Method and apparatus for creating and connecting to an ad hoc wireless cell

• US 9,060,325 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gabay, Avraham
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HOANG-CHUONG Q
• Application Number:
  US11/633,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,116 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/338, 370/328, 370/254, 455/457, 455/518, 455/41.2, 709/222, 709/223, 709/245, 709/228, 709/208, 709/209, 709/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Various embodiments provide simplified methods and apparatuses for creating and administering an independent basic service set, or ad hoc wireless cell. A user is presented with a unified user experience that reduces the time and expertise required to utilize the independent basic service set functionality.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

display a wizard that allows a user to enter specifications for creating an ad hoc wireless cell;

initiate the ad hoc wireless cell based at least in part on some of the specifications; and

advertise the ad hoc wireless cell by transmitting a signal that allows one or more devices to detect and join the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the initiating computer transmits an initiator assignment request (IAR) to one or more member-devices upon dis-association from the ad hoc wireless cell, the IAR includes destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the one or more member-devices in the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the signal comprises;

a cell information element (CIE) that includes the following data fields;

information element identifier;

information element length;

organizationally unique identifier;

purpose of the information element;

MAC address of cell initiator;

a range, including start and end of IP addresses associated with the ad hoc wireless cell; and

a list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that cannot be assigned again that further includes IP addresses that are already assigned.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the wizard comprises one or more fields for entering, by the user, the specifications for the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the one or more fields include:

a band field which allows the user to specify one or more bands for the ad hoc wireless cell; and

an address assignment field which allows the user to select a method for assigning an IP address.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the one or more fields further includes:

a cell name field which allows the user to specify a name for the ad hoc wireless cell; and

a security field which allows the user to specify one or more security methods for the ad hoc wireless cell.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the wizard further comprises a summary screen, wherein the summary screen comprises a summary of the ad hoc cell specifications.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal causes one of the one or more devices to:

detect the transmitted signal;

display an indication of the detected signal; and

transmit a second signal to the computer, wherein the second signal includes a MAC address of the device, and wherein the second signal causes the computer to associate the device with the ad hoc wireless cell.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the associating comprises assigning an IP address to the device.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the instructions thereon, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

receive a disassociation request from the device; and

responsive to receiving said disassociation request, disassociate the device from the ad hoc wireless cell.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the instructions thereon, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

receive an initiator assignment response from the device, the initiator assignment response includes a MAC address of the responding device.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions thereon, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to assign an initiator.

10. A method comprising:

displaying a wizard that allows a user to enter specifications for creating an ad hoc wireless cell;

initiating the ad hoc wireless cell based at least in part on some of the specifications; and

advertising the ad hoc wireless cell by transmitting a signal to one or more devices, wherein the initiating computer transmits an initiator assignment request (IAR) to one or more member-devices upon dis-association from the ad hoc wireless cell, the IAR includes destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the one or more member-devices in the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the signal comprises a cell information element (CIE) that includes the following data fields;

information element identifier;

information element length;

organizationally unique identifier;

purpose of the information element;

MAC address of cell initiator;

a range, including start and end of IP addresses associated with the ad hoc wireless cell; and

a list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that cannot be assigned again that further includes IP addresses that are already assigned.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting by one or more devices of the transmitted signal; and

associating at least one of the one or more devices with the ad hoc wireless cell.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the initiating computer of the ad hoc wireless cell, an initiator assignment response from the one or more member-devices of the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the initiator assignment response includes a MAC address of the responding member.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising assigning an initiator.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

an antenna coupled to the one or more processors and configured to receive and transmit signals to enable creation of an ad hoc wireless cell;

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media; and

computer-readable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to;

display a user interface to create an ad hoc wireless cell, the user interface comprising;

a cell name field which allows a user to specify a name for the ad hoc wireless cell;

a band field which allows the user to specify one or more bands for the ad hoc wireless cell;

a security field which allows the user to specify one or more security methods for the ad hoc wireless cell; and

an address assignment field which allows the user to select a method for assigning an address;

receive input from the user via the user interface;

create the ad hoc wireless cell based at least in part on the received input; and

advertise the ad hoc wireless cell by transmitting a signal that allows one or more devices to detect and join the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the processor transmits an initiator assignment request (IAR) to one or more member-devices upon dis-association by the system from the ad hoc wireless cell, the IAR includes destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the one or more member-devices in the ad hoc wireless cell, wherein the signal comprises;

a cell information element (CIE) that includes the following data fields;

information element identifier;

information element length;

organizationally unique identifier;

purpose of the information element;

MAC address of cell initiator;

a range, including start and end of IP addresses associated with the ad hoc wireless cell; and

a list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that cannot be assigned again that further includes IP addresses that are already assigned.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the address assignment field allows the user to select manual assignment, by the user, of one or more of the addresses.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the address assignment field allows the user to select automatic assignment, by one or more of the processors, of one or more of the addresses.