data packet having a wireless format from the wireless controller via the cable by a direct connection within the cable, and the wireless controller has converted a data packet having a wired format to generate the data packet having the wireless format after receiving the data packet having the wired format from the wired network; and

transmit said data packet having the wireless format to each of the one or more client devices.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the wireless controller identifies the wireless AP radio based on a media access control (MAC) address of the wireless AP radio.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors and circuits are operable to monitor and verify operations of one or more adjacent wireless AP radios integrated in the cable by a direct connection within the cable.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein, the one or more processors and circuits are further configured to support at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operating standard.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors and circuits are operable to receive upgraded feature information and updated configuration parameter settings from the wireless controller via said cable.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more new cables that each comprises one or more new wireless AP radios are added to the cable to extend a total coverage area associated with the wireless AP radio and the one or more other wireless AP radios in the cable.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein, when the wireless AP radio integrated in the cable is defective, a section of the cable comprising the wireless AP radio is replaced by a new cable comprising one or more new wireless AP radios.